Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas

Hi UB, Ive been here since 08, just forgot my password and started with a new name..I remember coming across this thread a couple years ago but felt intimidated even trying topping being I had limited experiance... Now, with a few grows under my belt, im ready to step it up a notch par say..lol.. I have a few questions pertaining to topping to get 4 main colas...

Does topping to get 4 mains create more root mass?
My setup will be 3 gallon pots vegged for 4 weeks then put into flower under a 600 and a 400 watt hps. with fox farms happy soil and oceans forest with added perlite...The strain is nirvana chrystal reg. Will my 3 gallon pots be big enough for this eqaution?
Also withy the large colas, do they need watered and fed more than reguler non topped plants? These questions my be dumb but im new to this topping techniqe and really have room for minimal mistakes..
Im sure my answers are probably in the pages of this thread b ut it would take hours to find them im sure...lol... Thak you sir for taking the time to read this and hopefully replying....

smokey mcsmokester said:

Does topping to get 4 mains create more root mass?

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Welcome back.

Root mass increase? I'd say it doesn't matter what your technique is as root mass and flower production is driven by the amount of foliage mass and its health. It's also an issue of what comes first - the chicken or the egg.

My setup will be 3 gallon pots vegged for 4 weeks then put into flower under a 600 and a 400 watt hps. with fox farms happy soil and oceans forest with added perlite...The strain is nirvana chrystal reg. Will my 3 gallon pots be big enough for this eqaution?

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Should be. Can't really speculate though. If you have small spindly plants it may be too large due to insufficient roots to wick off soil moisture. If you have 8' tall plants with a lot of healthy foliage and a solid rootball, a 3 gallon pot will require frequent watering and can stunt the plant. Indoors using 3 gallon pots I had to water twice a day with at least 1 liter of water each time, but then again my plants have abundant foliage - by design.

Also withy the large colas, do they need watered and fed more than reguler non topped plants?

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Every one of these questions centers on basic plant botany. Get some books on indoor growing and stay away from cannabis forums for a while. To answer your question, watering is dependent on many factors but in general think of the root system as a sponge or a wick whereby leaf transpiration creates a negative cell pressure causing a intake at the roots. More the foliage and roots, the more often you'll have to water.

Thanks a ton UB... I was wondering about root mass only because of having 4 main stems, But i now understand what you men... Thanks again...+rep...

hey ben .... i got busted.
wanna suggest some plants that are fun to grow with easy/moderate difficulty? indoors of course.
figure if there'd be anyone to ask it would be you..

Uncle Ben said:

$8 -10/lid back in my days, 60's.

UB

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I've been a lurker for the better part of year on this forum, I just about blew my coffee out when I heard you mention "lid" I grew up in the mid to late 70s and we still used that term then. LOL

jahbrudda said:

I've been a lurker for the better part of year on this forum, I just about blew my coffee out when I heard you mention "lid" I grew up in the mid to late 70s and we still used that term then. LOL

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groovy!...

And topping back then probably referred to a mohawk hair cut.

ahhh uncle ben... good to see you back mate. your topping guide is just about legend around here these days. cheers and thanks very much for helping this community!!!!!

regards,
mr. bond

i finally remembered to try this! putting notes on the veg room door works!!!!

i topped two clones yesterday. the nodes are alternating (older plant) so i cut them above the 4th alternating node which i'm assuming is the same thing as the 2nd node if they were non alternating nodes. then again, i'm pretty high!

this is the first time i've topped since the 90s. i typically tie them down. if nothing else, it will be interesting.

crap: i should have read more! lol. so much for topping my alternating node clones. i have a bunch of seedlings though so, i'll give it a go on them when they're a bit taller.

Originally Posted by regionaldragon
What if you have alternating nodes instead of pairs of nodes, where do you top?

You can't. Nodes must be opposing for the double output thingie. If your nodes are alternating, you won't get the effect as the top node (leafset) will be at a point on the plant that has the greatest collection of auxins, the newest, highest tissue. Auxins control a plant's growing dynamics. When you pinch out the tip of a plant that is in a veg stage (has opposing nodes/leafsets) then basically the plant splits the auxins and sends them to the 2 dormant buds located at the axis of where the leaf petiole attaches to the "trunk". Viola, you get simultaneous output, two new leafsets as shown on page one of this thread.

Good luck,
UB

snipped this clone in the usual place soon as it rooted
1 shoot didnt keep up so kept it as cuttin so i gotz 3 ha

How long does it usually take from when topped to new growth?

