Topping During Pre-Flower?? Plants too tall, any advice? (pictures included)

[Greenhousegrower]

Hi everyone, I'm growing in a greenhouse and my girls are getting pretty tall. They're about 6 inches from hitting the roof and at this rate, with at least 8 more weeks to go, they're sure to hit it. They began to pre-flower about 2 weeks ago and have not developed much since. Is it a bad idea to top them at this stage? Keeping in mind I would have to top what looks like the sites that will be top colas.
Will the plant develop new cola sites or am I reducing bud potential?
Either way, something has to be done before they hit the roof, and I cant move them outside, too visible. Any Ideas? Do you think even if I top them they're definitely going to hit the roof anyway? I don't know what to do, Help!!! lol
Thanks!
I'll post a couple pictures so its clear what I'm dealing with!

 

[MR M3RKLEZz]

we had i guy on here the other day wiv the same problem.
u left it to late to top them now even though u could still do it.
it wouldnt help much the best thing id say like i said to the other guy is take the roof of your green house lol.

 

[XxNinjaxX]

G'day GHG, Nice Plants.
Try using a product called Rock Juice, or Hulk. They stop your plant from growing in height and concentrate on making strong flowering sites and bushing the plant up.
If they are earlier than 2 weeks in flower, then topping will not hurt it, but it depends on how much u are going to cut off.
If it is beyond 2 weeks in2 flower, then i wouldnt worry too much as they r as tall as they r guna get.
Alternatively try some late stages LST.
Hope This Helps

 

[nellyatcha]

Hi everyone, I'm growing in a greenhouse and my girls are getting pretty tall. They're about 6 inches from hitting the roof and at this rate, with at least 8 more weeks to go, they're sure to hit it. They began to pre-flower about 2 weeks ago and have not developed much since. Is it a bad idea to top them at this stage? Keeping in mind I would have to top what looks like the sites that will be top colas.
Will the plant develop new cola sites or am I reducing bud potential?
Either way, something has to be done before they hit the roof, and I cant move them outside, too visible. Any Ideas? Do you think even if I top them they're definitely going to hit the roof anyway? I don't know what to do, Help!!! lol
Thanks!
I'll post a couple pictures so its clear what I'm dealing with!

your going to promote bottom growth if you top her and it will be shocked for a few days but you are good to go i wouldnt top her myself if your already flowering, but its your plant

 

[XxNinjaxX]

Yeah Man, as Nellyatcha said, it will stress her, and personally i always try to avoid stress during flowering. It causes ya bitches to Pod up! No1 wants that..

 

[Greenhousegrower]

Thanks for your help guys, dunno what I'd do without all the helpful fellow growers on this site! Think I'll top just above the very top node to minimise damage to potential bud sites almost like a small FIM. And I'll definitely look into getting that product that reduces upward growth.

One more question I forgot to ask: Does a plant generally stop growing in height once flowering begins? or does it continue grow up as well as growing buds?
Thanks

 

[Greenhousegrower]

Shit, whats Pod up mean? this is my first grow, not so down with the lingo!

 

[XxNinjaxX]

One more question I forgot to ask: Does a plant generally stop growing in height once flowering begins? or does it continue grow up as well as growing buds?
Thanks

A plant will grow massive leaps when you 1st turn it to flower. It can often double to triple in size.
Im not 100% sure as to y, i dont know the science of it that well, i just think it has something to do with the estrogen levels in the plant.
After the 1st 2 weeks of flower tho, all new growth pretty much stops and buds r the concentration of the plant.
Hope this helps - XxNinjaxX -

 

[XxNinjaxX]

Shit, whats Pod up mean? this is my first grow, not so down with the lingo!

"Pod Up" Refers to when a female plant that is budding produce the male flower aswell. The Pollen Sack..
If u stress a female (often with light leaks or interruptions and the such), then this is often the result.
I.e u get a plant that pollenates itself and ruins ur beautiful buds

 

[Cola.collector]

You have enough room to tie them over some. Using supports, and anchor-tying them to the walls, and/or floor, and/or pots.....you should have no losses, and may even increase your yield a bit.

 

[KnowledgeQuick]

I would try to tie her down to the sides to prevent them from hitting the top. Very easy to do and has worked well for me. I also read on here somewhere that growth stops after the first two weeks of flowering, so if thats true u should be alright.

 

[nohopeIn]

holy shit man. how many plants are there? its a jungle in there. tie the branches down with string or wire. take your time and put them at a 45 or 60 degree angle. i would lower the lights after, to the point they are now. your lower bud sites will thank you. you may wanna get some side lighting to maximize their potential.

 

[Greenhousegrower]

No lights dude! Just the big light in the sky! So, just gona tie em down! thanks for the advice. Hope it works, you done it before?

 

[gman101]

Bro, no expert here at all but a seasoned grower. You actually have a perfect situation to train your plants to the sides... When I look at your pics I visualize some support lines running along the bottom of the joists and perpendicular to them, maybe every 12" or so. This can be anything, string, wire, heavy fishing line etc. This will create a "grid" if you will to use to support your plant tops as you train them more toward the horizontal. You can use string, but I like to use nursery tape (the green plastic stuff), and nursery wire ties (which are like wire twist ties but longer and with thick plastic coating to prevent damage). Just my $.02

By training them, you eliminate the late topping, and it also promotes additional bud growth. And yes, I have done something similar but certainly not on the scale you have there... Nice grow!

 

[MagicA]

Awesome plants man and gman101 has given you some great advice too. If you want more info on it do a search here for LST and you can read up a lot more about tying plants down etc.

Again.. wow plants!

 

[MOBee]

To avoid this. dont use any speed grow product like (superthrive and stuff like this) more then once a week during the first month then stop using those till harvest

 

[MOBee]

also always keep your light at a range of 1 to 2 feet max of your plant otherwise they will stretch too much and thats what usualy happen! Tall plant without garniture ;

 

[mikegolfer]

LST the main cola with dental floss, it will turn back up reaching for the light and other nodes will explode. Then LST them....etc. etc. until chop. Improve yield most definately.

 

[Greenhousegrower]

Wow thanks everyone, i'm definitely going to go with this LST idea. I've had such good feedback on these three plants too! Can't believe it! It's my first grow, started as a half ass experiment, and the craziest part is I'm growing in Ireland! Didn't think it would work here at all! No lights by the way, various people keep tellin me to lower the lights to stop stretchin, unless anyone has any tips on pulling the sun a bit closer to the Emerald Isle, I think it's not gona happen!

 

[dababydroman]

yea just move the sun and youll be straight