That’s what I’m getting. Everyone is saying just LST to achieve the same goal almost. I rather do a way that’s proved time and time again for good yield on autos. Topping just isn’t worth the risk.
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Topping won’t stunt them. Cold will.
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Honestly if its your first time running that strain, don’t do anything to it and learn how it grows and develops. Then once you know plant a second and mess around with it, some strains respond differently to different training.
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Usually I think it’s not worth stunting the plant the point of topping is to reduce height and increase width this would obviously take time to high you do not have, unless you’re in a very small tent I would say it’s a no go
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It mostly depends on genetics and growing method used.
If you grow full on synthetics you can probably top just about any strain and get decent yields.
If you grow 100% organic then genetics play a larger role.
Hot Cakes for example can be topped in organic because it’s a beast.
I’ve topped another strain, had two females, topped one and the yield was about the same.
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Great Question @UppersAnDowners, without a definitive answer.
Here’s an interesting grow in progress where two sister autos were topped and the other two left alone.
This training approach was adopted to increase airflow and reduce the chances for mold and mildew damage in the challenging environment for growing in the Hawaiian Islands.
After topping, the plants were also tied down to create an open and horizontal canopy.
It’s a work in progress so tune in for the results.
-Grouchy 
@TARpits
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Noted. So obviously if taking the route of topping I would want to look for more stress resistance gene type plants?
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Also check out the great results from @LoveDaAutos, an Autoflower Maestro who tops and trains with alacrity!
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I also strongly believe that wider leaf autos handle topping way way better then a sativa or thin leaf.
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Well said, especially the part about FUN! I am having a great time with my first grow with 4 WhiteWidow autos. Topped 2 and let 2 ride I live in a high humidity area and have chosen to do an outdoor weather protected grow. So far it has gone exceedingly well. So far…
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Thank you all so much, I’ve been documenting your guys information in my irl journal. I can’t reply to everyone because I’m new and I can only post so much.
But I spent time looking into the genetics of my seeds and grouped them into different groups that kinda almost match or/are sister seeds.
I’m watching @LoveDaAutos as well and documenting what’s over there. So thanks for the live example!
Over all I have two sativas sister seeds right at this moment that look pretty good, thick green leaves… Gonna top one but for sure LST the rest.
@TARpits honest you were the first feed I came across, you alone are the reason I’m just going to top one. They are all already kinda controlled group almost. But I here what @RainToday is saying, gotta get the basic together, some discipline, and have fun is key ( which is big feel like I’m stressing a lot 
)
@Toker1 I felt that @the_bot you my rock 🪨
Thanks again for schooling me guys, love the collective knowledge!! 
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I’ve had some stunt and some thrive. Depends on genetics and medium. I ran a white widow/gsc cross from Captain Red Beard out of Oregon…in a dwc bubble bucket. Topped and it was beautiful.
Topped a runtz auto in a fabric pot and she was a damn runt for sure.
Autos in general are wicked finnicky, to the degree that it’s hard to give any broad advice.
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Sounds great! You won’t be “new” long I hope, because I would love to see you start a grow journal on here with photos. 
I love seeing how other people experiment with their autos!
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Whoever mentioned having fun, I second that. It may be the old mindset of babying autos has been rectified with much better vigor.
I think the best advice is a case by case basis. If you experience good branching/spacing/speed, topping can get you better/more tops, if you’re dealing with something more runty/obviously sensitive, don’t top.
I start pinching the main stem starting at the third node, and each new node as they emerge, instead of topping most of the time. Side/lower branches will stretch up alongside the main cola, and you haven’t removed anything.
If I choose to top, it happens about the same time, 3 good nodes, but I take just the tiniest tip, when there is just enough stem to nip the tip cleanly, and given the fact I just jumped into the proverbial deep end, I consider removing the first set of branches, as I usually end up with plenty to work with off the remaining four.
A plant grown au naturale is visually more appealing, but so is a flat stack of tops lol
You can see who has been beheaded and who hasnt, they all behave a little different, but…it’s still weed lol
Now that I think about it, the best smoke has always come from the plants that were bangers right out the gates, the topped ones.
makes sense.
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I only used alacrity one time and it burned the tips of my plants. 
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I don’t wait for the fifth node and top to the third or anything like that. I usually top as soon as the two branches show up under the main cola - at between two and three weeks, I guess. The plant loses almost no vegetation, but gains an extra cola. If I want more colas I’ll bend it, but with autos in smaller pots topping once is usually sufficient.
What I don’t do often with autos is defoliation or lollipopping. They need every single leaf they have.
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Topping once carries no risk. The trick is to do it without losing much vegetation - don’t treat her like a photo in that regard.
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I understand. Also thanks for the insight, that would make sense in regard of the whole topic. The big argument is that it doesn’t have the time to regrow large amounts of veg… but if it’s done sooner in the time frame it can still utilize that time to grow from topping. The plants I have going now are a bit to far for that, prime 3rd node right now
Hmm… all in all I think I’m gonna just do a top auto grow like some of these guys are doing and run everyone’s topping suggestions. Lemme get seeds going for this
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Exactly what he says, wise words.
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