Topping? Pruning? When to do it?

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

Hey all. Brand new to growing. I have 3 plants, all different strains.

I'm trying to figure out if I've waited to long to top 2 of them because I'm terrified that I'll end up killing the entire plant and end up with nothing.

The first pic is the 2nd tallest plant I have... from my readings it said wait until it has 7 nodes and then cut between the 5th and 6th. Problem is that the nodes are coming out staggered. The2nd pic is my tallest plant. Nodes are basically coming out even, but it appears to be beginning to flower at the top. The 3rd pic is my smallest plant that I've grown from seed by myself (the other 2 were gifted to me).

Posting pics for advice.

another question would be, if it's not too late to top the first 2, is there a possibility of cutting clones off of whatever I cut as I'm sure there will be several nodes, or is it even possible to get the main stalk to sprout roots as (at least in the case of the taller plant) they appear to be flowering.

 

[Ddebrazza]

Thank you for asking this question. I am getting ready to start my 2nd Grow and I would like to work on improving my growing techniques. I believe I topped mine after the 3rd node but I would love to hear some of the experts chime in on when to top.

 

[Jakecan]

You could forsake get some clones off the first plant. Would I top all the way down to the second node? You for sure can but your plant might stunt for a week but that's normally what I do if taking clones. Clone what I can and then top from the last node I took a clone from. Doesn't leave the prettiest plant but you'll get somewhat of a Spanish bush. You have three plants so you should experiment a little. Just make sure you clean you scissors in-between cuts.

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

You could forsake get some clones off the first plant. Would I top all the way down to the second node? You for sure can but your plant might stunt for a week but that's normally what I do if taking clones. Clone what I can and then top from the last node I took a clone from. Doesn't leave the prettiest plant but you'll get somewhat of a Spanish bush. You have three plants so you should experiment a little. Just make sure you clean you scissors in-between cuts.

So, as a new grower, that was pretty much all Greek to me.

I feel that living in Toronto, topping all the way down to the 2nd node seems a bit extreme, especially as we're now into August and temps will begin to cool in a month or so.

I definitely know about the importance of cleaning scissors, so I got that bit of knowledge.

I guess my main concern really is killing all my plants inadvertently and then ending up with nothing. I'm really tempted to just let these grow upwards, take some clones (which is also something I have zero experience with), hope they sprout roots and then be more on top (pun intended) of things next spring/summer.

And again, is it possible that if I do go ahead and top the plants that the main stalk of the piece I cut off will sprout roots?

 

[fishbuds]

I say, no topping. Topping that plant will not serve any purpose at all.

.02

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

I say, no topping. Topping that plant will not serve any purpose at all.

.02

Which one? There's 3 different plants?

 

[Jakecan]

Okay so usually when topping after the plant has developed a couple or few nodes I would top at 1. This is called the Apical Node (the node where the plant grows vertically and continues to create new nodes.) Topping this breaks apical dominance so then the Side Branches (2) Will start to grow out and the plant will start to grow from side branches rather than growing straight up. (2) is also where you take your clones from, the side branches although you can take the apical node as a clone if you take enough height with it. (3) I would not take it anywhere lower than this point there. Because you live in Toronto I personally would not top at all. Just let it grow this season as she's about to go into flower so if you top her you probably will get about half the bud than if you were to have just left her. Take a clone or two if you'd like but leave her be otherwise :)! Hope that helps!

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

Okay so usually when topping after the plant has developed a couple or few nodes I would top at 1. This is called the Apical Node (the node where the plant grows vertically and continues to create new nodes.) Topping this breaks apical dominance so then the Side Branches (2) Will start to grow out and the plant will start to grow from side branches rather than growing straight up. (2) is also where you take your clones from, the side branches although you can take the apical node as a clone if you take enough height with it. (3) I would not take it anywhere lower than this point there. Because you live in Toronto I personally would not top at all. Just let it grow this season as she's about to go into flower so if you top her you probably will get about half the bud than if you were to have just left her. Take a clone or two if you'd like but leave her be otherwise :)! Hope that helps!

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Because you recommend to leave it, that is the most comforting answer I could hope to get since I don't really have to do anything. Is there a specific time to cut clones that's best? If I just leave it until harvest (which I believe means cutting the entire plant) can clones be taken then?

 

[Ponky]

You don't need to top outdoor.

 

[Jakecan]

Because you recommend to leave it, that is the most comforting answer I could hope to get since I don't really have to do anything. Is there a specific time to cut clones that's best? If I just leave it until harvest (which I believe means cutting the entire plant) can clones be taken then?

I would forsake look up a cloning tutorial. It's much easier when its a visual representation! But You for sure need to take clones before flowering happens! so I would take them within the next week or two!

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

You don't need to top outdoor.

Is there any particular reason or rationale for that?

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

I would forsake look up a cloning tutorial. It's much easier when its a visual representation! But You for sure need to take clones before flowering happens! so I would take them within the next week or two!

Those are the tops of my two taller plants.. the one definitely appears to be in the beginning stages of flowering. Too late to cut clones? The 2nd I'm not sure about.

