How do I prune to increase production?

Smokin Moose

Smokin Moose

Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
I start by pruning a leaf from each node in a staircase pattern, as soon as the first 5 bladed leaf appears. This will stimulate lateral growth and open the plant to more light.

I top around the 4-5 node, using the FIM technique, leaving about 20% of the growth tip intact. Topping will create at least 2 new budding sites, and with proper use of the FIM technique I have had as many as 5, and have heard of as many as 8. Topping will allow bottom branches time to grow and catch up, making them closer to the lights.

With proper training and manipulation, you can get these giant plants to grow horizontal, effectivly reducing the overall height of your garden as much as 50%. This way you can lower the lights as close as possible to all budding sites. With many budding sites very close to the light, you will get a better yeild of grade "A" bud. As opposed to having smaller shaded buds trapped under an untrained canopy, which will never fully develop.
 
Any help would be appreciated.

I am planning on doing my first closet grow and the space is a little less than optimal (about 2'x2'x8') and was wondering if you might have any pruning tips on how to best use this space. I was thinking i could try to fill the whole space with one large plant, but have no idea how i should best accomplish this task. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
 
Hi again S.Moose, your just getting all tangled up in my first few posts here ain't ya.
I'm getting a little tied up in all these verbal descriptions of pruning, so ran in and snapped a photo of one of mine needing it. It's about 7 weeks but large internode spacing and I was wanting to maybe prune for lower tier growth and bush out a little.
I tried following the upload photo instructions and seem to have done all right as I can find and select my photo in my gallery, but must have brain farted somewhere by the time I got down to the "Inserting in Post" instructions as I have no 'BB Code' option. I got "Linked Thumbnail, "Linked Medium", "Medium Image", "HTML Code" and " "Direct Link", so I did not click on any to post this. Can you go to gallery and look at the uploaded photo to view this and then render comments on what part I cut for this additional growth desired? It's the only photo in there so no hunting. I'm just not sure I follow you when you say you cut the leaf in an upward spiral fashion as to whether I cut the little tip in between the minor branches, or the actual branch w/leaf. I hope this is not a great pain for you and understand if it is, just blow it off. Thanks Bud. (Maybe I'll click the "insert image" button on reply box after all, just to see what happens)
 
+ reps dude! I've always wanted to know for sure... If you asked me to describe a node I couldn't. When reading about FIM I've always thought they were referring to here (red circle). But never been sure, hence, I don't do it. :joint:

pruneheresmalledit1.JPG
 
Roger that HeadMed, I've been the same way. God knows I've found enough ways to kill these poor plants without a pair of shears in my hand just mindlessly clipping away.
Thanks S.Moose, I follow now that you would clip this one photo'd, then move up to next tier and snip the one 90 degrees out from this and continue to tip top. Wait for week or so to recover from snippings, and go around again on those skipped this time.
I also found out how FIM was named as thats exactly what I said 1.5 weeks ago on another little starter. In fact I'm going to photo tomorrow and ask S.Moose whether to leave the strange leafs which grew from that OOPs or cut them off for more normal leaf growth. Strange mutant shape sticking out the top of my plant man! Thanks guys!
 
What am I doing wrong 9 out of 10 times my plants go limp and die the day after I try to prun or top. But the 1 time I got it to work produced 1 hell ofa bushey plant.:peace:
 
^Hi AP. Maybe to much at one time or something? I followed S.Mosse on this last one in the photo above by starting at the lower fans and then alternating tiers up in a spiral. Then gave her a week to recover from that first trim before going back and doing the un-cut spiral. A week later I then topped and she is bushing nicely as going into flower tomorrow.
The only other thing I did was the normal A.M. watering, and then the trim also early in day so she had 18 hours of light for plenty of healing energy. Can't wait to get her into 12/12 tomorrow.
 
Aabama Phill said:
What am I doing wrong 9 out of 10 times my plants go limp and die the day after I try to prun or top. But the 1 time I got it to work produced 1 hell ofa bushey plant.:peace:
Click to expand...
Why do you feel the need to top? Topping shouldn't kill the plant so your definately doing something you shouldn't be. Since that's the case I recommend you bend the top over gently and tie her that way with a twist tie. Search for paperclip training to see what I'm talking about.
 
