topping a plant to get 4 colas?

just been reading about topping a plant to get 4 colas, and i fancy a try myself, i just need to know if it would make the plant grow taller than usual?

Actually it will grow shorter. Instead of all energy going to one cola (up!), it's divided by 4 colas. The 4 colas will get equal light (ideally) and grow bigger increasing yield. Good stuff, good stuff...

I agree Potsticker. I topped all of my first grow this year. I'm doing this next autoflower grow and not topping to see how they compare. I think with the autos it might be better or about the same but with full size plants there is no comparison; 4 beats 1 hands down.

can plants be topped only in veg?, because mine have just been put into flower 3 days ago and dont really want them stressed in anyway.

mr parky said:

can plants be topped only in veg?, because mine have just been put into flower 3 days ago and dont really want them stressed in anyway.

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technically you can top whenever, i like to do it in veg and let them veg for 2 weeks after i top then throw them in flower.

if i were you tho i would just leave it. top on the next one. just my opinion

Having topped dozens of plants using this method, I can tell you flat out that it does not stress the plant.

it works greta jsut do it. i keep some uncropped but there only one big cola. and youll get sad knowing u coulda had 4 of the same size

I suggest you take off the very first set of branches at the bottom. Then do a 4 top method.

does anyone else take off the bottom branches? id have thought it would make stress occurred by topping even worse.

I take off the the bottom because I noticed it is the lowest growing, and so by taking that off I found I get a better set of 4 tops.

mr parky said:

does anyone else take off the bottom branches? id have thought it would make stress occurred by topping even worse.

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after topping and removing bottom branches, you can't be left with much of a plant surely? when topping don't you take it right down to just above 2nd set of branches?

"
"No you just pinch off the top. the top 2 leaves. the newest growth.
This is a 4 headed plant topped at just the right time.

mr parky said:

does anyone else take off the bottom branches? id have thought it would make stress occurred by topping even worse.

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Taking off the bottem leaves just allows for more energy to go into the new growth. The lower leaves dont get much light anyway. Just remember when doing this, those plants shouldnt be weak. They can take alot more then you think.

Topping is cutting main stem, so that nodes along it can grow and get light? But would that section that was cut then die rot?

Are you speaking about the middle of the meristem or the branch as a whole? I have had 4 footers snap in half before, and the middle of the meristem was nothing but a hole. Maybe a 1/8 " down browned and rotted. Did not spread or anything.
If you top a plant before the Meristem gets to thick, it will just heal and brown up.

GoldenGanja13 said:

When the plant gets 6 nodes high I take off the bottom set, now it's 5 nodes high, then I take her down to 4 branches. Perfect every time.

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Hey Golden, got a Q. Do you work from seed or clone? For the life of me I can't seem to get the 4 cola method to work from clone. I do awesome from seed, but the offsetting branches of a clone have made my life difficult.

The problem with clones is that the branches, as you already know, grow offset. So their is only one branch to a node. If the nodes are extremely close it wouldn't be a problem, but mine never are. Then there is the problem of certain branches not growing as good as others. Some remain weak and are bad to use as colas. When this happens and you have to cut the branch, the node spaces between branches can grow to 4" plus. This makes it very difficult to have 4 huge colas.

I usually wind up getting 1 or 2 nice colas with 2 smaller side branches. This is killing me yield wise. I'm only getting 65 to 75% of what I should be getting from each plant and I'm getting somewhat disillusioned about growing from clone. I forgot to say that I use FF soil and nutes. I veg for 4 weeks in 1 gallon pots and move to 4 gallon when flowering.

If you do you clones do you have a certain method to use that I may try out? I guess it could be my genetics too but this happens with every strain I have grown so far. Maybe I haven't been lucky enough to get a good pheno with very close node spacing. I really don't know. Any advice from anyone familiar with this problem would be appreciated.

Golden, I noticed that my kushes did not seem to want to put out 4 main branches; I have two puny ones or one is missing altogether. I'm thinking that I should have cut those bottom ones like you said. Thanks for the tip; I'll do that next time.

Good Luck next time. Taking off the bottoms first will get you the results you want.

potpimp said:

Golden, I noticed that my kushes did not seem to want to put out 4 main branches; I have two puny ones or one is missing altogether. I'm thinking that I should have cut those bottom ones like you said. Thanks for the tip; I'll do that next time.

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i topped my og for four main colas, and it looks like i nailed it as i now have four main branches.. that is good to know about the alternating nodes of clones though as i took five clones of the og and will be flowering them as soon as they root and get maybe a week or so veg time.. i was just planing on sog'ing them though.. do you top when you do sog?, or is that basically a waste of time as they won't get that long of a veg time to recovery and all..