What up people? Just wanted to post some pics of the girl I harvested last night. She was topped and produced to Killa main colas! The strain is The Ultimate by Dutch Passion Seed Co. Grown in airpots using coco and canna nutes and also Atami Bloombastic. My light is a 270W Enhanced Spectrum Supernova LED and I also use co2. Thanks for the topping technique UB! I'll definitely top again!!

ChroniCDooM said:

What up people? Just wanted to post some pics of the girl I harvested last night. She was topped and produced to Killa main colas! The strain is The Ultimate by Dutch Passion Seed Co. Grown in airpots using coco and canna nutes and also Atami Bloombastic. My light is a 270W Enhanced Spectrum Supernova LED and I also use co2. Thanks for the topping technique UB! I'll definitely top again!!
View attachment 1817156View attachment 1817157View attachment 1817158View attachment 1817160View attachment 1817161

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Glad you're happy with your goodies! Good on ya!

someone grew these plants? have details about them?

http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/female-seeds-white-widow-x-big-bud/prod_1421.html

http://www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk/samsara-seeds-el-alquimista-feminized/prod_1613.html

OneHit said:

Yes, Im pretty sure that is the case

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Yeah and I'm 100% that you are wrong lol... I've done this experiment plenty of times and yes, you are mistaken.

I dont care what any person on this forum has to say about the subject, when you top a plant - it grows 2 main kolas - to produce these kolas and thicken them out it takes more work for the plant. It WILL take longer to bud if topped. HOWEVER, if you are growing outdoors cannabis plants tend to "finish up" around the same time - the winter is coming - they know it - and they need to push these flowers/seeds out before the frost comes and they die.

You are correct when you speak of outdoor plants, but not because of strain - yes a strain does have its over flowering time but when you top a plant expect that you just added another 2 weeks of flowering to your plant.

Never grown outside but as for inside flowering time doesn't change if you top. Maybe veg a little longer so that the branches develop more but when they hit the 12/12 nothing changes. Personal experience.

lbezphil2005 said:

Did you not read the first few pages, even the first few posts of this thread? There is a complete diagram with pics, drawings, everything, honestly, I dont' get you guys sometimes, a little reading goes a long way, fellas! The cotehydrons are the first leaves to appear when the seed sprouts. they are not considered "true leaves", okay? then you have the next set that comes out, a single blade "usually", that is your first set of tru leaves, okay? Then the next set to come out would be your second, etc.

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I know where the nodes are. That being said, I have to say that I, who have read the beginning of this thread many, many times, as well as large portions of the rest (thank you Uncle Ben!!), have never been able to find the diagrams or pics indicating such. I've looked. Not once, not twice, but many, many times. So I don't know if there is some sort of glitch in the system, but I've even switched from three different devices, and have never seen it. Perhaps that happens for others as well. So maybe someone could find it in their heart to repost it.

Uncle Ben, you are my guru of the green, and I thank you for your generous guidance. So happy I stumbled upon you, it isn't as easy as you think.

Isisyogi said:

I know where the nodes are. That being said, I have to say that I, who have read the beginning of this thread many, many times, as well as large portions of the rest (thank you Uncle Ben!!), have never been able to find the diagrams or pics indicating such. I've looked. Not once, not twice, but many, many times. So I don't know if there is some sort of glitch in the system, but I've even switched from three different devices, and have never seen it. Perhaps that happens for others as well. So maybe someone could find it in their heart to repost it.

Uncle Ben, you are my guru of the green, and I thank you for your generous guidance. So happy I stumbled upon you, it isn't as easy as you think.

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I gave you photos and site specific anatomy and now you want me draw you a picture? Try this, which has been tweeked. http://riddlem3.com/index.php/topic,1106.0.html

No, I don't need you to draw me a pic, my post was merely pointing out the fact that I wasn't able to see the images and perhaps others weren't able to either. Not sure if it's a glitch or whatever, but I tried to access them from 3 different computers. Like I said, I know where they nodes are, I no longer need the pics, just passing along information about the inability to access the images within this thread which are often referred to.

Again, I thank you for your wealth of info.

Isisyogi said:

No, I don't need you to draw me a pic, my post was merely pointing out the fact that I wasn't able to see the images and perhaps others weren't able to either. Not sure if it's a glitch or whatever, but I tried to access them from 3 different computers. Like I said, I know where they nodes are, I no longer need the pics, just passing along information about the inability to access the images within this thread which are often referred to.

Again, I thank you for your wealth of info.

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Sounds like a tech problem on your end. Try different browsers, check on security settings (levels).

Good luck