Hubba Hubba! Bubba Hash & The Bright Lights Of Redemption: Amy's Indoor v2.0 With DBHBB

[Amy Gardner]

They’re nearly due for their first drench. I’ve been coaxing Bubba along with little dribbles down the top once or twice the last few days, hoping the CD-1 will catch up. Bubba is clearly drinking/drying out faster tho’, so I may have to drench them seperately. I’ll top down to 2 nodes sometime after that. It’d be nice to get at least one brix spray in before I top them perhaps.

Anyone who remembers the Blue Dream I grew indoors last year will know why the tight nodes makes me nervous. That one was so tight and bushy and just never got much upright growth. Then it didn’t stretch at all when I flipped to flower. I don’t know if anything in my set-up or gardening practices contributed to that o not. Most experienced others at the time thought was most likely genetics. I hope so.

I kept wondering if it was something up with my light. And then wondered if i’d pruned at a bad time before flip and that cause the no-stretch. I’ll never know - but it’s hard not to be a little nervous when I see those tightly stacked nodes and still wonder about those things a little bit.

These 2 are getting taller tho’ so that’s promising

 

[Amy Gardner]

Original Uncle Ben’s Topping Method
​

Seeing as I mentioned that the blogged 420Mag write up on the Uncle Ben’s is now missing, perhaps never to return, I thought I might as well repost a version here.

This is the original version as far as I know - posted in Jan 2009 by a user called Uncle Ben - on another forum.

On the source post the photos are missing, probably becasue the post is from 2009 and servers change stuff gets lost ect. So maybe I’ll add in photos and repost it at every stage so at the end of this journal we have a new version. Providing it goes well of course!

Here’s the original text. I won’t touch that just add some pics over time.

By ‘Uncle Ben’
Based on quite a few questions about topping I've received here, I decided to reproduce a thread on my favorite topping method published at cann.com about 10 years ago. Even though I've got much better photos from many latter grows both indoor and outdoor, I'm gonna stick with the old photos from the original thread. Lighting is HPS from start to finish with the exception of using 4' long shop fluors from germ until about 2 weeks. Some pix were taken outdoors for better resolution thanks to an old camcorder I was using.

Selecting the point for topping to get 4 main colas -

To get 4 main colas, let your seedling or cutting (clone) grow to about 5-6 nodes and pinch out (cut) the stem just above the 2nd true node. The node where the cotyledons attach doesn't count. The result will be a redistribution of the auxins and other hormones that normally collect in the tissue of the terminal leader's tip. These [hormones] will be redistributed to dormant buds that reside in the nodal axis where the leaf petiole attaches to the "trunk", below the cut. The new foliar output response will be quick (within 24 hrs., see photo below) if you have a healthy growing seedling and will be your future main colas - 4 instead of the usual 1:

Here's a photo of the same plant about 8 weeks into flowering. The plant is about 42" tall, has 4 main colas with an abundance of large, healthy fan leaves.

This is an indoor shot just prior to harvest showing the colas bulking up quite nicely. Notice how the weight of the heavy colas is naturally pulling them apart, which opens the plant up so that light can penetrate the interior of the canopy. This is the same principle used by fruit orchard managers who create an open vase profile for their trees in order to increase production. This profile also has a side benefit of providing good interior air movement which reduces fungal/rot pressures.

The plant after harvest showing the branching scaffold and dominant 4 main cola "trunks", opposing nodes one right above the other. Smaller secondary branches also provided good bud production. This plant yielded over 10 oz of cured bud.

~ Topping for 2 main colas ~

Pinch out the seedling above the 1st true node to get 2 main colas

Any questions, fire away.

Happy gardening,
Uncle Ben

 

[dynamo1]

 

[Heavenly Hybrid]

If it’s okay, I’d add some info I recently learned and found helpful for down the road. When doing the topping, leave a small amount of stem above the nodes, creating a bit of a “stump”. It will help to not accidentally damage those new leaves at the node being left behind. The main reason I personally like this idea is because growers will later begin training those arms and can accidentally split the base. Leaving the ‘stump’ behind helps give more support to prevent those arms from splitting. I don’t know if thats useful for your purposes or not, I just wish I had known that a little earlier myself.

