Topping, when and how?
- Thread starter amirali
- Start date
Fdd had a great thread so when you're serious you should read that one but briefly I think it's best to top as soon as the branches stop cominig out in pairs and start coming out in alternating pattern, ie one on one side small space, one on the other side. topping for four is what I recomend having had great success with it. remove any weak lower branches. The first two are usually pretty sickly looking comapared to the rest. then leave the next four branches that you have chosen and cut everything off from that point on. Just go ahead and cut the top off. You can use the top as a clone. That's it. Real simples. you will now have a plant that will produce four strong colas in a nice tight pattern. Promise!
Desr
Well-Known Member
Hi people, I was wondering when the topping of a plant takes place and how its done and how do you know when its time to top it?
Thanks in advance
I do this after the 5th true node appears and I usually top over the 2nd true node to get 4 main colas. I did 6 (3rd node) and (4th node) 8 before, although it works it seems to get a bit outta hand and I think they all suffer in size not only because of the amount but the light penetration that gets blocked.
Yes this is where I read about it and tried.
TheOrganic
Well-Known Member
You can topp whenever in veg. 2weeks from seed usually for me. I like to give it time to recover and become a bush before flowering. But topping in flower is a no no unless you want less yield.
amirali
Active Member
Thanks for the advice to you and all others
You want to top the plant when the third set of leaves start.
Do it enough times you end up with a giant monster. Just don't go over-board
Well that's different than mine. I just topped for four and got four nice colas about eighteen inches. Big fat fuckers. Guess I fucked up
Just lost a fucking whole paragragh FUCK!!
anyhow topping is a balance between lots of little popcorn which the plant will produce if left on it's own and trimming to produce a nice fat impressive cola. When you see a guy holding a fourteen inch cola that cola did not just happen. the guy planned ahead and made that happen. I personally subscribe to the Dave Wilson method of pruning fruit trees and mj is really just that, A "fruit tree". I top for four colas because I want a plant that is well balanced all around and is shaped like a vase so that light penetrates to the interior of the plant thus promoting robust foliage. that foliage will support four nice fat colas with ease and give plenty of popcorn as a bonus. I end up with a plant that has a vase shape with four distinct colas at near perfect symmetry. If I had six it would not be like that nor if I had three etc. Four is perfect for me. Perfection is what I shoot for. Three may in your opinion be "perfect" and if it is then go for three. You should have a plan though and you should research to form an opinion of pruning theory. Dave Wilson most parralels my subscribed theory of plant pruning based on thity or forty years of trial and error and personal wxperience. Few things in life do I take as seriously as gardening. I didn't come by this opinion after taking someones advice to top after the third node or whatever.
anyhow topping is a balance between lots of little popcorn which the plant will produce if left on it's own and trimming to produce a nice fat impressive cola. When you see a guy holding a fourteen inch cola that cola did not just happen. the guy planned ahead and made that happen. I personally subscribe to the Dave Wilson method of pruning fruit trees and mj is really just that, A "fruit tree". I top for four colas because I want a plant that is well balanced all around and is shaped like a vase so that light penetrates to the interior of the plant thus promoting robust foliage. that foliage will support four nice fat colas with ease and give plenty of popcorn as a bonus. I end up with a plant that has a vase shape with four distinct colas at near perfect symmetry. If I had six it would not be like that nor if I had three etc. Four is perfect for me. Perfection is what I shoot for. Three may in your opinion be "perfect" and if it is then go for three. You should have a plan though and you should research to form an opinion of pruning theory. Dave Wilson most parralels my subscribed theory of plant pruning based on thity or forty years of trial and error and personal wxperience. Few things in life do I take as seriously as gardening. I didn't come by this opinion after taking someones advice to top after the third node or whatever.
I topped my baby 4days before flowering(4week veg) rookie mistake, I know! But when the first explosion of growth in 12/12 that babie turned in to a monster, imo, with 2 big colas and 5, almost equally big! This one actually was stunned and took 2 weeks longer then the rest! She is drying now and can't wait for the dry weight!
Homebud
Active Member
I just created a post in the newbie forum with a picture you may be interested in. Check it out
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/459508-photo-description-what-topping-accomplishes.html#post6171341
https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/459508-photo-description-what-topping-accomplishes.html#post6171341
amirali
Active Member
thanks i will check it out
RawBudzski
Well-Known Member
I think regardless of when you decide to top a plant you should always give it at least 2 weeks before beginning bloom. If not you are risking a loss in yield, instead of 1 large cola, you may endup with 2 tiny colas.
