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

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Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben

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If the auto's go into alternate phytolaxxy, no, that is not what we're trying to accomplish here. They must be in opposing phytolaxxy mode.
 
hemphopper

hemphopper

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Sorry to jump in but just want to say that the topping technique upon which this forum is based works as we all know. I'm including a pic of 3 AK48's after 7 weeks of flowering. " Sea of bush" pretty much describes things. Next time I'll do only 2 plants. Best purchase for me has been a moisture meter - helps me avoid over watering and it was about 10 bucks. Roots Organic soil works good for me and the General Organics fertilizers, new for me with this grow seem very good. I'm noticing that the fan leaves are not dropping off so I'm getting the benefit of their stored carbs I believe. nov252 .jpg
 
papajohn

papajohn

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JimmyIndica

JimmyIndica

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Uncle Ben said:
That's about the <cough>, size of it LOL.

Hmmmmmm, for some reason you're not understanding how the plant responds. I'll try again. Being that there are two leafsets at each node during veg, and there are dormant foliar buds in the axils of where the petiole attaches to the "trunk", then each node = 2 foliar outputs WHEN THE AUXINS ARE TRICKED INTO BEING REDISTRIBUTED TO THOSE SITES. :D IOW, when you cut above the 2nd node, you'll get 4 outputs - 2 from the first node and 2 from the second. It's when you get above 3 or 4 that it becomes iffy regarding the outcome. You'll find the typical forum advice for topping is around the 7th node. Why, I don't know.

Has been for me. I've done it on pure sativas like zamal (see photo) to indica-dom hybrids like Peak 19. This brings up a good point - I only concentrate on pure sativas or those with long internodes, using it as training tool to shorten plant height. A plant with multiple colas will be shorter than one with only 1 main cola.

UB
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I like the way your plants frame looks! Every plant I grow I shoot to make it look that way also! I find it gets maximum yield for most varieties!
 
Mt Doo

Mt Doo

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Hey I'm about to switch my grow up and I'm wondering would anyone recommend this topping technique for a 5x5 area or a 4x8 area? I'm growing big plants and I was wondering what would fit the space better.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Rollitup mobile app
 
FRANMACHINE

FRANMACHINE

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Uncle Ben said:
Howdy!

Based on quite a few questions about topping I've received here: https://www.rollitup.org/general-marijuana-growing/13820-fimming-topping-101-a-12.html I decided to reproduce a thread on my favorite topping method published at cann.com about 10 years ago. Even though I've got much better photos from many latter grows both indoor and outdoor, I'm gonna stick with the old photos from the original thread. Lighting is HPS from start to finish with the exception of using 4' long shop fluors from germ until about 2 weeks. Some pix were taken outdoors for better resolution thanks to an old camcorder I was using.
Selecting the point for topping to get 4 main colas -

To get 4 main colas, let your seedling or cutting (clone) grow to about 5-6 nodes and pinch out (cut) the stem just above the 2nd true node. The node where the cotyledons attach doesn't count. 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:



Here's a photo of the same plant about 8 weeks into flowering. The plant is about 42" tall, has 4 main colas with an abundance of large, healthy fan leaves.



This is an indoor shot just prior to harvest showing the colas bulking up quite nicely. 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.



The plant after harvest showing the branching scaffold and dominant 4 main cola "trunks", opposing nodes one right above the other. Smaller secondary branches also provided good bud production. This plant yielded over 10 oz of cured bud.



~ Topping for 2 main colas ~

Pinch out the seedling above the 1st true node to get 2 main colas:





Any questions, fire away.

Happy gardening,
Uncle Ben
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My plant was sprouting it's 7th node. I had cut it on it's third. Was it the right thing to do? I felt like cutting it on the second node was too much cause the stem was too thick! Need your help uncle ben!
 
Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben

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FRANMACHINE said:
My plant was sprouting it's 7th node. I had cut it on it's third. Was it the right thing to do? I felt like cutting it on the second node was too much cause the stem was too thick! Need your help uncle ben!
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Go back to the first post. You need to read and understand the plant processes, the hormonal responses, then you'll have your answer.

"Hey Dad, how do you spell contradictory?"

"Look it up in the dictionary son."
 
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