Advice needed on topping please

[Jonnypierce]

Hi I am after some advice on topping, I have frown before but I've normally just let them do there own thing, but this time around I am wanting to try something different and after reading positive things I've decided I want to top them only problem is I have no idea where to chop them and don't just wanna go in there all guns blazing and ruin my plants, there is a picture of the plant now 3 weeks into veg, any advice wud be much appreciated

 

[mysticepipedon]

Pinch off the top growth, above the uppermost fan leaves.

You don't want to throw a week's growth away by chopping the plant in half, just that little tassle of primordial leaves.

 

[GNick55]

Hi I am after some advice on topping, I have frown before but I've normally just let them do there own thing, but this time around I am wanting to try something different and after reading positive things I've decided I want to top them only problem is I have no idea where to chop them and don't just wanna go in there all guns blazing and ruin my plants, there is a picture of the plant now 3 weeks into veg, any advice wud be much appreciated

what kind of medium are you using to grow in? what size pot is that? maybe wait till after a transplant..

 

[Jonnypierce]

what kind of medium are you using to grow in? what size pot is that? maybe wait till after a transplant..

Hiya yeah I'm using canna coco professional and yeah that's only a baby pot I'm gonna transplant them into 50 litre pots soon, so should I wait until I transplant, then top give them a week and then flick?

 

[Jonnypierce]

Pinch off the top growth, above the uppermost fan leaves.

You don't want to throw a week's growth away by chopping the plant in half, just that little tassle of primordial leaves.

Do I chop at A or B or neither ? I've never done it before as I said

 

[mysticepipedon]

I would do the top one only (B).

When a plant has alternate leaves, the branching is not as symmetrical as when they are still opposite. I assume this was a clone?

 

[Ponky]

You could do A, B or C.... cut it below the crotch of all that top growth. Don't be afraid to cut plants in veg. It's gunna be great. You top it..train it. And get a bunch of nice tops. And no fluff. Use clean scissors. Wash you hands. I like to spray after I top.

 

[Jonnypierce]

I would do the top one only (B).

When a plant has alternate leaves, the branching is not as symmetrical as when they are still opposite. I assume this was a clone?

Yes it was a clone and thankyou for your advice

 

[growsince79]

I'd just bend it over 180.

 

[Pondracer]

I would probably do A, but B is fine too. Sterilize the scissors first, wash your hands etc. I do mine 3-4 times but I start earlier then the pictures you are showing.

 

[Jonnypierce]

I'd just bend it over 180.

Okay interesting so bend it back down ? Again it's all new to me normally Ive just been letting them do there own thing, I just wanted to get a few under my belt and learn the basics before I started messing around with them too much, so what would bending them over 180 degrees do ?

 

[Jonnypierce]

I would probably do A, but B is fine too. Sterilize the scissors first, wash your hands etc. I do mine 3-4 times but I start earlier then the pictures you are showing.

Well my plan originally was to do them a week ago but I asked on here and basically got told I was a moron for even suggesting it

 

[growsince79]

Okay interesting so bend it back down ? Again it's all new to me normally Ive just been letting them do there own thing, I just wanted to get a few under my belt and learn the basics before I started messing around with them too much, so what would bending them over 180 degrees do ?

Pretty much do the same as topping but you keep the main stem. Just make sure you tie it down low enough that the main stem is lower than the highest branches. It will make a big bush.

 

[Ponky]

Well my plan originally was to do them a week ago but I asked on here and basically got told I was a moron for even suggesting it

Yeah. You can't do it too early. Or you ruin the yield. You have about a 10 day window for the perfect topping.

 

[Polbeth61]

Hey dude I’m only on my first grow but I topped 2 of my plants without tying them down and I topped 2 others and did tie them down ( tying down is low stress training) and honestly if you just want to top without tying down it’s still totally worth it you just end up with 2 main heads instead of 1 (mine are autos though)

 

[Polbeth61]

If you do LST man I found that you just need to be brave and careful, just loop a bit of non abrasive string round the top of the plant and kinda press the main stem quite hard between your fingers about an inch and a half above the soil and just gently pull the plant over 90 degrees and fix the string to the pot I also tied one around about the bend you just made in the stem and fixed it at the opposite side of the pot( incase it pulled the plant out) it seems a bit crazy and the plant looks a mess but just leave it and by the next day all the leaves will be back facing the right way and looking awesome it just opens the plant up more and you end up with 10 or12 even bud sites with big heads , you have to keep on top of it though pretty much tying down branches every day keeping them all the same height is essential!

 

[growsince79]

If you do LST man I found that you just need to be brave and careful, just loop a bit of non abrasive string round the top of the plant and kinda press the main stem quite hard between your fingers about an inch and a half above the soil and just gently pull the plant over 90 degrees and fix the string to the pot I also tied one around about the bend you just made in the stem and fixed it at the opposite side of the pot( incase it pulled the plant out) it seems a bit crazy and the plant looks a mess but just leave it and by the next day all the leaves will be back facing the right way and looking awesome it just opens the plant up more and you end up with 10 or12 even bud sites with big heads , you have to keep on top of it though pretty much tying down branches every day keeping them all the same height is essential!

Bending 90 doesn't do much for my plants. The next day the main top will still be dominant. Bending so the main top is lower than the branches works best for promoting branching. After a few days the main top will usually catch up to the rest. If not you can just loosen the knot enough to make it even.

 

[Moshmen]

Bending 90 doesn't do much for my plants. The next day the main top will still be dominant. Bending so the main top is lower than the branches works best for promoting branching. After a few days the main top will usually catch up to the rest. If not you can just loosen the knot enough to make it even.

+1 I bend over 90 as well - for me each plant is different and I decide whether it gets topped, bent, or left alone they all work - here’s one I bent to far broke and she’s still fill out nicely.

 

[Ponky]

When I use the bending technique i use a pipe cleaner to tie the bent talk to down to itself. So it doesn't just stand back up.

 

[Polbeth61]

+1 I bend over 90 as well - for me each plant is different and I decide whether it gets topped, bent, or left alone they all work - here’s one I bent to far broke and she’s still fill out nicely.

Surely you can’t bend over 90 degrees! If you bent 180 degrees your plant would be sticking straight out the bottom of your pot!?