Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas

[puffdatchronic]

Tried this topping for 4 this grow, and I'm sold. Developing real nice. What I've noticed is topping at 2nd makes all branches even, topping higher you end up with 2 branches left behind below the canopy. Will update at end of stretch to show how it turned out. Thanks to all the experts out there who are helping people like me grow better plants.
The 3:1:4 chilli food seems to be working great too.

View attachment 2737707View attachment 2737708

 

[Kite High]

Tried this topping for 4 this grow, and I'm sold. Developing real nice. What I've noticed is topping at 2nd makes all branches even, topping higher you end up with 2 branches left behind below the canopy. Will update at end of stretch to show how it turned out. Thanks to all the experts out there who are helping people like me grow better plants.
The 3:1:4 chilli food seems to be working great too.

View attachment 2737707View attachment 2737708

I always top for four...looks great bro

 

[puffdatchronic]

thanks man, I know you always do it, that's why I tried it. If its good enough for you...

 

[yankeegreen]

Here are a few shots of my Early Durban from seed, cropped a la Uncle Ben's technique. I used the method once before on Mandala's Beyond the Brain strain and had mixed results, one girl with four dominant colas and two girls with two. Early read on the Durabns is more consistent but we will see how they end up.

 

[Julius Caesar]

I am sure this question may have already been asked, but I cannot read 481 pages - Yes I suck.

Can you top a rooted clone in the same manner and expect the same result?

Edit - Answer found on page 480

 

[Situation420]

if you remove the first set of true leaves when the new node between the leaf stem and the main stalk is about a half inch long those 2 branches will grow into colas and you still have the main stalk so that makes 3. Then if you do it again on the second node that makes 5 colas. After that, if you pinch the top or top it right after the 3rd node then you get 6-8 main colas. Removing the leaves causes the plant to grow slower and keep the original lower nodes closer together all within an inch of vertical growth ensuring even growth of all the main colas. My veg takes about 5 weeks now using this technique instead of 3, but whats the difference when flowering takes 7-8 weeks anyway? This is perfect for SOG

 

[Impman]

I am sure this question may have already been asked, but I cannot read 481 pages - Yes I suck.

Can you top a rooted clone in the same manner and expect the same result?

Edit - Answer found on page 480

I learned to scroll fast through the threads by looking for Avatars of people you trust or like. Any time I see UB giant bud plant and the peace signs I stop to read. Same with a few others like Kite High, cooter, umm cant think right now.... you can skip sections too, like netime you see my avatar lol, you will know its a off the wall comment
,

 

[malkuth]

Hi UB,
So i have started some seeds in coco on 6-10-13 and let me start by saying im a newer grower ... they are the dairy queen strain and are recovering nicely now but they got a little burned from drip ring on my dwc setup splashing somehow from the ring(fixed now). On the subject of fimming and topping i wanted to know when I would want to top/fim these babies for the first time for a scrog setup.

(Tried to show how many nodes there are)
Also how long do I want to let the plant recover before next fim/top?
So it seems this is more focused on 2 to 4 main colas and im looking for a lot more, does that mean i will be top/fim'ing like each main node of every new branch growth once the branch has 4 nodes on it?
Sorry to bombard with ?s. Just wanna dial this in before i cut away at anything.
Great thread btw UB

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

if you remove the first set of true leaves when the new node between the leaf stem and the main stalk is about a half inch long those 2 branches will grow into colas and you still have the main stalk so that makes 3. Then if you do it again on the second node that makes 5 colas. After that, if you pinch the top or top it right after the 3rd node then you get 6-8 main colas. Removing the leaves causes the plant to grow slower and keep the original lower nodes closer together all within an inch of vertical growth ensuring even growth of all the main colas. My veg takes about 5 weeks now using this technique instead of 3, but whats the difference when flowering takes 7-8 weeks anyway? This is perfect for SOG

You need to rethink your definition of main colas. Tops and colas kiddies....

 

[Uncle Ben]

if you remove the first set of true leaves when the new node between the leaf stem and the main stalk is about a half inch long those 2 branches will grow into colas and you still have the main stalk so that makes 3. Then if you do it again on the second node that makes 5 colas. After that, if you pinch the top or top it right after the 3rd node then you get 6-8 main colas. Removing the leaves causes the plant to grow slower and keep the original lower nodes closer together all within an inch of vertical growth ensuring even growth of all the main colas. My veg takes about 5 weeks now using this technique instead of 3, but whats the difference when flowering takes 7-8 weeks anyway? This is perfect for SOG

Off topic - that is not my method. Their is a big difference between a main cola and plain ole bud production.

A "leaf stem" is properly called a petiole.

UB

 

[prosperian]

¿Qué pasa UB? My first topping attempt... Going into flower pretty soon and wanted to show my topped Blue OG before (1 gal) and after shots (5 gal). I'm seeing some fan leaf yellowing down below where my light penetration is weakest. Bought a couple 24" fluorescents this morning to place down there. They get straight water and hot soil.

This week I replaced the 400w HID with LED for high heat issues in the closet. My temp variance with this LED panel is just two or three degrees from lights on / off. How will this affect my grows? Temps with light on is 73-74 degrees.

