Should I top higher or lower?

luckytrees · Jul 10, 2024

Should I top lower or higher? There's quite a stretch between those nodes and I'm wondering if it will give me trouble while trying to train if I top higher. Thoughts?

Bdubs · Jul 11, 2024

Lower is best. You’ll have two lower shoots remaining. If you are growing normal, the lower point will allow lower shoots to keep canopy level easier. The higher top location would have a hard time for lower shoots to close that stretch gap.

At this point, because I manifold as well, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to strip the lower shoots and start a true manifold. It may add a week or 3 to your veg time overall, but would allow you to take full advantage of the mainline technique.

The only reason I suggested that is because you kinda wasted growth allowing all that to grow, above that lower top location. It could have been performed a while ago basically.

If you top up there, you won’t gain any growth or shoots, so it is counter productive to top up there.

Just some thoughts. Next time, I would top sooner than later and get r done.

Sunin · Jul 11, 2024

I would top even higher and LST
It's interesting to read above that I "wasted" all my grows topping at 5th node or above for years
Good to know

The answer is: depends what you want and what's your grow room and conditions like & what you want to do after.
If you top lower it will be good to mainline, if you top in the middle it would be good to bend and lst after (I usually super cropp main breaking it if I top there)- your canopy will be higher but space under more comfortable for manouver. If you top higher than marked all downstairs will catch up and you can lead two new ones on the side.
Possibilities are multiple- not just one depends what you want really
Greets

HerbalEdu · Jul 11, 2024

what sunin said, also

at this point in growth topping higher will bring you faster to 12-12 flip with a well filled canopy...

i would also top one top higher than what you circled in red and lst horizontally the top branches until the other catch up in height.

Natep · Jul 11, 2024

Top lower clone the top.

ArtfulCodger · Jul 11, 2024

You could top either place, or you could bend the plant over and not top at all. I usually top for the first time above the fourth true node, which is the second node with 5-fingered leaves. I lose the first one-fingered node, and train the second, three-fingered node up the middle to fill the donut hole created by spreading the plant out. Totally personal preference, but indoors, you want to train low and wide.

Bdubs · Jul 11, 2024

It is a waste of growth to wait that long if you planned to top all along. If you want more main colas and more tops for the height, you are better off topping sooner than later. In my experience, those lower two sets of shoots, will struggle to find canopy when you enter post veg stretch if you take the top location. Unless you plan to do multiple topping of the two new tops you created to give more time for shoots to make canopy. Just saying that it’s all about time and growth. You waste it waiting and chopping off 3 nodes of growth. That’s wasted growth time for the tops. Additionally you will find yourself defoliating and pruning more on the two lower shoots if you like to lollipop. Risking excessive foliage growth and lose growth tine pruning and defoliating more sessions before flip.

Stokes · Jul 11, 2024

I would lay her over and top at your 2nd highest node (if at all) Would also remove chutes at first 2 nodes

Bdubs · Jul 11, 2024

Stokes said:
I would lay her over and top at your 2nd highest node (if at all) Would also remove chutes at first 2 nodesView attachment 2216695

Now that’s not a bad idea.

RealFarmer · Jul 11, 2024

There is no right answer. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. I would tell you to try both. Top some high and some low, and see which works best in your situation, or which you prefer. Some strains also respond differently to being topped. My LA Confidential would slow to a crawl for over a week when topped so I started fim and lst to get the results I was looking for. It's all trial and error. Good luck brother.

luckytrees · Jul 11, 2024

Thank you all! I have some things to think about, but I am leaning more towards topping lower only because I am growing grandaddy purple next to her and for some reason she is only half as tall. My thought is that this will help keep the canopy even all the way across. However, I like the idea of topping higher and LST for the sake of having more branches. Either way it's getting done tonight! I really appreciate everyone's advice! This is my second grow and first time joining an online community. My first grow was not great but you guys rock!

Should I top higher or lower?

Should I top higher or lower?

luckytrees

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