Hey phil, make sure you clean the shears or whatever you use to top the plant with alcohol to disinfect. You dont want to carry over any disease from the shears to the plant. This might be the reason your plants die after attempting the FIM technique...
 
i've always thought having pictures of the proper trimming techniques on a plant at it's various growth stages would be just what everyone would want to know. i've been trying for the past couple of weeks to find the correct answers, searching the web, i've was really disappointed. this is the closest i've come to finding the answer. wonder if anyone could come up with pictures and techniques with the plants at their various stages, until harvest
 
I usually wait till half way threw flowering, then i only prune the leaves that are blocking buds, but never cut fan leaves, when u stop nutes, your plant will eat them fan leaves up.no food, they'll starve.
 
Confused newby

Hey, Head Med.
I have never cloned or pruned. I have limited space on this grow so I need to learn how to do both, so if you or any other growers could help me that would be awsome. I have several questions I also wonder if you know of any good grow guide sites that are free so I don't have to buy a book.

Ok so in the picture above you say to cut, but I'm confused. So do I cut the leafs above & below the cluster in the red circle. or do I cut the cluster in the red circle? If I cut the cluster isnt that a new set of branches? Can I use the cluster in the red circle to make a clone? Were is the best place to cut for my clones? The big leafs are shade leafs can I cut those? or is that wher buds will form? Can I cut all them all at once or in stages? and toping, that splits the top into two sets right? How do I do that? & How many times? Where are my buds going to grow from? On which branches? My plants are 3 weeks old in a 6 in pots on 24 hrs of light & about 4 in tall I want to put them in a 5 gallon buckets soon. I have like 4 sets of leaves and branches starting in their crevices < I think thats a internode point not sure?) When do I transplant them and how long after the transplant do I wait to put them in veg? Can I trim some of the big shade leaves off befor I do the transplant? Last question how do I get the plants to grow a cola up the center or ( main stalk) like in all the pictures in high times? thanks alot for any answers you can give me.


HeadMed said:
+ reps dude! I've always wanted to know for sure... If you asked me to describe a node I couldn't. When reading about FIM I've always thought they were referring to here (red circle). But never been sure, hence, I don't do it. :joint:

pruneheresmalledit1.JPG
Click to expand...
 
a good to know ur still around s.***** looking for one of your old post about the benefits of taking flowering clones can u help thanks
 
photo really helps to determine exactly where and how to top.I would like to try topping but was a bit nervous due to it being my first grow but with this info I think I may try it after all...great info here
 
So fimming is where there are two leafs lateral to each other,and new set is comic out you cut tha right?
What about where you cut some new branches, pinch the stems, or bend them?
 
Blowin said:
So fimming is where there are two leafs lateral to each other,and new set is comic out you cut tha right?
What about where you cut some new branches, pinch the stems, or bend them?
Click to expand...

FIM is specific to cutting the top center stem in a particular way. Rather than just cutting off the top, the grower uses a curved razor blade to cut the top making a small cup on top of the stem. Done properly, the growing edges of the stem top will have been separated apart, allowing several new stem branches to form from the that topped location. It was accidentally found by a grower who was trying to top off his plant completely. Seeing the new growth, he exclaimed, "F*ck, I Missed" or F.I.M.

That is how I presently understand it.

Now, when it comes to pinching or bending stems, those are stressing techniques that cause the plant to react by growing more vigorously. Both of the ones you mentioned are classed as "High Stress" versions or H.S.T.

Low stress techniques (L.S.T.) also are employed by growers. Mostly, LST involves tying down the growing plant in order to spread out the growth and to keep the plant tops even in height. This is especially important in indoor growing.
 
So don't cut the fan leaves? ok what if there blocking buds,how do I go about pruning so they can get more light?please help asap!!
 
These tips are for plants in veg. If you are later in flower, some tuck larger leaves down so they don't block buds while others remove the occasional fan leaf. I say remove the leaf if it blocks your bud.
 
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