The Art of Tipping

I would like some veteran feedback on the tipping technique, a friend showed me this and I've been doing it to my plant its entire life, the plant is very happy and healthy and tipping allows my CFLs to get closer so its pretty much routine now. Question is has anyone had bad reactions from this? Is there a point in which you really shouldn't do this? Anyone know the direct benefits? Any info would be much appreciated. Thanks

My definition of Tipping- Using Sharp scissors to clip about quarter to half inch off of mainly fan leaves.

do you mean topping? or are you actually talking about cutting the fan leaves in half but still leaving them on the plant?

there really are no benefits to this other than opening up your leaves to potential infection. (if i am understanding you correctly that is)

Def not topping, I mean clipping a half an inch or less from the tips of leaves.

I understand it is good for clones, for growing plants, like above said, it could cause infection.

what purpose do you believe this serves?

i woud not do this "tipping" as you call it. think of those fan leaves as the power plants for your plants. full leaves = high efficiency and the power plant is producing at full capacity.

but say you launch a missile into one corner of the power plant, and now it can only make 75% of the energy it made before because the factory has been destroyed.

cut leaves = less efficiency and producing at less than 100% capacity.

get the analogy? now please for the sake of your plants please stop "tipping"

Why would you do that to your beautiful ladies

I wouldn't do it. I don't understand why people keep wanting to cut parts off their plants. Can't you just move leaves/branches around if you're worried about light? To me, that's a much better way to go, but they're your plants so have at 'em edward scissorhands.

what everybody else said

A theory exists that it forces the plant to develop more root systems which is why some people think it's good for cloning. I put my clippings right into soil and they grow. No cloning machine, no cloning solution and I don't cut the leaves. My friends who use cloning machines and fancy techniques get no added benefit over this except for about 2 weeks jump on the veg time for the plant plant.

If I want to be fancy I let them sit in solo cups in a 10gal fish tank with .5" of water in the bottom for a week but then your grandma used to do it by just sticking a clip into a glass of water and putting it on the kitchen window sill.

The person who showed me this is heavily experienced and has grown some mind blowing weed which is why I started doing it anyway, I haven't seen any negative affects and my plant is not complaining. I guess I have to research infection though because I didn't think of that.

You will find alot of debates here stem from 'potential' and it's loss. This is one of those examples. I know heavily experienced guys that don't know what LSTing is or a bunch of the other very common terms found here. There is also the fact that older and or experienced growers get set in their ways. What you can't argue with is how photosynthesis works. May as well keep reducing that process right? Thus limiting or slowing down your potential. If I were you, (because I would do that myself) I would grow two plants the exact same and cut one's leaves all in half like you are doing and the other leave alone. I think you will find the one you left alone to grow faster at the least. Just my opinion. Good Luck and Happy Growing!

It's whatever works for you!

^^ both of you are awesome. yes it is whatever works for you, but why risk it?

and Dr.pot you should try the side by side that kinetic recommended, i bet you will see a noticeable difference

Dr.Pot said:

The person who showed me this is heavily experienced and has grown some mind blowing weed which is why I started doing it anyway, I haven't seen any negative affects and my plant is not complaining. I guess I have to research infection though because I didn't think of that.

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i bet that mind blowing weed they grew could have been a lot better had they not "tipped" their plant

makes absolutely no sense!!!

All very good points, I'm not saying cut the leaf in half though that would be ridiculous, I'm talking about a quarter of an inch, that little tip . According to him that part of the leaf does nothing so the plant not only doesn't miss it but actually is happy that It's gone. No facts to back it up but its something he picked up and "saw a results" with so he does this routinely. I do always sterilize the scissors first and for some reason feel very comfortable doing it and I don't touch a plant unless I have to like bending leaves so light can get to bud sites or taking dead yellow leaves off the bottom that's it, I'm not one of those people that's handsy with them now I'm stoned babbling lol

Tipping is a city in China

Dr.Pot said:

All very good points, I'm not saying cut the leaf in half though that would be ridiculous, I'm talking about a quarter of an inch, that little tip . According to him that part of the leaf does nothing so the plant not only doesn't miss it but actually is happy that It's gone. No facts to back it up but its something he picked up and "saw a results" with so he does this routinely. I do always sterilize the scissors first and for some reason feel very comfortable doing it and I don't touch a plant unless I have to like bending leaves so light can get to bud sites or taking dead yellow leaves off the bottom that's it, I'm not one of those people that's handsy with them now I'm stoned babbling lol

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Cutting the tips I guess will emphasize the growing of roots. It will also make the plant more compact. Forcing more energy towards new growth. More roots = more nutrient uptake and an increased growth rate.

The only way to truly know is I guess to take 4 clones of a mother plant. 2 cut the tips and the other 2 leave them. Feed exactly the same and then compare results.

I was thinking along this line of thought. If you tip, and it does enhance root development, then there may b a point when having a larger root system leads to faster growth and plant size. And would b beneficial. But if you tip too much, then the decreased photosynthesisight negate the effects of a larger root system. In nature, plants are made to survive bug and animals eating the leaves, so cutting off a lithle here and there ahouldnt hurt.., but hard to say it makes em better w/o a side by side. Good luck, they say whatever dont kill you makes you stronger right? oh but they also say if you love something set it free. My angle is to leave the leaves alone. I top/ fim. to get the shape i want. then trim/tip any burnt tips if I toasted em and I feed em mycos, great white teas w molasses to get a bigger root system in coco.

I think the guys just growing good smoke anyway and this tipping thing isn't a factor in his final results. Kinda like I give my plants an ice-water flushing before the chop. Does it really do any good? Who knows, but I DO know that I always get a final product of dripping dankness so I keep doing what "works"