What should my next move in training her be?

[Dirtbag]

not sure if the extra post and photos give you any better info, Im mainly confused i think on just knowing and being able to see how the plant will develop and what will evenetually be chopped.

I circled the stuff I consider suckers, I remove that shit before it has a chance to become a spindly larf machine. Those little growing nodes that develop at the base of a leaf petiole along the branches would be plucked off of my plants, up to the top of each branch leaving only the growing tip and maybe the next node beneath it. I'll leave the leaves on though until the plant gets big, then I remove the lower leaves for better airflow.

When it comes time to top a branch if that's the plan, I'd top it when it has a total of 3 nodes on it, the tip and 2 below it. Id remove the tip, and keep the two underneath and let them now become 2 branches.

I keep up this process until I have a plant with many thick, strong branches that fills the space, then I flip.

 

[Hobblebush]

I circled the stuff I consider suckers, I remove that shit before it has a chance to become a spindly larf machine. Those little growing nodes that develop at the base of a leaf petiole along the branches would be plucked off of my plants, up to the top of each branch leaving only the growing tip and maybe the next node beneath it. I'll leave the leaves on though until the plant gets big, then I remove the lower leaves for better airflow.

When it comes time to top a branch if that's the plan, I'd top it when it has a total of 3 nodes on it, the tip and 2 below it. Id remove the tip, and keep the two underneath and let them now become 2 branches.

I keep up this process until I have a plant with many thick, strong branches that fills the space, then I flip. View attachment 957816

Thanks so much for the help. I’ll snip those growth sites at the base of the petiole later today. should the skinny little leaves coming off the branch stay for now?

 

[Dirtbag]

Thanks so much for the help. I’ll snip those growth sites at the base of the petiole later today. should the skinny little leaves coming off the branch stay for now?

I leave any leaf that isnt sick until the plant requires pruning for airflow, or it's completely shaded out.
In veg I only remove nodes that I dont want becoming branches.

 

[ru knuts]

I am aiming for a monster bush, just a tamed and trained monster. Ive topped once, should i top the side branches as well? I'm new and don't know how hard I can push a plant. Im ok with the plant not getting its full potential as its my first plant, more looking for this to be a good learning experience and hopefully still get a good plant out of it! The tent is 5x5x6.5. and the lights a Chinese kingplus 1200w or so it claims. (skimped since I didn't have the coin for a 500$+ LED for a first grow). she got light burn being 18 inches from the canopy so now its like a solid 30" above and the plant is doing much better

I topped my indica dominant plants 2x, 33 days into flowering I'm just shy of 25 bud sites on my nicest wedding cake, it's working in overdrive. I'm doing a scrog also.
Your mileage may vary tho.

 

[Hobblebush]

I leave any leaf that isnt sick until the plant requires pruning for airflow, or it's completely shaded out.
In veg I only remove nodes that I dont want becoming branches.

gonna go take those 'suckers' off now, ill update in a sec

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Does topping so much affect the plant negatively?

All topping does is slows down the date you switch to 12/12 because it takes more time to re-veg it. However, the end results usually make the extra time worth it

 

[Hobblebush]

I leave any leaf that isnt sick until the plant requires pruning for airflow, or it's completely shaded out.
In veg I only remove nodes that I dont want becoming branches.

before

after

 

[Dirtbag]

Noice. Now the plant wont waste energy growing something you'll only need to remove later anyway.

 

[Dirtbag]

Now if you want to turn those 8 or so branches into 16 branches, wait a week or so and then top them leaving 2 nodes below the cut.

You can keep cleaning them up like that until flip time. Stop pruning a bit before flip for bushier plants like you want, but for a flat canopy of mostly tops and mids you can even prune them up to the top node right in the 1st week of flower, and just keep what develops during the stretch.

Bear in mind though this is just how I do things. There are several ways to prune "properly", depending on objectives and growing environment.

 

[Hobblebush]

Now if you want to turn those 8 or so branches into 16 branches, wait a week or so and then top them leaving 2 nodes below the cut.

You can keep cleaning them up like that until flip time. Stop pruning a bit before flip for bushier plants like you want, but for a flat canopy of mostly tops and mids you can even prune them up to the top node right in the 1st week of flower, and just keep what develops during the stretch.

Bear in mind though this is just how I do things. There are several ways to prune "properly", depending on objectives and growing environment.

Ill top the side branches in a week maybe, do you think its a good idea to set a trellis net over a single plant? I got plenty of time to wait for the bud, so I can veg a while so she gets large

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Ill top the side branches in a week maybe, do you think its a good idea to set a trellis net over a single plant? I got plenty of time to wait for the bud, so I can veg a while so she gets large

For my next grow after my current one is done, I am going to grow a couple of Moby Dick plants. Outside in good sunlight, this strain can become a tree. I'm going to top it, manifold it, and then train it through a trellis net. I need to make it fit my space. I have just a bit over 5' from light to the floor.

