Topping, Good idea or Bad Idea?

[diagnosedashigh]

Benefits, and Disadvantages?

Im trying to decide weather to top or not.

 

[Imlovinit]

If you top a plant it's growth will slow. I top my plants at 6'' to make 2 shoots and get a strong clone. It's really jst a personal preference.

 

[skervy]

meh it only stunts its growth shortly but the end result is worth it with a cluster of tops . depends on your space and preference i guess. do you want a straight christams tree or a big bush

 

[DoeEyed]

Benefits, and Disadvantages?

Im trying to decide weather to top or not.

I'm all for topping - keeps your plants shorter, while giving you multiple colas. I use Uncle Ben's topping method, to get four main colas on every plant - no guesswork. The thread is stickied in the Advanced Cultivation section, if you want to see it. You can look at my Trainwreck journal as well, if you want to see some examples of the result - they are currently just entering week five of flowering.

 

[jordisgarden]

even though the top growth slows down, it does but the lower growth gets sped up by a lot. the lower branches will even off with the rest of the plant. the diff is not topped youll get one huge cola at top with maybe some side branching, topped youll have like 8 or as many as you want tops that will be colas just a bit smaller than regular. ive done em both ways and honestly.i like em both. but i really love having a gigantic bud at top. i love the colas, the big fat cola sticky stinky colas, im not willing to give up

 

[diagnosedashigh]

alright is there a big yield difference between topping and not topping?

 

[DoeEyed]

Honestly, it depends. Some strains will give you an increased yeild with topping, but some don't like it and it will decrease your yield.

 

[diagnosedashigh]

would you say most of the time topping increases yield or the other way around?

 

[DoeEyed]

I would say yes, most of the time, topping does increase your yield. If for no other reason, because after topping you have however many colas closer to your lights, versus one main cola recieveing the benefit of the lights, and lots of small popcorn buds.

 

[diagnosedashigh]

makes sence. alright thanks +rep. i guess ill just be topping all my plants.

 

[Boneman]

Maybe just top 1/2 of them and see for yourself. Personally, I like one big ass cola

 

[diagnosedashigh]

i think when i do grow im gonna try growing 2 of the same strain and topping one and not topping the other. and whichever turns out better, is what ill use for the rest of the seeds i have for that strain.

 

[skervy]

not exactly a fool proof test you could get 2 diff phenos. if you wanna test it try it on clones from the same plant 1 topped 1 not

 

[diagnosedashigh]

i could do that except ive never cloned so that might be a little difficult.

 

[skervy]

then just make sure the plants are very similar and you dont have 1 thats growing taller or short and bushy or just faster in general.

 

[Stoney384]

Yeah i do UncleBen's technique, and i get four main colas instaed of one.
and i usually get more yield topping than not topping.
The trick is to take the colas off of the plant when harvest time and put the plant back under the light to increase the smaller buds.

 

[MediMaryUser]

i would rather lst,supercrop,or fim than just regular topping uncle bens technique is good also

 

[Mr. StankyFingas]

The only thing about topping I would think (never tried it) would be that you wouldnt be able to fit as many plants in the same size area cuz they would take up more room right?

 

[diagnosedashigh]

The only thing about topping I would think (never tried it) would be that you wouldnt be able to fit as many plants in the same size area cuz they would take up more room right?

yeah i was thinking the same thing about the number of plants. in a space. but maybe if the yield is a big enough of a difference then you'd still have a bigger yield then more plants that arent topped.

 

[Mr. StankyFingas]

Hmm i'll have to experiment because i'd me more than fine with that! lol