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

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Uncle Ben said:
Not good. Sounds like a cultural problem which needs to be addressed before you start thinking about topping or other training methods. Having abundant foliage is what it's all about.
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Well, I had a problem with PH initially, so after transplanting, I tested the soil PH and my waters PH and it is now doing well. No leaves are dying now, all new growth is lush green. But, where the original leaves were (the first few nodes I'd say) are these small leaves. Take a look at the thread I posted previously for pics. It has been doing good for two weeks now, but it is starting to get too tall. I'd like to top now in order to get more main colas and then begin the flowering once it has recovered (after the new offshoots/growth have significant foliage and such.)
 
Why not hedge your bets and bend it over LST style as low as possible to see if you can get those low node secondaries to pop into action..
 
More leaves means more growth all around so long as your roots can support it all.. Earlier when I said I'd chop that pH troubled plant and let the secondaries take over, I didn't mention that it would be turning back the clock for the sake of a fresh start with new lush foliage (pretty much revegging).. Once flowering begins though, the clock can't be tinkered with, so you let them keep any foliage you possibly can because they are on a 'deadline'..
Personally I'd only bother nursing a plant to sustain genetics if it came down to it.. I prefered small plants, so I always took far more clones than I needed, and vegged out more than I needed, selected for best roots popping, and culled what I couldn't flower.. Squeaky wheels got no grease in my grow room..
 
I've used this topping technique on a young seedling 2 weeks ago, and the two branches at the second node have been growing really well. The problem is internode spacing is incredibly short. It's a new set of leaves basically on top of the old set each time. The leaves from the two branches are pushing right up against each other and the plant isn't really growing taller. Leaves are fine and healthy (with very minor burn on the edges). Is this a problem that will sort itself out? I could try bending out the branches at the 2nd node but they are very short, and it would probably require removing a small set of leaves to do so.
 
Uncle Ben said:
If it's a healthy leafset, leave it be. If you have to ask "why", then I must refer you to Botany 101.
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The reason I do it is because the amount of bud that forms at the bottom of the plant is so minimal that it doesn't benefit me. The concern i have is the extra foilage limits the light penetration and I need that maximized considering I have four plants in a sqft (sog). If the plant doesn't have the lower leaf sets then it directs the nutrients up which produces bigger colas too, correct?
 
hfig said:
I've used this topping technique on a young seedling 2 weeks ago, and the two branches at the second node have been growing really well. The problem is internode spacing is incredibly short. It's a new set of leaves basically on top of the old set each time. The leaves from the two branches are pushing right up against each other and the plant isn't really growing taller. Leaves are fine and healthy (with very minor burn on the edges). Is this a problem that will sort itself out? I could try bending out the branches at the 2nd node but they are very short, and it would probably require removing a small set of leaves to do so.
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Hfig how old was your seedlings before you toped them?
 
i topped all my pplants exept one, well that one yielded 20g more than the rest,
trust me dont top
 
hfig said:
I've used this topping technique on a young seedling 2 weeks ago, and the two branches at the second node have been growing really well. The problem is internode spacing is incredibly short.
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Trust me, you're blessed.
 
"What is "lollypopping'? Some kind of new French dessert, or a kewl sex toy? :D"

"lollypopped" cutting the dead, dying, crispy, otherwise useless, yellow leaves off from the bottom half of the plant.


I hope that I didnt make it up.

lol
 
bob+marley said:
"What is "lollypopping'? Some kind of new French dessert, or a kewl sex toy? :D"

"lollypopped" cutting the dead, dying, crispy, otherwise useless, yellow leaves off from the bottom half of the plant.


I hope that I didnt make it up.

lol
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Lollipoppin is more, as I understand it, like this, or at least done like this. Rooted clones are placed directly in flower. After a week you chop off the lower third of the plant, whether its dead or healthy. You do this once more in the third week. This is done to promote growth at the top of the plant and create the one fat bud. Keeps the lower branches from branching out to get light, which results in reducing light penetration to the other plants. This is important in SOG growing primarily I believe because plants are packed tight. For example, 4 plants per sqft.
 
Question. Is the topping technique essentially what someone that is trying to veg for a SCROG setup do to make the plant ideal when its time to transfer? Or is it a different process?
 
livesoul said:
Question. Is the topping technique essentially what someone that is trying to veg for a SCROG setup do to make the plant ideal when its time to transfer? Or is it a different process?
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From UB's first post in this thread:

Uncle Ben said:
The result will be a redistribution of the auxins and other hormones that normally collect in the tissue of the terminal leader's tip. These ho moans will be redistributed to dormant buds that reside in the nodal axis where the leaf petiole attaches to the "trunk", below the cut. The new foliar output response will be quick (within 24 hrs., see photo below) if you have a healthy growing seedling and will be your future main colas - 4 instead of the usual 1

[IMAGE]

Notice how the weight of the heavy colas is naturally pulling them apart, which opens the plant up so that light can penetrate the interior of the canopy. This is the same principle used by fruit orchard managers who create an open vase profile for their trees in order to increase production. This profile also has a side benefit of providing good interior air movement which reduces fungal/rot pressures.
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Well I thought I'd check back in as I topped according to Uncle Ben and I am still loving the results. Day 2 of flower on ak48s...I absolutely have 4 main shoots on all...and the plants are round, 1' tall bushes.
Not sure how big this strain gets in flower but am very much looking forward to 4 colas that are all hefty.
 
???? when you top i have heard you should be in veg. can you do this in flower?? also lets say you top in veg and the new growth is just starting can you throw it in flower then???
 
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