The right answer when it comes to training a plant is what makes it fit in the space you have ... and how will it yield the most.

Edit: You can also add how long you want to spend in vegetative growth to that list too.

 

[Hobblebush]

For my next grow after my current one is done, I am going to grow a couple of Moby Dick plants. Outside in good sunlight, this strain can become a tree. I'm going to top it, manifold it, and then train it through a trellis net. I need to make it fit my space. I have just a bit over 5' from light to the floor.

The right answer when it comes to training a plant is what makes it fit in the space you have ... and how will it yield the most.

Edit: You can also add how long you want to spend in vegetative growth to that list too.

the height of my tent is 6.5 feet, dont have a phenomenal light, will likely spend another 2 months or more in veg. Im really intrigued by manifolding, will you be doing it by cutting the stem and then topping once regrown, or by topping upper branches that have already been topped?

 

[Dirtbag]

Ill top the side branches in a week maybe, do you think its a good idea to set a trellis net over a single plant? I got plenty of time to wait for the bud, so I can veg a while so she gets large

Various possible answers to that lol. Depends, In a pot of dirt I prefer stakes and just stake each main branch. But not until it starts getting big.
If I'm growing in rockwool or coco I'll use 2 layers of netting. I put one up at the beginning of flower and train the plants through it, tying the branches to the net with soft ties, and I put the second net a foot above it about a week later for the plants to stretch through.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

the height of my tent is 6.5 feet, dont have a phenomenal light, will likely spend another 2 months or more in veg. Im really intrigued by manifolding, will you be doing it by cutting the stem and then topping once regrown, or by topping upper branches that have already been topped?

My vision is to weave the branches through the net vertically and then for the nodes to grow upwards towards the light. I haven't tried it yet, but I want to see how it works. I plan on growing 2 plants in a 4 x 4 like this.

 

[Hobblebush]

Various possible answers to that lol. Depends, In a pot of dirt I prefer stakes and just stake each main branch. But not until it starts getting big.
If I'm growing in rockwool or coco I'll use 2 layers of netting. I put one up at the beginning of flower and train the plants through it, tying the branches to the net with soft ties, and I put the second net a foot above it about a week later for the plants to stretch through.

i was thinking of taking some carpenter string for now and attach to stakes and pull the branches lightly out away from the stem, I think the plant could handle that now, but im not experienced. I have a trellis net and ill definitely take your advice on setting up right at the beginning of flower. Is it possible to get those very top leaves to pull apart to expose the new growth from topping to light better? or will they just push through soon

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

Im really intrigued by manifolding, will you be doing it by cutting the stem and then topping once regrown, or by topping upper branches that have already been topped?

I'm not sure how many cuts it will take to fill the net. I will likely grow 16 branches into the net and then top to fill the net from there.

 

[Dirtbag]

i was thinking of taking some carpenter string for now and attach to stakes and pull the branches lightly out away from the stem, I think the plant could handle that now, but im not experienced. I have a trellis net and ill definitely take your advice on setting up right at the beginning of flower. Is it possible to get those very top leaves to pull apart to expose the new growth from topping to light better? or will they just push through soon View attachment 957844
View attachment 957846

No dont remove anything else now, itll grow through that in no time. I wouldnt even bother with the string personally. I'd just let them grow straight up to the light. I'd wait a week, top the branches again and make 16 branches and train it through netting.

I sense you are eager to want to train it, but honestly vegging plants grow the quickest and healthiest with the least stress and manipulation. Things like mainlining look cool but when you factor in recovery times due to all the stress I dont think that it's worth it just to make it organized looking.. Nip a node here and there, top it at the right times, let it rebound and keep it in a comfortable environment with a balanced diet, give it support when things get heavy and just let it do its thing imho.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

@Hobblebush

main-line topping ******best method******

"Main-Lining" The act of training a cannabis plant to form a "hub" or "manifold" off a single node, creating a center for equal energy distribution from the roots to each cola. See that main-lined marijuana plant at harvest.... Nothing but huge, dense buds! Hub: A place or thing that forms...

www.thcfarmer.com

It's one method, and it's a good one too.

 

[ru knuts]

I'm not sure how many cuts it will take to fill the net. I will likely grow 16 branches into the net and then top to fill the net from there.

I topped mine 2x in veg. I set my scrog 8" above the pots. And I had a hard time keeping up for the first 2 weeks of flowering.

 

[MIGrampaUSA]

I topped mine 2x in veg. I set my scrog 8" above the pots. And I had a hard time keeping up for the first 2 weeks of flowering.

What strain were you running? Was it also "Moby Dick?"