Using Shade As Training Tool?

[Huckster79]

im attempting my first mainline training. The original dominant half is fair amount bigger than the other side I want to equalize with it.

Crazy thought could I partially shade the naturally more dominant half so weaker half gets more light to help it equalize quicker?

 

[G gnome]

im attempting my first mainline training. The original dominant half is fair amount bigger than the other side I want to equalize with it.

Crazy thought could I partially shade the naturally more dominant half so weaker half gets more light to help it equalize quicker?

I suppose u cud but it dont sound like a good idea at all for a few reasons....
Why limit the growth on ur plant?
It might backfire and make the shaded side stretch even more for light

 

[Huckster79]

That argument came up in my own head... And obviously isn't a normal practice probably for a reason.

On this one expirenental girl I'm not as concerned w time but still... Just wondering if anyone else has tried such a out in left field idea! Lol

 

[Dunge]

I'd like to watch you try it.
I often put entire plants in "favored" light positions to allow them to catch up.
If it works within a single plant it would inform thoughts on how far products of primary productivity travel within a plant before they are snatched up for use as building materials.
I'd consider draping the large arm with a small piece of bug screen.
Pictures of the candidate plant please.

 

[Huckster79]

Good idea! Being she's an expirenent no reason to not play... Nothing ventured nothing gained! Prob if we knew nothing about topping of fim and someone told us cutting a plant down could make it better we would look at them as crazy!

I really like the positive constructive chat on this site. I think Iv found my new online home!

 

[Bannacis]

Here's a thought, use like the beginning of supper cropping on the weaker side.
start at the base of weak branch and kinda squeeze massage it a little and roll stem between fingers. It will soften up some. thats good, don't over do it. and work your way up while gently rolling it, to next node .
At the node knuckle give knuckle a squeeze. then continue all way to tip. plus any side branches.
Do this, then wait a couple days and repeat. the branch will heal and get thicker.
if its woody it will not work, needs to be pliable.

 

[Toaster79]

Supercrop the stronger side just like you would do with a clone that doesn't grow simmetrical.

 

[Mr Bee]

I suppose u cud but it dont sound like a good idea at all for a few reasons....
Why limit the growth on ur plant?
It might backfire and make the shaded side stretch even more for light

Boom.and thats logic right there.iv tried this and thats wat happened.
if u want em all to be even tie down the taller branches so theyr even or even BELOW the weeker side.once the top bits are lower than the shorter bits the hormones change in the plant telling it to grow the highest shoots which will even them up then u can untie the branche u tied down once theyr even.
wen a specific shoots at the top the plant knows its its highest point and concentrates most growth to it be if u tie it down it diffuses the hormones and the others left as the tops will grow faster and catch up.thats wat i do anyway

 

[dmshayne]

I like to scrog a plant if it gets too uneven. Will be tuned in to see how this turns out :)

 

[ShroomKing]

I like using what I call "prime fan leaf removal" tech.

The theory is:
Remove the top 3-4 fan leaves on the branches/plant you want to slow down. This reduces the amount of energy that " immediate growth area" is able to produce; slowing growth on that branch enough to allow lower and slower branches to catch up.

On the branches or plants that you want to catch up I remove the lowest growth nodes to encourage vertical growth.

 

[Huckster79]

Yea I'm thinking the risk of stretch is too great as that would completely mess up the symmetry I'm trying to obtain.. You guys pointing that out make a lot of sense... I have dominant side tied down and will b patient with other side as she beefs up.

 

[Bannacis]

The best results you to get all your lower branches to be even is that you have to cut the main center top.
Removing the top transfers the apical dominance from the one top bud to the two nodes immediately below the point of your cut. Then, what was one apical dominant top becomes two apical dominant tops. bending the top over works partially, but not as effective if top is removed.
You can do the same with side branches once they have taken off.

I start this when they are young, Supper cropping is not just about squeezing and bending a branch. its about topping the main cola, its rolling the stems between fingers to soften up the whole stem, from base to every branch. then in couple days giving same branches a twist and popping inner hud. I sqweeze the knuckle on the nodes and they get bigger.
Tying down branches, removing all under growth that's larf.
So by flower time (even doing some lst first couple weeks) my whole plant is a big ole she Hulk.
There are many levels you can do the supper cropping, just the regular ole bend all the branches and spread her out.
To the extreme Super super cropped lady.
The key is to remove the top. Bending it will work partially... take top out and it responds faster...imo.
Either way you do it is good... cause any plant is better than no plant, so what works for you is what this forum is all about
I learned more and enjoyed it better when I had one plant and super cropped it to a giant Banzai budnanza.

 

[dmshayne]

The best results you to get all your lower branches to be even is that you have to cut the main center top.
Removing the top transfers the apical dominance from the one top bud to the two nodes immediately below the point of your cut. Then, what was one apical dominant top becomes two apical dominant tops. bending the top over works partially, but not as effective if top is removed.
You can do the same with side branches once they have taken off.

I start this when they are young, Supper cropping is not just about squeezing and bending a branch. its about topping the main cola, its rolling the stems between fingers to soften up the whole stem, from base to every branch. then in couple days giving same branches a twist and popping inner hud. I sqweeze the knuckle on the nodes and they get bigger.
Tying down branches, removing all under growth that's larf.
So by flower time (even doing some lst first couple weeks) my whole plant is a big ole she Hulk.
There are many levels you can do the supper cropping, just the regular ole bend all the branches and spread her out.
To the extreme Super super cropped lady.
The key is to remove the top. Bending it will work partially... take top out and it responds faster...imo.
Either way you do it is good... cause any plant is better than no plant, so what works for you is what this forum is all about
I learned more and enjoyed it better when I had one plant and super cropped it to a giant Banzai budnanza.

This could be helpful but only in certain stages of the plant. You obviously don't want to top you plant in the mid to late flowering stage ..

 

[Bannacis]

yepers dmshayne... for trying to get a SOG (even canopy) doing super cropping is best done earliest as possible in veg.
Also if you top late in veg after the nodes start staggering. this could cause some variances' in symmetrical branching. So the earliest you top and get those identical nodes the even your canopy will be, and injuries or training one side and not the other will cause unevenness. So when doing the rolling and bending, try to do every identical cross branch the same.
Just like the guy at the gyme, if he lifts more with his right are. It will be larger than the left.
There are two ways to top, #1 is to gust cut the top bud site right above the next nodes.
The way I do it...#2 this has to do with timing... your top will always be growing new branches, as it continues it there will be space between nodes...so on an so forth. after you got you 3-5 th set of nodes, keep an eye on the top, look closely by gently pulling the leaves apart and look right where everything is joined...the top top. anyway. the top will start as a little nub that will turn into the top as it grows. you need to time it the the nub just barely has a stem. take a toothpick (sumpin pointy) and just pop off that nub...its real soft and easy to damage so be careful. you need to break it off even. if you done it right there will be a perfect little crater where it was attached.
From that you will get perfect symmetrical identical branches. any rips or tears can cause unevenness. In that case throw it away...JUST KIDDING... sorry lol... they will be still close to even...just not perfect...
Some will say you get even branches from just cutting off top about the nodes. Depending on nodes, they could be off, not same on both sides. thing is those nodes have been growing for awhile, so the outer skin of stem/nodes are tougher so the new growth can come out uneven if its got to work harder...

This is from my experience and opinion. Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a bricklayer...