Help with topping/cutting location

vladtod78 · Jun 5, 2024

The nodes don't taper off in an even v so I'm unsure where the best place to cut would be, or maybe if fimming would be better in this situation, the strain in question is a platinum kush. Outdoor about 4 weeks

Mothman · Jun 5, 2024

vladtod78 said:
The nodes don't taper off in an even v so I'm unsure where the best place to cut would be, or maybe if fimming would be better in this situation, the strain in question is a platinum kush. Outdoor about 4 weeks
View attachment 2186532

Without knowing more about the plant structure, I’d probably slice it here, or maybe midway one notch down.

vladtod78 · Jun 5, 2024

Mothman said:
Without knowing more about the plant structure, I’d probably slice it here, or maybe midway one notch down. View attachment 2186553

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

Nodes are stretched a non symmetrical. Topping is a crap shoot on that plant. I would 90 degree bend and do no cuts. Healthy continual growth and allow side shoots to al be tops. Just saying, it’s the best for a wide node spaced plant that has stretched like yours.

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

The goal of topping is to create more main colas from one. But with such wide node spacing and non symmetrical, to top cut would have you bending all sorts of ways all grow to maintain even canopy. Lots of work. Symmetrical node top cut allows for even nutrient flow to the tops, less manual care needed to maintain even canopy.

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

FIM is great too. But the issue is that when you fim, it doesn’t just make 4 tops. It sends growth hormones to the growth below it. Meaning the plant stays bushy. It doesn’t just do that until the FIM heals, it sends those hormones indefinitely. Essentially evening out the top growth with the lower growth at the end of the day. If you FIM twice you may even stunt her to stay super low and bushy and not be able to get her to grow height.

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

Next grow, when the seed pops, get that light closer to the seedling and stop it from stretching so lanky from seedling. If you allow that much stretch, you will never have symmetrical nodes like your plants are now.

Closer light, early top cuts when plant makes the 5th node. Then all you need to decide is if you want 4 or 8 tops. You’ll catch symmetrical nodes if you do this lighting from seedling. Just brilliant she stops stretching and it will be close enough to get her to start making nodes sooner and they will be symmetrical.

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

*Just close enough distance she stops stretching*

Bdubs · Jun 5, 2024

If you adjust the light after symmetrical nodes are forming, or move its distance higher after finding the sweet spot to stop their stretch from seedling, that is when non symmetrical nodes begin to take place, forced stretch, induced by adjustment of the light distance.

So if you want continual symmetrical node spacing. Set the light distance and do not adjust it until you are done taking all your top cuts. You can move it up but do not exceed the distance set before.

Mothman · Jun 5, 2024

Bdubs said:
I would 90 degree bend and do no cuts. Healthy continual growth and allow side shoots to al be tops.

agree with @Bdubs on no cuts. I’m on a tight deadline for harvest so I supercropped 3 leaders, rather than topping them. They slowed only briefly, then resumed growth. Topping, I might have lost a week or so (and possibly a wife!).

And that 90-degree bend is important. I went too far and needed to splint the angle to 90 or so to maintain the vascular flow. Just needed a paper clip, some masking tape, and a few mechanic’s prayers, but it’s better to go slow and easy.

Those springy things that @Captspaulding uses seem like a great gadget for this purpose.

Imzzaudae · Jun 5, 2024

Here ya go bud. Take a little bit and watch these 2 videos. Then you will know exactly what you want to do.

Help with topping/cutting location

Help with topping/cutting location

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