Topping, pruning tips please

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Ollylake

Well-Known Member
I’m wondering if my plants are now strong enough to start pruning and what the effects will be to them. I have read a few articles and watched videos, but as this is my first grow, I’m a little nervous about doing it.

I have seen plants that are the same age as mine that look a lot more developed, whereas mine look tall and gangly.

I’m into my sixth week of growth now, any help, advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.
1CB2254B-C6E6-4F5A-88EB-94EDC9940998.jpeg
 
They need more light. With too little light they really stretch.

Are these photo period plants, or auto-flowering? If they are auto-flowering, I'd leave them their tops, and train them.

If they are photo-period plants, I'd top them as shown below, and drop the light to within 6" (15 cm).

full

Recommended Topping ​

You can save the tops, and raise them as clones.
 
Definitely not enough light. What you cut off are the petioles (each supports 1 leaf), not branches.

The branches will sprout off the main stem at the junction of main stem and petiole. Have a close look at Old Salts pic above, bottom RH of the image.

Seems the labels and lines on that bottom RH plant are clearest for where to cut.

But, i think you really need more light for 4 plants.
 
Quadsquad..... Live it learn it love it.....
Quadliner trainingvfor plants, therevis,a thread here...
 
philthegeek said:
Definitely not enough light. What you cut off are the petioles (each supports 1 leaf), not branches.

The branches will sprout off the main stem at the junction of main stem and petiole. Have a close look at Old Salts pic above, bottom RH of the image.

Seems the labels and lines on that bottom RH plant are clearest for where to cut.

But, i think you really need more light for 4 plants.
Click to expand...

So I fucked it up then? I hope my plant will recover...

I have set my lights to stay on for an extra two hours a day, but I cannot get another right now. They must stay here until May 24th.

On the plus side, I have some nice looking leaves in a jar....
6E227AD1-D0E5-4BDE-9878-25AF775EEA45.jpeg
 
Don't worry,you didn't hurt anything,but you didn't do anything to alter
their upward growth,either....
The thing with tall plants and not enough light, is that the top of the plant may get light that's adequate, the leaves and branches farther down get almost nothing,so any branches that do grow down there will be long and spindly,with very few leaves and tiny buds.
If you top them as @Old Salt has suggested,and lower the light,the entire plant will get adequate light,and by the time you move them outside,you'll have some nice little bushes,with at least 4 main tops each.
The way they are,they'll be a foot taller by May 24th,but that's all they'll be-taller and stretchier.

I'm assuming you're going to move them outside on May 24th?
 
just grow it and dont worry
next time chop them up once you understand the plant structure.
one of many mistakes i have realized i have done is trim a shitload and mainline and then wonder wtf is taking the plant so long to grow and harvesting early at the end
 
Topping means that you cut off part of the plant (the top)-this sends growth hormones to the
branches below the cut,and makes them become the "tops".
IT may seem like you're wasting a lot of the plant when you do this,but such is not the case-within a week or so,the remaining branches will "come alive" and you'll have at least 4 main colas,instead of just the one.
Here's a basic diagram of what you do: (ignore the "fimming" part-it can de difficult to do it right)
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You just have to decide at which node you want to make the cut-Old Salt's diagram in post #2 shows the best place to do it .
You can also use the cut-off parts for clones if you want to.
 
Ollylake said:
I still am not sure what topping means? I have another light that’s growing some seedlings right now that I am going to add tonight to help them along, hopefully it will remedy my situation.
Click to expand...
Topping means cutting into the main stem. When the seedling sprouts it comes out of the seed with two pre leaves and then immediately the first set of two real fan leaves develop. Where they connect to the main trunk, that V that is formed by the stems of those first big leaves and the trunk, that is considered the 1st Node. A little later, a second set of big fan leaves will form at the top, and that junction is known as the 2nd node. You can count those nodes all the way up the trunk as the plant gets bigger.
Now, here is what happens if you cut into the trunk between these nodes, or top the plant.
If you make your cut at the 4th node or anywhere above, the trunk will split into 2 separate growth tips from that point forward.
If you cut between the 3rd and 4th node, the plant will definitely give you 2 growth tips, but often you can get 3, because one of the lower branches from node 2 will join the top ones in dominance.
If you wait for the plant to get a little bigger, and can just see the beginning of what will be the 5th node starting to grow up from the top, and then chop it way down low at between nodes 2 and 3, an amazing thing will happen. You will get 4 main growth tips! This technique allows you to easily "quad" the plant, and is a very popular way of training our plants.
Good luck! It takes some courage to do this the first couple of times!
 
