Pruning/trimming plants - tips for first-time grower?

Indoor Growing
#1

What are the differences in pruning strategies when plants are in the vegging stage vs. flowering stage? What changes with pruning/trimming technique when you cross over into flowering?

Specifically, topping has my concern because in essence you’re removing a big concentration of a plant’s new growth (though to encourage more growth). When do you top and is it done more than once?

I know pruning matters if one is going after a SOG vs. SCROG approach. Folks have said I should be going after SOG approach with my grow this will inform my pruning.

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#2

For topping, the first one is typically done after 2-3 weeks at around the 5th node.

Can you top more than once? Yes for photos. Usually not a good idea for autos.

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#3

For pruning, I typically aim to remove big fan leaves down below that aren’t getting light. Ditto for small buds near the bottom not getting light. The aim is to increase air flow through the plant and force it to send its energy to the main buds that are getting light.

These are pretty high level, as there is a wealth of info just by using the search button. But this should at least point you in the right direction.

Cheers!

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#4

Just one single correction to your post.
You remove leafs that shade any potential bud sites. This allows the light to penetrate the canopy more so the “popcorn” buds get more light and grow bigger. During veg strip as much as you want but obviously leave enough that the plant doesn’t die. In flower be selective. If you can tuck a leaf so the light can hit the lowers then tuck it in.

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#5

Yes, that’s a good point. I do that early on in the flowering stage. But toward the end, if there are small buds under the canopy, I just snip them off.

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#6

Agree. If it’s smaller than a marble it goes in the compostor. :+1:

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#7

I would go here;

Search for Pruning and/or trimming for some excellent advise.

Or just search the same and find many threads on the subject. Hope this helps.

:green_heart: :seedling:

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#8

High level @Randar but it’ll help me get deeper into the subject! I’ll keep promotion of adequate ventilation and light distribution in mind.

Is Grow FAQ a tag or something @G-paS ? It’s not listed as a subject category (list at top left on main page). Just trying to understand where it’s located. But I’ll definitely check it out.

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#9

Around 5th or 6th node for topping. No pruning after week 2 of flower. I do my hard pruning and supercropping outdoors right about when they start showing sex. I’m a very heavy pruner and remove everything before the last 3 nodes per branch. I go for quality over quantity and grow only colas. I don’t do larf. lol. Actually tested supercropping vs. No pruning. Volume of bud produced was the same if not more supercropping just more bud from colas then small branch buds or what I call larf. lol

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#10

I asked the same questions on pruning when I first came to OG and was advised to remove all the lower growth before changing to 12/12 and then again 21days later after the stretch has slowed right up.
After then I only remove old yellowing leaves.

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#11

Check this out. I do this outdoors even

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#12

It is a area were they put some great info from great breeders so all could find it. I read thru the whole area before I post here.

Frequently Asked Questions.

@Meesh I loved that video.

:green_heart: :seedling:

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#13

Appreciate the link to the Kyle Kushman’s supercropping video @Meesh. His Crash Course in Cannabis Cultivation was one the first sources for me. It’s very brief but describes the basic steps although don’t think it was meant to be authoritative by any means. Have to say I sometimes find myself at the point of info overload but experience will help organize all of it and manage the amount I decide to retain based on what works best.

I myself would like to train for mostly quality and big colas over quantity of bud sites, but isn’t it true some of the bud formation tendencies also dictated the strain characteristics?

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#14

Greetings @3rd_i,

Hope this doesn’t seem too much like self-promotion… but here’s a link to my soup to nuts tutorial on pruning a plant to a flat canopy using both Low and High stress techniques.

Cheers,
-Grouchy

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#15

It’s not self-promotion @GrouchyOldMan , it’s just sharing knowledge. Much appreciated!

#16

Thank you for that video! I found it super helpful, gunna binge his videos to learn more

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#17

I like to take away any fan leaves that touch my buds. Like a leaf from an adjacent branch that is against a cola. I have no proof but I suspect that contact could encourage mold. I also pluck everything below the canopy during flower