At what height do I start topping babies in plastic cups?

[Freddie Millergogo]

They are healthy clones and are now babies heading towards teens. I heard the time to start topping in plastic cups is when the plant reaches 15" inches tall. Does that sound right? Thanks.

 

[ruwtz]

15" of what? 5 nodes? 10?

I wait for 5-6 nodes and top above the 2nd or 3rd, forcing new tops from those remaining nodes.

New growth is quick with everything else being right.

 

[BM9AGS]

What he said ^

 

[aspirin]

im sure i read somewhere that you wait until the nodes grow uneven

 

[ruwtz]

im sure i read somewhere that you wait until the nodes grow uneven

A seedling will have opposite leaf sets then at sexual maturity show alternate phyllotaxy. Hence clones typically have these uneven nodes too and I find topping to be less successful at this point: it will encourage new growth but the higher shoot on the node tends to dominate in my experience. This is why I only tend to top a clone once or twice max and LST after that.

I'd love to hear from people who do it differently with success.

 

[Freddie Millergogo]

15" of what? 5 nodes? 10?

I wait for 5-6 nodes and top above the 2nd or 3rd, forcing new tops from those remaining nodes.

New growth is quick with everything else being right.

15" tall

 

[ruwtz]

15" tall