Cutting back mothers...

glann

Well-Known Member
I have 4 mothers that I have let get way bigger than I want. two are bonsai two are just straight growers. I thought about the next time i go to clone to just kinda cut them down to the height i want. They are all around 3.5-4 ft tall at the moment, and i would cut them down to around 2-2.5 ft.

Would this cause too much stress/possibly herm them?
 

Guile

Active Member
I have 4 mothers that I have let get way bigger than I want. two are bonsai two are just straight growers. I thought about the next time i go to clone to just kinda cut them down to the height i want. They are all around 3.5-4 ft tall at the moment, and i would cut them down to around 2-2.5 ft.

Would this cause too much stress/possibly herm them?
If you are not otherwise stressing your plants it realy shouldn't be an issue.. I have personally cut all but the lower branches from a fully ripe/mature flowering plant before placing it back under 24/0 light and subsequently turned it into a mother plant with on ill affect (neither it, or the clones hermied)
 

Afka

Active Member
Don't take off more than 1/3 to 1/4 per time, then let em a few days to recover.

You'll get lanky, stretchy, weak growth, susceptible to pests and diseases if you cut off too much. New growth will be too fast/succulent.
 

Wetdog

Well-Known Member
3.5-4' tall is not a bonsai. LOL

Do like Afka says AFA the 1/3 to 1/4 at the time, but you'll need to keep working your way down to get to the height you want.

My current moms are over a year in 1 gal pots and well under 2' tall. LST/Bonsai and *haircuts* every few weeks to a month keep them that size. I would say I toss 4x as many cuts due to maintenance as what I actually use for clones.

Wet
 

hoagtech

Well-Known Member
Hell ya you can chop it. I took my tomato plants down to 1/4" of the plant size, meaning I removed most of the plant. They loved it! they were growing like crazy after that. fuck that 1/3 rule. that doesnt sound like advice coming from a grower, more of an observer if im right.

Didnt you hear? girls like it rough?
 
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