 

[BigBearNTexas]

They’re nearly due for their first drench. I’ve been coaxing Bubba along with little dribbles down the top once or twice the last few days, hoping the CD-1 will catch up. Bubba is clearly drinking/drying out faster tho’, so I may have to drench them seperately. I’ll top down to 2 nodes sometime after that. It’d be nice to get at least one brix spray in before I top them perhaps.

Anyone who remembers the Blue Dream I grew indoors last year will know why the tight nodes makes me nervous. That one was so tight and bushy and just never got much upright growth. Then it didn’t stretch at all when I flipped to flower. I don’t know if anything in my set-up or gardening practices contributed to that o not. Most experienced others at the time thought was most likely genetics. I hope so.

I kept wondering if it was something up with my light. And then wondered if i’d pruned at a bad time before flip and that cause the no-stretch. I’ll never know - but it’s hard not to be a little nervous when I see those tightly stacked nodes and still wonder about those things a little bit.

These 2 are getting taller tho’ so that’s promising

That Blue Dream “flaw” would’ve perfect for me and my tent! I rarely have to worry about humidity being too high, and haven’t ever seen any PM on my buds. One persons trash is another person’s treasure and all.

 

[Agemon]

You get Northern Lights Auto too?

 

[eggsman]

If it’s okay, I’d add some info I recently learned and found helpful for down the road. When doing the topping, leave a small amount of stem above the nodes, creating a bit of a “stump”. It will help to not accidentally damage those new leaves at the node being left behind. The main reason I personally like this idea is because growers will later begin training those arms and can accidentally split the base. Leaving the ‘stump’ behind helps give more support to prevent those arms from splitting. I don’t know if thats useful for your purposes or not, I just wish I had known that a little earlier myself.

Thanks for that, I need to remember that next time.

 

[InTheShed]

Plants look good to me! Thanks for the pics...I was starting to believe that it didn't happen .

I don't think the tight nodes were down to you or the lights last year. Might have just been genetic or the gnats.

Hanging out with wifey. Our anniversary today (34 yrs). Dinner out tonight to celebrate

Happy Anniversary to you and Mrs L!

 

[Amy Gardner]

or the gnats.

Ooohhh yeeeahhh... those dangnats!

creating a bit of a “stump”

Leaving the ‘stump’ behind helps give more support to prevent those arms from splitting. I don’t know if thats useful for your purposes or not, I just wish I had known that a little earlier myself.

Stumpy! Got it. Thanks HH that actually does help. I split the Critical MAss just a tiny bit. But I dont plan on stretching these so wide. Prefer them fairly narrow and rather tall thank you very much, and I’ve not managed to do that inside as yet. The CD-1 can be a bendy one and it’s better to be safe than sorry so it’ll be a good idea to have the junctions ‘fortified’ by a stump

 

[Amy Gardner]

I had them out early this morning while I lowered the light a little bit, it’s time to give them more than 20,000 lux . They’re both just finishing pushing out their 4th node. So probably a week+ until I top them...

 

[Agemon]

That Candida already looks stronger and healthier than mine. Maybe I need to go back to happy frog soil. My Candida does not seem happy and she's very yellow. I know she had nute lock out. Assuming I got rid of that I'm thinking if I up the nitrogen a bit.

 

[InTheShed]

Amy thinks this one might be the indica pheno. Most of us get the sativa one.

Have you upped the food?

 

[SweetSue]

Psst... I’m smoking Chris Scorpio’s Amnesia Haze these days. I’d grow one, if you have the chance.

HH, thank you for the additional pointers, and thanks Amy for reposting the topping method. When I get back to growing I’ll be paying closer attention. Lol! I like the sound of an Amy Gardner pictorial to accompany Uncle Ben’s narration.

