I do both, but sometimes, I have to do stupid shit to make up for NOT topping or training them proper like.
I really love to see a plant as she grows, when I’m exploring a new variety.
But, it does not always mean that was the best way.
Cannavor’s Slush Puppy plants I’m running now, I did them a GREAT disservice by NOT topping!
AND, he warned me!! They run to the clouds.
As once they hit the flower area, they grew to be sky scrapers!! Up past my Aussie Sun beams!
So, I had to, use some covered copper wire, to shape the tops into cane tops.
So freaking ugly, to do to them, my next run will start off with them, will start with sever training.
So I knew I phucked up, with no topping or training.
Was picking leaf, last evening, as these are soon done. The SP’s have an amazing delicious scent, that you just want to smear all over yourself, as I work the plant.
But yeah, I bitched this grow up proper like! Training is far better than my silly Dr. Seuss, plants.
I started in a 2x2 only 4 feet tall. I learned quickly to control height and size. my last plant to get chopped was 4 oz of Bud and the plant wasn’t more than 18 inches above the soil…I train for wide and level canopy with ties. Start when clones are just starting to recover and show new growth.
Now that I have a 6 foot tall tent, I am starting to dabble in height increase. I know I’m shorting myself a little by trimming them up so far but I don’t like larf.
Topped above the third node.
I will remove the growth on the first node, and on the third I will top it once more.
The goal is a plant with 6 or equalish colas.
I will try nine such plants in a 4x4 area.
I say top ALL plants, but only if your goal is more flowers.
Case in point: we grow giant larkspurs outside; just letting them go, gets us one big beautiful flower per plant. The times that I’ve topped a larkspur, it puts out multiple flower heads which can all be harvested and dried for ornament, etc. HUGE difference when topping larkspurs. So, why should cannabis or any other flowering plant (or tree) be any different?
I have had similar experiences. My first grow closet was 4’ tall also. It took me over a year to learn how to grow for height. I’m learning that few cannabis plants stretch as much as “they” say. I’ve been trying to get a plant to grow into the light because there are some things I want to try but I guess 6’ is pretty tall.
I do HST, even with autos, usually start defoliating, trimming, and topping early. I almost always lollipop to some degree and once in late veg, big fan leaves and lots of branches go. Sometimes to an extreme degree, but this is typical.
I keep my plants pretty small, so some I top and some I just let grow. It depends on where they’re at when I wanna fill the bloom tent. Right now I have 2 topped and 2 untopped in the same space. If it’s known for stretching, I’ll definitely top though. At least once anyway.
from an indoor grower perspective, it sounds weird to cull the ones with the biggest heaviest buds…i realize it’s a two way street, but big buds fall down sometimes.
I’m talking for long term holding or breeding. If I’m growing for flower, I’m with you and will certainly let something finish up a flower run if it’s got big heavy buds, but it would have to be really special in ever other way for it to stick around long term.
“5 nodes” is a damn vague term…tbf
for example, if one plant has an internodal distance of 10cm the plant is approximately 50cm. if the other plant has an internodal distance of 6cm then the plant is about 30cm.
In water transport from a plant physiology/ecology perspective, physics plays a huge role such as plant height and gravity. Thus 50cm plant needs more pressure within the xylem than a 30cm plant to transport the same amount of water to leaves from the root. Well, both are the same 5 nodes so you can imagine either they didn’t fully explain their standards or they don’t know what they are talking about.
and I mean they aren’t a scientific researcher. I wouldn’t necessarily buy what they say.
or maybe they are and have good knowledge and application ideas? not sure…I do not know but would be nice if someone could input about them.
apparently HST is good for increasing terps and such, but I’ve always done it to fill out spaces with less plants. outdoors I let em do whatever they want.
Hi all
I wait till the plant reaches 5 nodes then I’ll top at the third node
Why grow the plant to 5 nodes then cut back
Well it allows the trunk get fatter this will help to support the heavy branches
I mainline my plants to get 8 or more mains
And some aggressive pruning at the first week of flower
maybe a stronger plant at 5 nodes - but like you at 3 node is a good time. same here like to do a "heavy defoliation 1 st week of flower - the only time I don’t is when I do a heavy defoliation 2 days before flip (12/12) the I do one at week 4, But like you say strain dependent !!