 

[Uncle Ben]

¿Qué pasa UB? My first topping attempt... Going into flower pretty soon and wanted to show my topped Blue OG before (1 gal) and after shots (5 gal). I'm seeing some fan leaf yellowing down below where my light penetration is weakest. Bought a couple 24" fluorescents this morning to place down there. They get straight water and hot soil.

This week I replaced the 400w HID with LED for high heat issues in the closet. My temp variance with this LED panel is just two or three degrees from lights on / off. How will this affect my grows? Temps with light on is 73-74 degrees.

Nice job! Regarding the temp drop, discussed it to death including a post today. Please read my posts.

Like many I started in a closet and used side reflecting panels sandwiched on either side of the plants, front to back. I lined the door with shiny side foil out, closed the door most of the way and put a window fan on the floor at the opening so that cool air would go in at the bottom and hot air out at the top. Grew some awesome plants. In fact, I think my avatar was grown that way and that was with a 250 HPS from start to finish.

Humor me, don't screw up that foliage by switching to a bloom food! I know it's hard to fight the urge to merge (with The Herd) but if you must because the brainwashing is so deep, try one or two plants with a high or moderate N to K & P ratio food until harvest.

I cram my plants in together and rarely get any lower leaf yellowing. What's the food you're using, and please don't give me product names without any further info - give my NPK values and such.

Good luck,
UB

 

[NietzscheKeen]

¿Qué pasa UB? My first topping attempt... Going into flower pretty soon and wanted to show my topped Blue OG before (1 gal) and after shots (5 gal). I'm seeing some fan leaf yellowing down below where my light penetration is weakest. Bought a couple 24" fluorescents this morning to place down there. They get straight water and hot soil.

OMG That's awesome. Except for having laminate wood flooring and my light hanging from the clothes rod, your set up looks exactly like mine! LMAO. I think we even have the same light, lol. I was thinking of getting some fluorescents to supplement as well. Looking good Prosp!

(Couldn't get my photo to load for some reason)
https://www.rollitup.org/attachments/outdoor-growing/2603316d1365259596-first-grow-photos-thus-far-p1010525.jpg

 

[prosperian]

Nice job! Humor me, don't screw up that foliage by switching to a bloom food! I know it's hard to fight the urge to merge (with The Herd) but if you must because the brainwashing is so deep, try one or two plants with a high or moderate N to K & P ratio food until harvest. I cram my plants in together and rarely get any lower leaf yellowing. What's the food you're using, and please don't give me product names without any further info - give my NPK values and such.Good luck,UB

Thanks for the reply UB! You will be happy to read that I don't use bloom food. My first grow I used bottle nutes and my plants yellowed during flowering, so I added more bottled grow nutes to compensate. I believe that the plant should be green through harvest and no flushing is necessary.

This grow has zero bottled nutes, just a coco based potting soil made with... bat guano, earth worm castings, fish bone meal, feather meal, green sand, mycorrihzae, glacial rock dust, soybean meal, humic acid, and a couple other things. I cook it for a month before using and transplant from 1ga, 3gal, to 5gal for fresh soil.

I have Jack's Citrus FeED 20-10-20 sitting on the shelf if needed, but I will top dress with fresh cooked soil as I get further into flowering. There you go brother, been reading your post for a long time and I practice basic botany over ganja myth!

OMG That's awesome. Except for having laminate wood flooring and my light hanging from the clothes rod, your set up looks exactly like mine! LMAO. I think we even have the same light, lol. I was thinking of getting some fluorescents to supplement as well. Looking good Prosp!

Appreciate the feedback Nietzche. I think it's been a fun challenge to produce quality bud from my stealth closet. I enjoy reading your posts around the board.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Nice plan!

 

[lamopa]

I am sure this question may have already been asked, but I cannot read 481 pages - Yes I suck.

Can you top a rooted clone in the same manner and expect the same result?

Edit - Answer found on page 480

Awesome!! Shows me JC is a serious dude who doesn't half-ass!!

 

[Situation420]

You need to rethink your definition of main colas. Tops and colas kiddies....

No they all are as big as each other, therefore they are each main colas and start at the base of the plant about 3-4 inches from the soil line. The size of them is the same as if I let a single cola main stem grow to the same height, instead I get 6-8 per plant rather than 4-6

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

No they all are as big as each other, therefore they are each main colas and start at the base of the plant about 3-4 inches from the soil line. The size of them is the same as if I let a single cola main stem grow to the same height, instead I get 6-8 per plant rather than 4-6

Please share some pictures of your plants with 6-8 "colas"...

 

[Uncle Ben]

Please share some pictures of your plants with 6-8 "colas"...

He reminds me of this auctioneer. Exuberance will get you in deep doo doo!

[video=vimeo;62996707]http://vimeo.com/62996707[/video]

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

He reminds me of this auctioneer. Exuberance will get you in deep doo doo!

[video=vimeo;62996707]http://vimeo.com/62996707[/video]

Ya, the harder he tries the deeper the hole gets!