Training outdoor plants

[GreenThumby]

I look around at other people's amazing outdoor threads and see many great plants that have tons of branching and don't look like my plants. I usually top my plants once or twice while they veg but that's it. Do you find that you get better yields with doing various training or pruning methods? I wouldn't mind getting my plants down in height compared to last year, as they were really stretching upwards and at 8ft tall, anything below 4 feet was basically popcorn nugs. I see many people tying down their plants, I don't quite understand the logic and such.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Basickly the plant spends most of its attention on the top part of itself.

Topping early so you have 4 main stems gives you 4 main colas. If you can keep the canopy at the same height all the stems should receive the same attention. Ie 4 main colas of equal size. (see mainling and Uncle Bens topping.) You can then turn 4 into 8, 8 into 16, 16 into 32..

Tying a plant down by LST or scroging, super cropping etc does the same thing. The canopy is the same height so all of the canopy grows at the same rate.

Ive had a few but thats the general idea.

Keep in mind that most of the huge bushes you see are started early under lights and then planted outside.

 

[GreenThumby]

Appreciate the feedback. I definitely want to top more this season to try it out, I tried to FIMM a plant this year but think I did it too high and it was basically useless.

 

[Lucky Luke]

Appreciate the feedback. I definitely want to top more this season to try it out, I tried to FIMM a plant this year but think I did it too high and it was basically useless.

If u have a look at the show and tell thread in the outdoor section (the last few pages) you will see that the yanks who grow "fkn Large bushie trees" have already started. They are in greenhouses under lights.

 

[Lucky Luke]

 

[Lucky Luke]

^ pic stolen from the show and tell thread.

 

[Nugachino]

Don't worry. I tried my first fim last year. I also ballsed it up. Ended up switching to mainlining instead.

 

[mushroom head]

Top multiple times, lst, and super crop

 

[ruby fruit]

Myself i top as much as i can then scrog not a pro job but the ideas there...then i always still have to tie the odd branch down as well
I see others who dont top and have a bountiful harvest ...

 

[GreenThumby]

This year I think I'm going to be like a scientist and try everything and observe the results from each experiment. Definitely want to try more topping and some LST. Probably super crop my least favorite plants to try it out, I would hate to kill the main cola top from one of my strongest plants.

 

[mushroom head]

Super cropping is my favorite of all three though! I will admit it takes some practice, I have broken off branches by accident. I've had plants with broken tops end up being the largest due to all the bottom branches taking over. So don't stress to hard if you do brake a branch or three

 

[thumper60]

This year I think I'm going to be like a scientist and try everything and observe the results from each experiment. Definitely want to try more topping and some LST. Probably super crop my least favorite plants to try it out, I would hate to kill the main cola top from one of my strongest plants.

pinch that skidder 4-6 times before the solstist,u will get a nice bush 5-7 ft tall wont even need support

 

[LittleMan80]

I like mainlining outside. I prefer that over any other training method.....outdoors that is.

 

[GreenThumby]

I watched some good videos and I'll definitely try super cropping. This year will be the year of experimentation for sure. I have some local organic alpaca manure that I'll be getting from some hippie farm near me too. I'm real excited. Thanks for the input guys

 

[sandhill larry]

I top most everything. Also do some LST, though I call it LOB {lean over, Baby}. This past season I tried super cropping for the first time. I broke way too many branches, but I'm going to keep at it. Using a pen or lighter to pinch against seemed to help.

I had several plants {heavy with bud} split at the first "Y" where I topped them. Need to wrap some duct tape around it to strengthen it.

 

[Sir Napsalot]

[QUOTE="sandhill larry, post: 13352264, member: 946924"I had several plants {heavy with bud} split at the first "Y" where I topped them. Need to wrap some duct tape around it to strengthen it.[/QUOTE]

I broke a main branch "testing" it and used cloth medical tape to hold it together- it healed up really fast. The medical tape "breathes" which I think is helpful.

 

[ForeverGreen42]

I top most everything. Also do some LST, though I call it LOB {lean over, Baby}. This past season I tried super cropping for the first time. I broke way too many branches, but I'm going to keep at it. Using a pen or lighter to pinch against seemed to help.

I had several plants {heavy with bud} split at the first "Y" where I topped them. Need to wrap some duct tape around it to strengthen it.

Zip ties work good too