xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
yeah I’m thinking I’ll just give the LST a go it’s only my second grow so still got lots to learn
Topping vs tying down?
- Thread starter xX24nuggetsXx
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xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
Are you saying you do 12/12 from when the seed sprouts or?
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
yeah I haven’t grown any autos before as it’s only my second grow. Definitely something I might look into! Do you top as soon as you see the fourth node or wait for it to grow a little bit before hand?
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
Yeah there’s definitely not much difference! They are some of the nicest looking buds I’ve ever seen honestly nice grow
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
But would using LST mitigate that issue?
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Yeah that’s how it is with hydro. You can watch them grow.
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
yeah I’d definitely like to give hydro a go one day but it’s only my second grow so I thought I may aswell start slow
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
nice looking plant! So would you say that using LST makes it a bit harder to manipulate the plant the way you want it?
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
You’ll be glad you did. Learn about the plant in every way. Shit happens fast in hydro and it pays to know whether you’re looking at toxicity or deficiency.
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
yeah I ran into nitrogen toxicity and over watering on my first grow so definitely need to be up to scratch with it all!
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
I top 3 times in a row starting on the first node above the first full leaf set. 5 blades and the node above it gets it as soon as it can be pinched. Those branches are topped and so are the ones from that topping. Leaves 8 “main” branches.
I supercrop starting as soon as the first growing branches can be snapped. I can keep most strains in a wagon wheel shape and canopy chest high or less until flip. You can’t supercrop much after that second week of flower all bets are off on stretch after that. But it basically stays pretty much level given differences in strains.
I supercrop starting as soon as the first growing branches can be snapped. I can keep most strains in a wagon wheel shape and canopy chest high or less until flip. You can’t supercrop much after that second week of flower all bets are off on stretch after that. But it basically stays pretty much level given differences in strains.
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
Yeah true so you get pretty aggressive with it? Do you usually grow from seed or clones? Yeah I definitely need to work out ways to incense my final main tops! It’s definitely a fun thing to learn about
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
I get very aggressive. Freaks people out when they see one I just savaged. Really freaks them out the next day when branches are already rising right back up. Just go above where it was snapped and snap it again. You’ll learn a lot about their resilience. Incredible plant. Incredible.
xX24nuggetsXx
Active Member
itll be good once I know a bit and create a better routine not that a routine will always work with certain factors! How long have you been growing for?
calvin.m16
Well-Known Member
I mainline the plants and then top them heavily so I have lots of nice even tops to grow into my scrog net. Chopping off parts of the plant will obviously waste vertical growth progress temporarily but at a great reward.
Star Dog
Well-Known Member
Qwerty...
At this point I'd put the net/screen over them for the final setting then leave them to mature.
A few days later (1st pic) and a week later (bottom pic...
After you tie it it'll spread similar to topping, to manipulate the branches twist them back and forth gently to start with and gradually adding more pressure, this softens the stem so that you can place anywhere you want.
At this point I'd put the net/screen over them for the final setting then leave them to mature.
A few days later (1st pic) and a week later (bottom pic...
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LeastExpectedGrower
Well-Known Member
I'd top at least the main stem then tie the rest. I don't think it really slows them down and if you're looking to fill the tent, having a single main cola and a bunch of shorter ones won't do what you want; beyond it being a pain to deal with one cola that will be either way taller or just wonky and bent and extended out.
I've done the 'just tie down' gig and it wasn't really for me.
Here's a plant from a few grows ago, you can see that it has one big stem that's been trained down but still is taller than the others, etc.
Now here's one that's been topped (a few times) and also LST trained down:
Lower, more consistent spread and pretty even height. In this case, since i knew it would stretch (heavily sativa), instead of putting 4 plants in my tent, I've only done two and given them more room for spread and then stretch.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
A while. Starting mangling them in the 1960’s to keep rip-off’s from recognizing them. There was nobody growing indoors. It was all guerillla. Getting rid of that Christmas tree shape and keeping those big Mexican sativas from hitting 10’-14’ tall.
I love super cropping too, my plants have all kinds of weird knuckles on them.
using lst early Where you bend the plant into a U shape works great too, but I always end up having a harder time getting the branches arranged cleanly compared to topping.
This one I tied down early and then topped later and it’s come out way better than my other attempts.
this one was only topped, way easier to see the frame cuz Sativa.
basically it all works, I think it’s best to try everything out. Even if you don’t stick with it it’ll help you get a better understanding of things.
using lst early Where you bend the plant into a U shape works great too, but I always end up having a harder time getting the branches arranged cleanly compared to topping.
This one I tied down early and then topped later and it’s come out way better than my other attempts.
this one was only topped, way easier to see the frame cuz Sativa.
basically it all works, I think it’s best to try everything out. Even if you don’t stick with it it’ll help you get a better understanding of things.