 

[Amy Gardner]

You get Northern Lights Auto too?

I did not - funny I was thinking about that today. I do have Northen lights to try outside sometime, both the Dope Seeds version and a sensei version (which I don’t really want to run unless/until I’m set up to take ad keep a clone, in case it’s awesome - I only have 1-2 seeds ).

I did however get Dope Seeds’ Auto Blueberry so i’m thinking of 2 Dope Seeds autos in the test run Coco in 3gal AirPots with Canna nutes - and the Amnesia Haze keeps getting the nod! These go about 10 weeks according to the breeder, that’s a ballpark so maybe a bit longer or not. I don’t plan to drop the test 3gal brix kids until just before flip. I figure these veg’gin babies have another 7 weeks before flip. Timing wise, I think I’m going to be ok for space with that plan. We’ll find out ... de ja vu did i say all that already?

 

[Amy Gardner]

Amnesia Haze these days. I’d grow one, if you have the chance

Keeps looking good! Is his the photo or Auto, and was it Dope Seeds’ version do you know? Enquiring mind wants to know

 

[smokesbetter]

Hi Amy and friends , Thanks for the UB method for 4 buds i didnt quite understand till HH kicked in with the pointers , now makes more since . May have to give this a try might be winter though! Is this good with Auto and photos too >?

 

[Heavenly Hybrid]

Hi Amy and friends , Thanks for the UB method for 4 buds i didnt quite understand till HH kicked in with the pointers , now makes more since . May have to give this a try might be winter though! Is this good with Auto and photos too >?

Glad to hear it was some helpful info
You can certainly top with autos too, it’s just a bit trickier than with photos. The clock is ticking from the beginning with autos, as to when they will start budding up. It’s much easier with photos, just for the fact that you can allow them however long they need to recover from the training and then initiate flowering at your leisure.

 

[Oldbear]

If it’s okay, I’d add some info I recently learned and found helpful for down the road. When doing the topping, leave a small amount of stem above the nodes, creating a bit of a “stump”. It will help to not accidentally damage those new leaves at the node being left behind. The main reason I personally like this idea is because growers will later begin training those arms and can accidentally split the base. Leaving the ‘stump’ behind helps give more support to prevent those arms from splitting. I don’t know if thats useful for your purposes or not, I just wish I had known that a little earlier myself.

Great thoughts thanks for sharing

 

[Agemon]

Amy thinks this one might be the indica pheno. Most of us get the sativa one.

Have you upped the food?

I'm thinking she may be root bound, I've been keeping her in small containers due to lack of space in the tent but now that i've harvested a few plants I've got room to up her apartment size. I've got a nice 14" container that should hold her well. I went and got 14" catches, they will also utilize the used frisbees I've collected over the years. Gonna do the transplant later today. I'll keep the feed the same and see how she does. I didn't realize she'd be root bound so quickly, it didn't take long at all.

Keeps looking good! Is his the photo or Auto, and was it Dope Seeds’ version do you know? Enquiring mind wants to know

The Purple Amnesia Auto is from Dope Seeds and the Breeder is Short Stuff Seeds.

 

[Amy Gardner]

Thanks Age - how did you find out the breeder? that’s great to know. I haven’t found that info for any of the Dope Seeds line. No matter - it’s nice to know that one!

——————

Update Preview: week 4 begins

Various life events make it a day of celebration. We come to the end of another dark moon period and I always celebrate that. The moon has just moved into the sign of Cancer and becomes new again overnight. Perfect fertile sign for new moon germination

Therefore...

Clockwise from top left: Auto Blueberry (Dope Seeds); Dark Devil Auto d#4 x2 (dynamo1/ Sweet Seeds); Dark Devil Auto d#3 x 2 (dynamo1/ Sweet Seeds); Amnesia Auto (Dope Seeds).


More tomorrow