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Topping early, and is it worth the veg time?

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Topping early, and is it worth the veg time?

jamesmessenger1 10 Replies 3,823 Views
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jamesmessenger1

jamesmessenger1

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#1
So I only ever play around with these training techniques at home because the veg time is just way too long when you go prune crazy lol.

But…

I recently decided I wanted to see what mainlining was all about, and how it effects plants in my garden just for some different to try, and now I’m curious how they grow if you basically top early and leave more than just the two main branches aka leave four.

I’m just wondering if the growth hormones still even out and four sturdy big branches will grow OR just the top two will grow as mains and the bottom two will just be regular branches 😂

I’ve topped many many times in the past, but almost exclusively with clones, and never anything crazy. So now playing with seeds I’m looking to see what’s possible, and since I’m super impatient today, I’m asking you guys what your experience is with these things haha.

🙏 thanks
 
#2
Here’s a reference photo to avoid confusion, and also a photo of ANOTHER seed growing with tri nodal branching that I cut down to see if it will produce 3 mains or not.
 

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#5
Some helpful links


www.royalqueenseeds.com

How To Mainline Cannabis Plants: Step-By-Step Guide - RQS Blog

Click the link to find out what mainlining is, how the growing technique works, and how mainlining cannabis plants can significantly boost yields.
www.royalqueenseeds.com www.royalqueenseeds.com

The next one below has videos in it.

budtrainer.com

How to Mainline (& Prune) Cannabis: the Best Online Step-by-Step Guide (w/ pics & videos)

Discover the best practices for mainlining cannabis plants with BudTrainer's comprehensive step-by-step guide. Learn how to achieve symmetrical branch growth, increase cannabinoid concentration, and enhance airflow for healthier plants. Follow our expert tips and detailed instructions to master...
budtrainer.com budtrainer.com
 
#6
You should be able to do all your training in whatever veg. timeline you have set. Your not stunting the plants growth with training or slowing it down if everything else in in balance. I tend to veg for longer periods than most because I want small trees in my 8' tents...
 
#7
@jamesmessenger1

I've been slowly training more aggressively with each grow, was always reluctant to trim off perfectly healthy growth 😉

This one I'm doing quadlining, lollipopping And removing all lower branches/bud sites until I flip to 12/12.

Basically train horizontal until the plant is about 24" wide and then let them grow up.

Now this is my first grow with LEDs but I am at least a week ahead of where I would be with my HID.

In the past and on this grow I haven't really experienced any set back from topping, etc.

And in general I have seen larger yields with topped plants.

I should mention, my biggest reason for using this technique is to limit the number of tops and lesser buds.

Even with taking the fifth and first nodes and some conservative training before I can wet trim a plant in less than half an hour 😍

And buck the buds off the branches in roughly the same time !

Here are some wet trimmed plants with less aggressive training.

Green Crack 10 Nov


Durban Poison 6 Nov


And my current quadline @ day 41

Day 41 AG 27 Oct


Day 41 CG 27 Oct


Day 41 HS 27 Oct


Maui Wowie

Day 41 MW 27 Oct


And @ day 18 of 12/12 for a total of 59 days...

Even with this training the Maui Wowie is a Big Girls, at 47" tall I super cropped her. Always has to be that one Over Achiever 😍

Day 18 of 59 The Girls high 14 Nov


It did not take me long to get used to trimming, training and pinching off lower bud sites !

Total yield isn't as important to me as an easy peasy trim jail but I think the totals will exceed one simple topping and there shouldn't be any buds smaller than the total length of my thumb 😉

Cheers
 
#8
chuck88 said:
@jamesmessenger1

I've been slowly training more aggressively with each grow, was always reluctant to trim off perfectly healthy growth 😉

This one I'm doing quadlining, lollipopping And removing all lower branches/bud sites until I flip to 12/12.

Basically train horizontal until the plant is about 24" wide and then let them grow up.

Now this is my first grow with LEDs but I am at least a week ahead of where I would be with my HID.

In the past and on this grow I haven't really experienced any set back from topping, etc.

And in general I have seen larger yields with topped plants.

I should mention, my biggest reason for using this technique is to limit the number of tops and lesser buds.

Even with taking the fifth and first nodes and some conservative training before I can wet trim a plant in less than half an hour 😍

And buck the buds off the branches in roughly the same time !

Here are some wet trimmed plants with less aggressive training.

View attachment 2325091

View attachment 2325092

And my current quadline @ day 41

View attachment 2325093

View attachment 2325094

View attachment 2325095

Maui Wowie

View attachment 2325097

And @ day 18 of 12/12 for a total of 59 days...

Even with this training the Maui Wowie is a Big Girls, at 47" tall I super cropped her. Always has to be that one Over Achiever 😍

View attachment 2325101

It did not take me long to get used to trimming, training and pinching off lower bud sites !

Total yield isn't as important to me as an easy peasy trim jail but I think the totals will exceed one simple topping and there shouldn't be any buds smaller than the total length of my thumb 😉

Cheers
Click to expand...
Excellent work you did.
 
#9
chuck88 said:
@jamesmessenger1

I've been slowly training more aggressively with each grow, was always reluctant to trim off perfectly healthy growth 😉

This one I'm doing quadlining, lollipopping And removing all lower branches/bud sites until I flip to 12/12.

Basically train horizontal until the plant is about 24" wide and then let them grow up.

Now this is my first grow with LEDs but I am at least a week ahead of where I would be with my HID.

In the past and on this grow I haven't really experienced any set back from topping, etc.

And in general I have seen larger yields with topped plants.

I should mention, my biggest reason for using this technique is to limit the number of tops and lesser buds.

Even with taking the fifth and first nodes and some conservative training before I can wet trim a plant in less than half an hour 😍

And buck the buds off the branches in roughly the same time !

Here are some wet trimmed plants with less aggressive training.

View attachment 2325091

View attachment 2325092

And my current quadline @ day 41

View attachment 2325093

View attachment 2325094

View attachment 2325095

Maui Wowie

View attachment 2325097

And @ day 18 of 12/12 for a total of 59 days...

Even with this training the Maui Wowie is a Big Girls, at 47" tall I super cropped her. Always has to be that one Over Achiever 😍

View attachment 2325101

It did not take me long to get used to trimming, training and pinching off lower bud sites !

Total yield isn't as important to me as an easy peasy trim jail but I think the totals will exceed one simple topping and there shouldn't be any buds smaller than the total length of my thumb 😉

Cheers
Click to expand...
Thanks!!

These photos answered my question….

You CAN leave 4 branches instead of just two, and achieve the same thing as a mainline/manifold.

Appreciate it.
 
#10
I found mainlining is a longer process as you need to let the plant grow up a few nodes before cutting it right back down. For say an 8 cola mainline i dont cut branches off unless im cloning now, i prefer whats called supercropping.

I take the stem or trunk where i want it to bed and i gently roll the stem between my fingers to loosen the fibers in the stem and then i bend the plant over kinking the stem some will even break but they recover no problem my last indoor plant this year was in a 1 gallon pail and i horizontally had the plant going in a spiral shape wrapping it self around a few times so that way every bud is a cola. Think low stress trainjng but actually high stress or you can use the plant clips if you have a 3d printer there easy to make. I have a 3d printer file i can send ya if need it ots parametric so you can redesign it and size them as you see fit
 
#11
This picture is 1 plant in 1 gallon pail in my 2x2 tent with a 400w hps light running at 400w. Carbon filter no fans got about a qp off it dry no rot
 

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