Topping During 12/12 | Is It Detrimental or Beneficial? | DapperDan

DabberDan

Member
Hey, I was just looking for some input about whether or not topping during the 12/12 stage should be done. I've read such mixed messages about it sometimes being beneficial before 2 weeks and other people saying never stress your plants with defoliation during flowering. I've decided I'm skipping the veg stage and working purely on the 12/12 stage from seedling. Any opinions out there or experience with topping during flowering. I'm going to be using the SCROG method as well if that's any relevance.
 

thexwhorror

Well-Known Member
Not sure about the topping question itself, but why top if you're going straight 12/12 from seed? Just curious!
 

DabberDan

Member
@thexwhorror From what I understand, topping helps with making a more uniform canopy for scrogging. I'm working with a small closet that's long and tall but with a short 2' width. I'm using 600 watts of CFL's in 42w's and 68w bulbs in a linear pattern. So I would think having evenly scrogged plants in a trellis would help with cola production due to full exposure of all the nugs

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Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
Not a fan of topping in flower. Majority of training should have been done by then. Most you should do is a lollipop and tying down branches to finish out net. Super crop if it tickles your fancy. Just not after week 2.
 

DabberDan

Member
To me, supercropping has always looked daunting and I fear that bending so many branches would cause a growth stunt, which if I'm already in flowering, any time wasted not growing is bad news bears.

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DabberDan

Member
I've just liked topping because it's fast, you really only need to do it once, and it sends like there's less chance of stunting.

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Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
In my opinion topping is way more stressful on a plant than super cropping. Also have found some strains like being super cropped and so do not. Also super cropping in flower is useful if you have a cola that is way taller. Super crop it for an even canopy. You might even notice the colas u super crop end up being the biggest. I did. :)
 

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
Also you might look at it as wasted time. But when you super crop only the top of the cola stops growing. The plant sends out hormones that tells the side branches to become main tops. You will end up with more buds directly under light, instead of leaving those side branches to become fluff.
 
If your gonna top em in flower id say do it in the first week. The plant will keep growing outwards and upwards for the first 1-3weeks of flower and this is the time time allow it to be slightly stressed.

However topping can take upto 5 days to recover in my experience, and fimming is usually much faster at recovering.

So id fim and do it fast.

Allow 4 nodes of height before eiva tho. Not sure how solid this advice is just going off my own experience.

Good luck bud, keep us posted.
 

DabberDan

Member
So I just took a dab and I did some research on fimming, to be honest I kind of forgot about the existence of fimming after all the new research I've been doing lately. But i think fimming might be the route I'll take @MisterMaster because as I've read, fimming is by far less stressful and acheives the what I am trying to do. Thanks for your input, helped me a lot in the decision making process!
 

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
We might not be able to see the stress, but I believe there is some. Also take in context what stress means in this situation. The outcome of the stress may be positive, but the plant is stressed for the first cpl days. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" mentality. I will find some scientific facts to prove one of us right. Just want the correct information!
 
The signs of stress when topping to me are the slowed growth. I use a very sketchy set up and my plants generally go through alot of stress.

In my experience topping will take 3-5 days before i c any new growth, fimming i usually see within 24-48hours!

I guess if some of you guys are running constant optimal conditions the slow in growth will be less. But i find in order to run at optimum u have to have worked with the same strain a few times they are all unique afta all :)
 

DabberDan

Member
@MisterMaster I think I am going to go with the Fimming idea as it does sound like a lot of people get better results and the stress is much less if not non-existent.
@kiwipaulie I would do it in veg but I'm going the route of a perpetual harvest every 2 - 3 weeks but with my tent size(small closet) I can only have about 2 mid - large size plants and 3 smaller plants but to achieve my time I need I'm skipping right into 12/12 cycle since I already want shorter growth with more tops then a tall height.
 

Greenhouse;save

Well-Known Member
Sounds like a plan hope it works out for u but as far as I'm concerned I've topped all ten plants I have at the moment and tbh I seen very little stress if any at all the new shoots on most of the plants were fighting for light the next day''''''
 
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