When to top

If you give it a day or two it will grow back. If it starts to yellow or effect the new branches I would suggest maybe following @SilverGrobo advise.

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@SilverGrobo, so cut around where highlighted?
Thank you guys for the help!!!:beers::beers::beers:

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@SilverGrobo, could he take that off and clone it using clonex?

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Could try it I doubt it’ll work to clone but normally I want at least 3 nodes for a clone pic attached. I’ve had a couple root up but I put them in pots already. I agree the first top was correct.

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Do yall top multiple times during your grow or just the one time because of limited space?

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I’ve read Stephen say you can top three times in the grobo, the first between 4 and 6 “Nodes” but the 2nd and 3rd (which leads to 4 main colas i think) I haven’t seen reference to when you should do these toppings i feel like between 4 and 6th again would be too late but I’d love to know for sure(gonna hate myself if this is in the FAQ lol)

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There is not a lot of info on when to top because all plants take their time. I think the general rule is top in veg. Most top 1-3 times as long as you remember to add 3-10 extra days in between for healing.

WHEN TO TOP CANNABIS?

WHEN TO TOP CANNABIS?

There are two schools of thought concerning the appropriate time to top cannabis plants. Old school growers are generally inclined to be more patient. While Millennials prefer to top right away. Waiting a month or more before commencing pruning is far too long for some.

Topping infant cannabis plants very early sets them on track to become bushes. Expect an extended vegetative growth cycle too. Waiting until plants get to the 4th week of vegetative growth before topping is less stressful. Although, not always practical with taller rapid growing strains.

As a rule of thumb, topping is always performed during vegetative growth. Save some exceptional circumstances. Also, most growers allow 1-2 weeks recovery time before repeating the process to further enhance cola development.

Tips for Topping & FIMing

Here are some extra tips to ensure topping and FIMing your marijuana plants goes perfectly every time!

Don’t Top or FIM Too Early!

With both topping and FIMing, you remove some of the growth on the end of a cola of a young marijuana plant, which causes the plant to stop focusing on one cola (like a Christmas tree) and instead to create many bud-laden colas (grow bushier).

If you Top or FIM the plant too early, it will have a hard time recovering. It may seem like a good idea, but you will get the best results and fastest recover if you wait until the plant has enough nodes.

Wait Until Plant Has at Least 3-5 Nodes (FIMing) or 4-6 Nodes (Topping)- Topping or Fimming a Too-Young Seedling Will Dramatically Slow Down Growth. If You Wait Until Plant is Growing New Leaves Every Day, Recovery Will Be Much Faster.

Growers use the plant’s natural response to FIMing/topping to produce short bushy plants with many colas. After the plant has been switched to the flowering stage, the wide spread of colas allows the plant to efficiently use indoor grow lights to produce the biggest yields possible.

If you choose to use either of these methods, you will get the best results by doing it when the plant is young, usually when it has around 3-6 total nodes formed. Generally, you would only want to FIM a plant that has just 3 nodes, and wait until 4 nodes to top the plant.

These young cannabis plants are almost ready to be topped or FIMed. Cannabis plants can be FIMed before they can be topped.

These young cannabis plants are ready to be topped or FIMed

You get great results by breaking the tendency of the plant to grow one main cola while the plant is still short, because you can arrange your multiple colas however you want as the plant develops, instead of dealing with a Christmas tree shaped plant.

You can also top or FIM your plant later in the vegetative stage, but you will have a longer main stalk, giving you less ability to arrange the colas the way you want.

It's a good idea to top or FIM earlier for the most flexible colas.This cannabis plant is almost too big to top or FIM.

After being topped or FIMed, your plant will need some time spent recovering in the vegetative stage, though generally this just causes the plant to ‘fill out’ more instead of growing taller, which is often desirable for indoor growers.

This plant was trained for ~2 dozen colas in the vegetative stage

FIMing and topping should only be used in the vegetative stage

Important: Don’t Top or FIM in the Flowering Stage; It’s Too Late!

Topping and FIMing techniques should only be used in the vegetative stage! In fact, any training technique that involves cutting or damaging your plant should optimally be done in the vegetative stage of cannabis growth, before the flowering/budding stage begins.

In the flowering stage, only gentle training techniques such as LST or other types of bending should ever be used to change the shape of the plant.

A plant with many colas can only be achieved by training a plant from early in the vegetative stage

These trained cannabis plants have many colas

Cannabis plants are much less tough in the flowering stage, and they no longer are growing vegetatively (producing new stems or colas) by the time they hit about week 6.

If you watch a plant in the flowering stage, you’ll see that it doesn’t get taller or develop growth nodes after about week 6. It only “focuses” on making buds. Topping or FIMing at this point won’t do any good. Damaging your plant during the budding stage will often cause a reduction in your final yields because you’re just taking away more plant/bud sites and may cause unnecessary stress during the crucial bud-building phase.

