Newbie here first time growing outside need to know how to top plant and when?

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Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
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Hi all im new here and just had a quick couple of questions. When should I top the plants so I get 2 buds at the top? Or should I just leave them be? Im 30 days in so far first time growing outside. 2nd question how big should I let them get before I start force flowering them? I have a shed so going to give them 12/12 cycle. Thanks so much and nice to meet everyone! Eddiejay
 
Newbie here first time growing outside need to know how to top plant and when
Newbie here first time growing outside need to know how to top plant and when 2
plantlover84

plantlover84

18
3
Hey Eddiejay! Great looking plants, congrats. I recommend topping when the plant has 3-5 nodes, and you're totally there. Keep in mind topping does cause stress on the plant, so I would keep in mind they need 2 weeks to recover. I would start force flowering much later in the season, the start of august would probably be good if you live in a temperate region. You can top your plant now though. If you need tips on how to actually top a plant, I find this article good: https://www.grobo.io/blogs/growing/topping-and-fimming. It shows you exactly where to cut. Also, do your pots have drainage? Your plants look very healthy but drainage is always important! Best of luck!
 
Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
3
Hey guys thanks so much for the reply! Yes have drain holes on the bottoms I drilled 10 holes around the buckets. Thanks to Plantlober84 for the article! I live in Michigan. I really don't care how big they get just wanted to get 2 colas instead of one. Im just going to do 1 plant and not the other. Just want to see the difference. All my neighbors around me grow so I figured if I have to smell there plants going I should do my own. Lol why not! So I will wait until August to start my flower cycle. Thanks so much for the info.
 
Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
3
Hey guys thanks so much for the reply! Yes have drain holes on the bottoms I drilled 10 holes around the buckets. Thanks to Plantlover84 for the article! I live in Michigan. I really don't care how big they get just wanted to get 2 colas instead of one. Im just going to do 1 plant and not the other. Just want to see the difference. All my neighbors around me grow so I figured if I have to smell there plants going I should do my own. Lol why not! So I will wait until August to start my flower cycle. Thanks so much guys!
 
plantlover84

plantlover84

18
3
Hey guys thanks so much for the reply! Yes have drain holes on the bottoms I drilled 10 holes around the buckets. Thanks to Plantlober84 for the article! I live in Michigan. I really don't care how big they get just wanted to get 2 colas instead of one. Im just going to do 1 plant and not the other. Just want to see the difference. All my neighbors around me grow so I figured if I have to smell there plants going I should do my own. Lol why not! So I will wait until August to start my flower cycle. Thanks so much for the info.
Hey Eddiejay! So glad you found my comment helpful. Sounds like you have awesome pots set up! Plants look great. I think you're making the right call, top one and leave the other. That way you can see what you prefer, a lot of growing is just about personal preference! I'm in southern Ontario so we most likely have similar climates. I usually let mine naturally start flowering as the weather changes but hey if you have the space to force it, go for it! Last year a few plants I did not top got to 11 ft, and they needed a stake to keep them upright. The buds weigh them down big time. But hey, sounds like you have an awesome summer of growing ahead. Please post some updates! :)
 
plantlover84

plantlover84

18
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It has unlimited light and space. The more of the plant you have the more of it grows. And sunlight can get through the canopy. Thing can be as big as an apple tree if you let it.
Got cha. Oh I know they can get huge! My girls that I didn't top last summer were insanely tall. Thanks!
 
LexLuthor

LexLuthor

2,972
263
I would top them today. You shouldn't have to force them to flower, that should happen naturally around the beginning of August, or so.
 
Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
3
Hey Eddiejay! So glad you found my comment helpful. Sounds like you have awesome pots set up! Plants look great. I think you're making the right call, top one and leave the other. That way you can see what you prefer, a lot of growing is just about personal preference! I'm in southern Ontario so we most likely have similar climates. I usually let mine naturally start flowering as the weather changes but hey if you have the space to force it, go for it! Last year a few plants I did not top got to 11 ft, and they needed a stake to keep them upright. The buds weigh them down big time. But hey, sounds like you have an awesome summer of growing ahead. Please post some updates! :)
I sure will keep u updated..
 
Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
3
Well since this is my first time outside im just going to top one and leave the other and No force flower and see what happens. I haven't grew any in 25yrs and back then im surprised I got anything out of them it wasn't good stuff but did the job. Really want these to be good! :)
 
patiofarmer

patiofarmer

60
18
Hey have you thought about just doing some LST with the one you didn't top I'm doing my 1st grow in 9 years as well and have had great results with just tying down the top of the plant to let the lower branches think they are the new tops. I'm trying to channel back in the corners of my brain for my previous growing knowledge and also incorporating some of these techniques that are more popular now has been very helpful. (I'm sure they have been popular for decades with people who know what they're doing but the sharing of information is so much better now, not everyone had an old hippie friend to help in the 90s) Either method tells the plant that new branches are the top dog and you do have a chance to compare the methods side by side. Good luck!
 
patiofarmer

patiofarmer

60
18
here is a tangie autoflower i used lst on, still will have 1 bigger cola, but will have others almost as big. From the different things I have read it seems like there is a general consensus that LST will get you bigger yield than not training at all I haven't seen anything I trust that says it's lots better than topping. Honestly when I'm not growing auto flowers I will probably do a combination of both.
 
Eddiejay

Eddiejay

12
3
Maybe i will try that! Thanks so much for the info.. ur plants look great by the way.. so do you just tie it down? Or do you roll the stem where you want it to bend? Can't remember what they call that right now where you roll the stem to let it bend then it heals up and ur good to go? Thanks again eddiejay ;)
 
patiofarmer

patiofarmer

60
18
I honestly just watched a few youtube vids about it, a lot of people said not to top autos because of the stress (i did anyway to see what would happen, topped my only indica so i wouldn't just get 1 bud) Mr. Canucks grow was helpful, but if there's someone u like growing on there they prob have info on it. I waited til they were about 6-7 inches tall, picked a spot under the 1st node, and tied it to a document clip on my fabric pot. If you have experience with topping just pretend that's what you are doing without actually cutting it off. You want to move it out of the way so that the lower branches think it's their time to shine. It's a pretty intuitive process that you will prob match to whatever philosophy you already have about the plants. I think about it like I want to train my dog to do something, shes a genius already, I just have to communicate it in a way that she can understand. With this method you are still convincing the plant that it needs new tops without cutting one off and stressing her out.
My general advice for a first timer because I seem to stumble on all the blocks haha, 1 go slow, you can always do more lst tomorrow (well into flower for some growers) 2 go slow, watch to see how they are reacting (some genetics like it more than others) 3 go slow, when you are tying them down pay attention to the stalk, at the soil so root ball isnt disturbed, and for folding especially in less woody girls (i came back 20 min after 1 session and found the main stalk of my fav patio girl at 90 degree bend, gave her a soft cast with garden ties, shes ok). 4 go whatever speed you want, haha. After a week or 2 its super easy, you will look at ur plant and know where and how you want to train.
All this talk of tying things down and the poor plants don't even get a safe word...
 

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