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Start becoming a pro-grower!
There are many types of advanced gardening techniques that can be utilized like topping, fimming, super cropping, low stress training, S.C.R.O.G. (SCReen Of Green) and S.O.G. (Sea Of Green). Not all of these are appropriate for use in a Grobo One. Pruning your cannabis plant will result in a higher yield and less pests than letting it grow wild on it’s own. Helping to control where your plant is exposed to light and allowing for adequate airflow under your canopy are key aspects to maximizing your yield. Knowing when, where and how to prune your plant will assist you in getting the most out of your gardening experience.
Regular maintenance
- Remove any dead leaves from your plant, especially around the base near the soil line. This keeps bugs from setting in.
- Remove the lower leaves from your plant. If the lower branches of your plant are not getting enough light, they will not produce much yield. Cut them off and allow the plant to focus its energy on the flowers closer to the light they need. This is often called lollipopping your plant.
- When removing plant material, ensure you are using a clean sharp blade. Your plant can get sick if the cut is not clean, just like you can!
Topping Cannabis
- Topping is removing the central stem at its tip, to promote the remaining branches to form 2 new central tips instead of just one. This is accomplished by cutting off the newest growth at the highest point on the plant. Done between the 4th & 5th node, be sure to use a clean & sharp blade. The removed tip is discarded and the wound left untreated. You will see the 2 remaining branches take centre stage as the two branches below them also stretch into prominence. You have now just more than doubled your yield, congrats! I have a detailed post with pictures HERE .
Low Stress Training
Low Stress Training or LST is like bonsai for cannabis plants. It’s the practice of gently bending stems and tying them in place to drastically change the shape of the plant. This is done to create multiple bud sites, even out the canopy, and overall help you use light more efficiently. Using LST can increase marijuana yields without changing your setup. Low stress training is used to form a relatively flat, even canopy. This exposes many bud sites to direct light instead of just the top main bud. As a result, trained marijuana plants naturally create more (and bigger) buds in the same environment or setup than untrained plants. I use the drying rack to form a horizontal anchor point on both sides and the back of the unit.
What is Super Cropping?
One of the toughest things to manage in any indoor garden is height. Sometimes you come across a strain or plant that wants to become a tree. In this case we can utilize several methods to keep the plant away from burning on the light. As mentioned in previous notifications, you can top your plant to encourage extra colas to develop. If you are getting close to the light still, you can Super Crop your plant. This is basically bending it once to get it to a new (often horizontal) position. It is achieved by selecting where you are going to bend your plant and in which direction. Then simply hold the stem in your fingers and pinch, twist a bit and bend. You are wanting to soften the stem enough to enable you to bend and not break it. You will be able to achieve a 90 degree angle, allowing for extra space and for the buds to grow up again. Imagine a candelabra where the buds all stretch up off of a common stem. If you do snap the branch, all is not lost. You can use masking tape to ‘bandage’ the break and often the plant will heal itself after a week or so.
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