Difference Between Topping and F.I.M.ing

Ok. So I looked on the net extensively and after an hour pieced together what the heck the real difference was between topping and F.I.M.ing. If you are experienced with both techniques, this is for you, because I need your feedback on my explanation. If you need help in trying to understand the difference, and how to do each, this is for you as well, because I'm trying to elucidate the techniques for everyone.

So, here it is, my explanation of the difference.

Topping refers to the technique of cutting off a top portion of the plant (usually just the cut is between the very top node, and the second to top node), so that the nodes just under the cut you make become main branches and eventually colas. In this way you get two main colas instead of one. Although the colas will be smaller, the general consensus is that the amount of take-home weight after harvest will be bigger.
I have a before and after picture of a topping I did on one of my 25 day old white widows.

F.I.Ming *stands for fuck I missed*, is removing 80-90% of a new leaf set that is coming out of the main branch, just above the highest node. In other words, you're not cutting the branch, as in when you top; you are cutting the new leaf set coming out. F.I.M.ing can yield up to 8 new colas, because you are cutting the newest leaf set, and hence the newest (and fastest growing) cells nearby react by growing many different branches. It is an awesome thing if you get it right. Actually it's not too hard to do, just need a steady hand, and know where the heck to cut.

Here are the pics.. The topping pictures are self-explanatory and easy to see.. when I show the F.I.M.ed plant i'll try to explain a little more.

Before the topping on one of my white widows:



Immediately after the topping:




Ok now the F.I.M. The plant I chose to do this technique on had a new set of leaves that were coming out and still fairly small (about 1 cm in length). The set of leaves were going to become a set of 2, 5 leafed fan leaves. I made a HORIZONTAL cut 80% down from the tip of the new leaf set.
Here is the before picture of my 25 day white widow:



And here we see it after I make the cut. Notice I did NOT cut the branch, but the new growth that was going to become the next set of fan leaves. 80% of that growth was removed:



The red circle shows you the cut and the remaining part of the new growth.

Ok, comments from experienced growers are welcomed =)
Hope that clears things up for people.

Great post, extremely informative!

I did not know what FIM was an acronym for. (Assuming what you said is correct, lol. )

This post makes a lot of sense to me. I attempted my first top last month (on my first grow, therefore I DO NOT have steady hands, or the best eyes). Right away I said " F--- I missed!" Within a day I saw that I had chopped off an extra finger off each of the two nearby leaves and where I had cut I believe was a node that was a piece that was going to be a horizontal branch.

Anyways my result still came out near what I wanted. I have 4 main's and some sweet side branches! I have pictures of the whole process if need. Check out my log from the beginning if you'd like. Maybe I accidently documented a nice FIM.

Thanks for take the time to make this informational post!!!!!!

Bud

(Edit, I just looked and the plant in my log is BD02 I believe. )

FIM has been hit or miss so far, on one, the damn middle section your sposed to cut, kept growing as normal, but all the leaves had no tips, they just look like half blades. but the plant is doin good.

So yeah if I did that right, same plant.

Ok the reason fim does what it does is not because your cuttin the leaf sets its a misnomer, your cutting the tip top of the stem off, the reason it yeilds up to 8 or more colas is because when you fim your usually way above the 4th node. Go read uncle bens topping thread, i can get the same results as a fim from a simple top theres no such thing as fimming its been debunked as an internet forum buzz word for pinching or topping.

Kaptain Kron said:

Ok the reason fim does what it does is not because your cuttin the leaf sets its a misnomer, your cutting the tip top of the stem off, the reason it yeilds up to 8 or more colas is because when you fim your usually way above the 4th node. Go read uncle bens topping thread, i can get the same results as a fim from a simple top theres no such thing as fimming its been debunked as an internet forum buzz word for pinching or topping.

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=) Yah I see your point, brother. It is a diff kind of topping though because of the location. I mean clearly you're not cutting through the same amount of xylem and phloem that you would with 'regular' topping, so it is different in that sense. You are cutting through cells that are still parenchyma but not necessarily the ones that will develop into the same f1 generation cells. So I guess we're both right. I think FIMming has a diff result than other forms of topping. We shall see how it ends up for my plants. Until then, Cheers.

unohu69 said:

View attachment 1803195

View attachment 1803191FIM has been hit or miss so far, on one, the damn middle section your sposed to cut, kept growing as normal, but all the leaves had no tips, they just look like half blades. but the plant is doin good.

So yeah if I did that right, same plant.

Click to expand...

Nice, looks good to me.. Hope this post does some good in clearing up what the differences are.
Good luck to ye.

here is a result of one that has been fimmed in multiple places in flower 6 weeks!

So F.I.M.ing you are cutting leaves? Im just not sure what you mean, what are you suppose to do?

wiimb said:

here is a result of one that has been fimmed in multiple places in flower 6 weeks!

Click to expand...

Beautiful!

I FIMed a Skunk #1 in March when I put out my OD gals. I got so many side branches & all of them put out nice sized buds. I didn't get a central cola but I got what looks like CC's on the ends of the FIMed branches. I never got so much bud from a single plant before. I am gonna FIM all my OD gals now. I may FIM some ID this winter, but don't have that much room. FIMing ID requires some room for all the branches. I got a few 'end colas' that were 6 to 10" long & nice & fat.

I only FIMed 3 or 4 gals & got good results from them. Gonna FIM every lady nest spring, that fer sure!!

It's easy to FIM. Plus there is little or no stress like ya get from topping. Not a 'cut' [pun optional ] on topping, it works well. But the FIMed ladies grow faster [due to no or little shock & having to wait for recovery] & put out branches faster than topping. There is almost no waiting for the plant to recover from shock. This is the 1st year I have FIMed. I used to top & got good results. But for me FIMing is great!

What ever works for ya, that's the way to go! Diff strokes for diff folks!

Hope every one who did an OD garden is getting fat buds & sticky fingers! IDs as well.

mM