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Hey Fam,

Great forum and newbie here.

First time grow and i believe I have banana Kush here but am so new.

Been transplanted 3x and is now in a 5g. Under 24-0 with a 34-45W light and has never been topped or trimmed.

Relaxing now I definitely need to top but since
Indoors , I have some room to grow

It won’t let me attach pics, any advice ?

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@Ricculus,

  • ((#Welcome)): :wave::wink:

  • ((#YourGrowYourCall)): :herb:

  • (Do what you like with this grow and have it as your base grow for the next grows): (Every grow can be a little different, play around with them and find your favorite way of growing): :infinity:


(ForToppingLollippoppingPlusVideos): (ClickHere):

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  • ((#Topping)): :top:

https://www.allgrowers.com/search?q=topping

https://www.allgrowers.com/search?q=topping%20user%3Asilvergrobo

Introduce yourself - #124 by SilverGrobo - Welcome - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

https://www.allgrowers.com/t/pruning-and-topping-your-plant-to-increase-yield/315

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  • ((#Lollipopping)): :lollipop:

Community Grow Photos - #27 by Stephen - Share Your Grow - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

https://www.allgrowers.com/search?q=lollipopping

https://www.allgrowers.com/search?q=lollipopping%20user%3Asilvergrobo

Tangerine dream auto - #134 by Stephen - Share Your Grow - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

Community Grow Photos - #715 by Azuri - Share Your Grow - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

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  • ((#YouTubeVideo)): :video_camera:

[How To] Grow Cannabis the Easy Way in 2021 - YouTube

https://www.allgrowers.com/t/ultimate-grow-guide-video-new-release/2627

https://www.allgrowers.com/t/ultimate-grow-guide-video-new-release/2627/6?u=silvergrobo

How to Maximize Yields training Cannabis: Topping, Supercropping, LST, and Micro-topping - YouTube

Pruning and topping your plant to increase yield - #58 by SilverGrobo - Grow Techniques - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

https://www.allgrowers.com/t/looking-for-suggestions/2158/2?u=silvergrobo

My plant is too tall, HELP [RESOLVED] - #26 by Mcmanis - Grobo Support - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

My plant is too tall, HELP [RESOLVED] - #39 by Stephen - Grobo Support - AllGrowers Forum | Hydroponics, Harvesting, Cannabis, and more

https://www.allgrowers.com/search?q=youtubevideo%20user%3Asilvergrobo

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:infinity:


  • (#YouTubeVideo): :video_camera:

  • (ForToppingLollippoppingPlusVideos): (:point_up:)

  • (#Nodes):

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:infinity:


  • (#Topping):

  • (#NoPhoto):

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Are you running an auto? Just asking cause of your 24/0 light schedule

Thanks for the replies!

I will check out the videos on topping. Is the general idea that it forces new colas?

I have the 24-0 on all the time. This isn’t an auto flower if that’s what you were asking. I have 4 other auto flowering and then another 3 unknowns.

Any idea how I can get y’all pics ?

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https://www.allgrowers.com/t/pruning-and-topping-your-plant-to-increase-yield/315

  • (NotCountingTheCotyledons): :green_thumb:

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I got the perfect weed plant for u my mother in law didnt understand weed plants have different light cycles she actually put the plant into flower early this may be because she would give it light from the sun and didn’t leave the plant outside to get enough hours of light or the plant may feel winter coming so it started flowering either way i am going to keep it flowering but its pretty small

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On Reddit there is a good page called r/microgrowery where people intentionally grow plants this small. You can find a lot of info there but other than that just add some nutes for boosting flowers and buds and you should be golden. Good luck @Nick_Gonzalez

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you can scale back trimming if its strong and healthy enough, of course since yield is not an issue you wont mind that it will be sacrificed by default because of this…So it could in theory work out how you want, keep in mind watching ph and humidity like a hawk that being said…peace

Love this. Thank you :+1:t2::sunglasses:

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Not even sure I have tops yet? :grinning: Anyone?? As long as I get at least an ounce, I will be happy with the first grow.

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Not sure I understand the question.

One thing is for sure in my opinion… Your plant could use a little clean up down below. A good defoliation will refocus the energy to the top coals. If bigger better buds is your goal - that would be the way to go.

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I did clean it up with the water change, but I left all the possible smalls and popcorn sites as I am not that concerned with yield. I have ounces here and can buy anytime as it is legal. This is only for fun. :grinning:

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Oh - it’s just that you mentioned being happy if you get an ounce so I was confused. If your not concerned about quality and quantity then it sounds more like an experiment than anything else. Kinda seeing what the machine dose when left alone. I get that.

Happy growing…!

:peace_symbol:

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