That's much better lighting. Your plants will thank you.

That's one form of topping, usually used when the plants are much smaller. You want to cut the main stem above the third or fourth node. Each node has a set of leaves coming from it, and a set of branches. You want to leave four branches, and cut the main stem just above them. leaving the leaves that come out with those branches. What you cut off will look like a small, rootless plant. You can use that small plant as a clone.
 
Ollylake said:
And sorry, they are photo period, White Widow.
Click to expand...

Ok so ask yourself "why" do I want to defoliate (or top) a plant.

You asked the question to us but did it anyway so I'm wondering what your
thought process is?

In general its bad practice to cut off fan leaves. You need a good reason.

I don't know of any off hand so wondering what your thoughts are.
 
bobrown14 said:
Ok so ask yourself "why" do I want to defoliate (or top) a plant.

You asked the question to us but did it anyway so I'm wondering what your
thought process is?

In general its bad practice to cut off fan leaves. You need a good reason.

I don't know of any off hand so wondering what your thoughts are.
Click to expand...

I generally don’t have a thought process, I just do things and see what happens, that’s just part of being me. I have now topped one in an attempt to make a clone though. I’ve set it in a jar of water, hoping it will grow as I am yet to purchase rooting hormones
 
Ok good, taking cuts is a very good reason. Here's a great way to do it.

Instead of "topping" which is cutting off the apical meristem (main stem only) of the plant. She will have to grow a new one.

The apical meristem is where all the plants specialized cells are developed and where growth hormones are made available to the rest of the plant. Without that, the plants growth is severely stunted.

A better practice is to let the plant develop more. Even thru VEG and then when you flip to flower the plant goes thru a growth spurt we all call it "stretch". Whats happening in stretch is growth hormones and specialized growth cells for lateral and vertical growth are being made by the apical meristem(s). The main shoot in the middle and distributed around the plant to make it grow bigger.

Best to take cuts for clones off the side branches that are now full of growth hormones.

The lateral side branches after cutting, will change from growing longer wider to growing roots. Some of those cells the apical meristem sent to the side branches will re-purpose into making roots and develop 2 apical meristems on the cut, 1 is the root the other is the shoot you see. It will re-purpose into another apical meristem and grow a main root.

You should notice that for this function on the cut, it takes a long time for this process to happen. Many times the cuts don't make it.

There are 2 apical meristems - 1 in the main stem above the soil, there in another IN the soil in the form of a main root. They do the same work. So important not to cut either one.

As a side note: the same thing that's happening in "stretch" above ground is also happening with the roots in the soil. They begin to grow much larger and very fast in early flower.

Why when folks "feed" the plant, its most important to do that when the plant is in VEG cycle.

You'd think that the plant uses more energy growing flowers. Its true, but the plant has been storing up all that energy in the leaves to be "trans located" later when the plant begins to produce flowers.

It's much more efficient for the plant to move nutrients from a leaf that is right there at the flower, than it is to move (trans locate) nutrients from the roots all the way to the tops of the plants where the flowers are.

The problem with nutrients being moved from the roots to the shoots is the need for water. Without a CONSTANT supply of water, the plants vascular system doesn't work efficiently.


Thats a kinda short and sweet version for plant growth. Of course there's a lot more to it.

I love growing plants and love even more when I see other folks find that passion.

Sorry in advance if I come of too smarty, there's a way these plants grow. Also important to
have a basic understanding. The we raise the bar.

Once I puffed my first home grown flowers I got hooked. Everyone does!

GL with this grow and your cuts.

I've found less is more in gardening.
 
That’s a great explanation, thanks. The amount of information that I sift through online really is overwhelming.

I’m hoping my cutting will take root in the jar of water, if not I’ll just try again.

I’m having some issues with yellow leaves right now though so I’m going to leave any more cuts until I’ve fixed the yellowing problem.

Thanks again!
 

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