Are more tops better?

[SchweeDubz]

I've been arguing with my buddy for literally days now (he's never grown so this is particularly frustrating heh) about the # of tops in my tent. He is insisting that a few # of plants using LST instead of topping will increase yields. Right now I have 5 plants in a 3x3 tent with lots of topping. My logic is to get as many tops at the peak height of the plant so the surface area of the tent is completely covered. My hypothesis is that fewer plants and tops might increase the size of the colas but the overall weight would be reduced.

Anyone mess around with this and find any staggering results?

 

[Lite]

More tops are only better if you have the root structure and light to accommodate them. Otherwise you will end up with a ton of little .2gram buds

 

[SchweeDubz]

I'm using 400w LED Vero29 cobs in 5g buckets in a 3x3 space.

 

[Lite]

check out my grow journal then to answer ur question. I have 1 plant in a 3x3 tent in a 7 gallon.

 

[SchweeDubz]

Looks pretty great. How much light do you have in there total?

 

[Lite]

800watts at the wall, 8 Cob chips

 

[Lite]

in retrospect I wish I used a 10 or even a 15 gallon pot.

Both of you are wrong though, the amount of plants doesnt matter. Its the total square footage of properly supplied (air light nutrients roots etc) plant.

 

[SchweeDubz]

Well, I've been the one saying that the # of plants doesn't matter. Aka 1 plant wont produce fatter buds, which is why I'd rather use more plants just so the veg phase fills up the space faster.

 

[Lite]

Well, I've been the one saying that the # of plants doesn't matter. Aka 1 plant wont produce fatter buds, which is why I'd rather use more plants just so the veg phase fills up the space faster.

exactly. More plants will always be the faster route to more bud, but also the more expensive route.

 

[SchweeDubz]

Why do you say more expensive? Just more soil used you mean? And more nutrients I suppose?

 

[Lite]

more soil, more nutrients, more risk of bugs.