Pinching top of buds (Backbuilding) technique

[Chief Chieferton]

Luckily every grower is different just like every strain and grow is different. We all have our own way of creating delicious bud. Sometimes I do sometimes I don't pinch. Usually the sativa will catch a good pinching lol. Every time the plant is damaged it rushes nutes. to that area to heal itself. Just like topping and cropping you are forcing stimulated growth. It works when done correctly and at the right time.

 

[Xs121]

Just like topping and cropping you are forcing stimulated growth.

This is the part where we have to disagree. IMO, regardless of strain or plants. Any plant exhibit basic growth structure, the growth structure of vegetative meristem is totally different from the growth structure of inflorescence meristem and flowering meristem. So what you do during the vegetative stage has a different impact if you do the same thing during the reproductive stage. The two stages have different chemical signalling at play.

But as you say...luckily every grower is different.

 

[Chief Chieferton]

This is the part where we have to disagree. IMO, regardless of strain or plants. Any plant exhibit basic growth structure, the growth structure of vegetative meristem is totally different from the growth structure of inflorescence meristem and flowering meristem. So what you do during the vegetative stage has a different impact if you do the same thing during the reproductive stage. The two stages have different chemical signalling at play.

But as you say...luckily every grower is different.

Obviously trying to throw people off the scent so they don't discover the wizardry I've been using to grow dense sativa buds. Mwahahahahaaaa.... first 3-4 weeks of flower is veggie. Timing

 

[Dr. Who]

Anecdotal science like this is why the agriculture and horticulture industry don't take cannabis growers seriously. What you're doing is killing the bud and making it die/sort of ripen early. This might induce a slight swell from where it was before you pinched it...but this is at the cost of trichome, terpine, and resin development. Topping and pinching (or super cropping) your main colas when you're still in veg before buds develop can increase yield. Pruning out small lower buds can increase the yield of top colas. Pinching your main buds in flower? You are just stopping production of what's going on inside the plant, maybe the outside looks like it swells to you, but I can promise you, with all assurance, that you are not increasing yield or potency by doing this.

I 100% respect the spirit of what you're doing, experimenting and hunger for trying new things is the funnest part of growing. I've tried everything under the sun myself! But this technique is not what you think it is.

100% correct! Well said! This method is bunk... Thing is, most who do such things, "see what they want to see." You know, The world though rose colored glasses thing....

@Flowki

So he posts pics of plants that are defoliated to hell and pinched buds........ The plants are showing def's and other problems too. Yeah, he's a long time grower alright.

Your pics did all the talking for you Dutchieman.....

 

[Dr. Who]

i don't think it works, but even if it does, wheres the benefit? you get a short fat bud instead of a long fat bud? the plant has a certain potential within it, the best we can do is bring as much of that potential to light as we're able. i don't think this is the way to achieve that.
this thread started in may, and not one person espousing this technique has posted a picture of their pinched buds while growing, getting insanely fat....show me the big fat buds that make this worthwhile. i see people saying that those who don't like this idea have never tried it....as far as i can see, no one in this entire thread has ever tried it...show me some proof and i'll rethink my position.....keep telling me the goose lays golden eggs, and i'll keep considering this the fairy tale that it is

Growing for potentials......BINGO that!

 

[DBOE1979]

So I pinched the top of one of the colas that my plant has begun making in hope that it could add some weight/size to that bud. And also as an experiment to see if that cola does indeed get bigger or smaller as a result. So I did it yesterday and now where I pinched the top of the bud off it is starting to turn brown. is this normal as it recovers or might I have caused a problem. I can upload pics if needed but it pretty much just looks like the areas which were previously inside the bud and are now exposed to the air are drying out and turning brown. Anyone ever done this before, thanks!

It’ll work! only do it every 2 weeks and stop 2 weeks before harvest just take alittle off the top do it wrong and your fkd lol do it right and your happy

 

[Lucky Luke]

It’ll work! only do it every 2 weeks and stop 2 weeks before harvest just take alittle off the top do it wrong and your fkd lol do it right and your happy

If ur going to bump a controversial thead from donkey's years ago then some proof is warranted. ...

 

[Kingrow1]

Backbuilding - Who makes up these stupid names...!

 

[Rasta Roy]

It’ll work! only do it every 2 weeks and stop 2 weeks before harvest just take alittle off the top do it wrong and your fkd lol do it right and your happy

This is terrible advice. Do not do this. After your second week of flower you shouldn't be doing anything but watering and providing support for heavy branches. You are stalling the production of your plant.

 

[DBOE1979]

This is terrible advice. Do not do this. After your second week of flower you shouldn't be doing anything but watering and providing support for heavy branches. You are stalling the production of your plant.

Well it still works! And it’s not advice it’s facts

 

[Chip Green]

Codswallop

 

[Craigson]

Well it still works! And it’s not advice it’s facts

No, you think it wrks because thats what you want to see.

 

[xtsho]

Well it still works! And it’s not advice it’s facts

No it doesn't. The only fact is that you're free to chop up your plants anyway you want.

 

[Rasta Roy]

Well it still works! And it’s not advice it’s facts

So for multiple grows you've got a fertigation report, climate report, a brix report, wet yield of entire plant, dry yield of finished product, byproduct, and leaf waste? You have those data sets monitored and compared for at least four grow cycles and can confirm these facts?

Or are you just spouting anecdotal home grower evidence my friend?

 

[Rasta Roy]

No, you think it wrks because thats what you want to see.

^^^^ you're searching for what you want, not what you're actually getting.

 

[DBOE1979]

So for multiple grows you've got a fertigation report, climate report, a brix report, wet yield of entire plant, dry yield of finished product, byproduct, and leaf waste? You have those data sets monitored and compared for at least four grow cycles and can confirm these facts?

Or are you just spouting anecdotal home grower evidence my friend?

Just because a person doesn’t take pics don’t mean it’s not true goodness! Don’t believe it who cares ‍ But your interested in it so try it instead of talking trash. You can’t afford to try it on one plant master grower lmao

 

[DBOE1979]

No, you think it wrks because thats what you want to see.

If I said I had a dick would you ask for pics or believe me weirdo smh

 

[DBOE1979]

No it doesn't. The only fact is that you're free to chop up your plants anyway you want.

You wanna try it so bad lmao

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

You wanna try it so bad lmao

no one wants to try this, it's stupid and counter productive. we're all trying to get you to pull your head out of your ass and clean the shit out of your eyes...
at best, you're redistributing growth, not causing any new growth, and more likely, you're stunting new growth and costing yourself yield....
botany isn't bro science, it's real, provable, documented results...and botany says that it doesn't work that way, and never will

 

[Rasta Roy]

Just because a person doesn’t take pics don’t mean it’s not true goodness! Don’t believe it who cares ‍ But your interested in it so try it instead of talking trash. You can’t afford to try it on one plant master grower lmao

I wouldn't trust your pics either. I would trust data because then it would be science. Because there is no science or reliable data currently available to support your claim. Because it's simply not true. You are hurting your plant and claiming it is giving the result you want without bothering to see if it actually is.

Technically my friend, my official job title is Commercial Indoor Agriculture Specialist. And you can't just try it on one plant because then you're not going to have sufficient data to support or refute your claim.

I work with plant pathologists my friend. We don't even prune leaves off after a few weeks in flower because it creates entry points for mold and disease; and slows resin production ruining the quality of product we are delivering to our patients. This is just another anecdotal growing technique that gets passed around message boards but is never used by any actual pros. You haven't stumbled upon some technique none of us have heard of. We all tried a lot of ignorant shit before we actually started documenting our data and using it to improve what we were doing.