Alrighty folks, I'm back with pictures and an update after feeding and lopping tops! I will do this as a 2 part update just to try and keep it clean. First off, we will take a look at the topping process and what went on there, then the 2nd post will be our update for the day. Let's get at it..
So today I decided it was time to get those tops snipped off and get the plants energy moving towards growing out those 4 nodal branches that will now be our mains. A lot of the time you will see me top and just take 2 mains out then top again, but it's not a big deal how you do it, you will still get 4 nice sized colas in the end.
First, I rounded up a few simple things to get us started.
-99% isopropyl alcohol - to clean and sterilize the scissors
-paper towels - to wipe down the scissors and work area
-something to put the alcohol in to soak the scissors
-the trimming scissors
I soaked the scissors for a few minutes while I gathered up the plants to be topped and had them beside the table. Wiped the scissors down real good to make sure there wasn't something on them that could get into the cut wounds on the plants and infect it somehow. Also wiped down the table with a few drop of alcohol for good measure. That simple, now we're ready to start.
I bring a plant on to the table, count from the bottom up and identify exactly what parts I am going to cut off. All of these plants I'm doing today are at the same stages so that makes it easy. Here is where I plan to make the cuts on all these plants to keep the 3rd and 4th nodes.
So I lightly brush back the leaves some if they are in the way and then I grab the top new growth from the underside and close my thumb and finger around it as if I was just going to pinch it off, but I just hold it there. I get my scissors ready and arm steady, then carefully place the scissors where I want to cut making absolutely sure that I am not going to cut any of the nodal growth shown in this next picture where I cut. Then I take off the bottom 2 nodes being sure to take the node growth away with it.
And there we have it, a top lopped off, it's just that easy, even when the plants are small. I've topped when I only had 3 nodes as well and just grew out the 2 mains that way.
It's not the most informative, but someone may come across it and be able to use it. I know there's lots of topping info out there so my way is not the only way, just how I prefer to do things. Thanks
need more java and doobies 
I also had some visitors this morning checking things out.