 

[fishbuds]

Nosey neighbors make peeps top and supercrop. I do this. 9ft trees are not my gig.

 

[Jakecan]

Is there any particular reason or rationale for that?

Okay so there actually is a technique called monster cropping where you take clones from flowering plants and re veg them. Personally I have never done it as I personally feel taking clones from a vegetative plant is a lot more practical and easier. Taking you plant from the flowering stage back to the vegetative stage can stress them out a lot. So it may be harder to get viable clones out of them if you clone them from flower.

 

[Jakecan]

Those are the tops of my two taller plants.. the one definitely appears to be in the beginning stages of flowering. Too late to cut clones? The 2nd I'm not sure about.

Totally up to you if you want to try the giver a go. But look up those tutorials!

Also, do you have a pet raccoon?

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

Totally up to you if you want to try the giver a go. But look up those tutorials!

Also, do you have a pet raccoon?

That guy in the picture didn't make it. Could never get him to eat. Toronto Animal Services won't deal with wild life. They will only relocate or euthanize depending on the situation. Previous to this guy I had brought a baby home that TAS picked up to relocate and then that night there was horrible rain and thunderstorms and I swore I'd never surrender an animal to them.

Fast forward a few years to the little guy in the pic, and I picked him up while driving my bus because he was curled up on the side of the road next to his dead mom, and I just couldn't drive past him. Brought him home, but I just couldn't get him to eat anything at all, even by trying to hand feed/"force" feed him. He ended up passing shortly after. He may have been under extreme stress, or had injuries I couldn't detect. Not sure. But at least he was warm and out of the elements and got to feel a couple days of love and affection.

Now, 2 years later, I actually have another one that was found in a neighbour's driveway, apparently abandoned. Pretty sure he had distemper as he was just doing circles, but having done research in the past I know that distemper and early stages of rabies can be quite similar. So brought him home, put him in an empty room. Was able to figure out how to hand feed him while avoiding his teeth. He's now been kicking around the house for just over a year, so I'm sure that he had distemper, not rabies, and I was able to nurse him through it, though I'm pretty sure he has some lingering, minor, neurological issues.

They make horrible pets and would never recommend anyone do it unless they have a lot of space and money to burn. Can't let him just roam the house as he would bite and try to eat everything he could get his mouth around. I also have a dog, 2 cats and a rabbit (also found and picked up while driving my bus), so I just can't take the chance that he'd bite them. He's generally not friendly. He tries to bite my feet when he's really excited, though as soon as I pick him up he chills RIGHT out and doesn't try to bite at all. The only other time he's well behaved is when he's sleeping. I have him out on my deck and in the backyard when the weather is nice and I can keep an eye on him. I have an indoor cage for when the weather's no good or he needs to calm down before bed.

I'll attach a pic of the one with me now.

 

[Jakecan]

Man raccoons are so cute! He is so big. Are they not super easy to train?

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

Man raccoons are so cute! He is so big. Are they not super easy to train?

Well, it's illegal to own one in all of Canada, so you're literally trying to train a wild animal. My neighbour's know about him and are cool about it. Last I weighed him was at 13 pounds... He might be up around 17 or 18 now. I know some States in the US it's legal so there's breeders who have been able to go through generations and pick out the tamer ones for continuing bloodlines.

But back to training. He, as an individual, is impossible to train. As I said, I think he has some minor neurological issues still, so that definitely doesn't help. You can't discipline them in general because they are pretty damn fearless and will become aggressive/defensive and the teeth come out. And I don't think rewards or treats are a connection he makes in regards to his behaviour and being rewarded for it.

Bought him a litter box to try and at least train him to use that, but he ended up just kicking a bunch of the litter out of it, then he peed in the litter (which was great, but I think just a coincidence), and then he fell asleep in it... so I've just kinda decided that it's best to learn his pee and poop patterns and then try to make sure that stuff happens outside, but if I have to keep him in due to weather or it's the overnight and I have to put him in his cage (he does sleep in the bed as long as he settles quickly before I gall asleep), I have rubber mats, and pee pads, and a towel all layered so he can pee in his cage if he absolutely has to.

Pic of him in his new used dog house. It keeps him dry when there's a light rain and gives him a spot to get out of the sun:

 

[socks4free]

That one plant is several weeks into it's flowering stage. I wouldn't top any of these plants nor clone them unless you planned on growing indoors as you certainly do not have time left to do anything with a fresh clone outdoors this year.

 

[SUPER_DAVE_SO]

That one plant is several weeks into it's flowering stage. I wouldn't top any of these plants nor clone them unless you planned on growing indoors as you certainly do not have time left to do anything with a fresh clone outdoors this year.

It's been a thought. I have an empty room in the house I can do a set up in. Only thing is I don't want to dump a ton of money into it. My main goal is to be able to not have to pay for weed any more. I guess I could just try to get seeds out of the plants and try my luck in the late winter or early spring trying to get them going.. cloning just seems more reliable.