How do I prune to increase production?

[Medical Marijuana]

I start by pruning a leaf from each node in a staircase pattern, as soon as the first 5 bladed leaf appears. This will stimulate lateral growth and open the plant to more light.

I top around the 4-5 node, using the FIM technique, leaving about 20% of the growth tip intact. Topping will create at least 2 new budding sites, and with proper use of the FIM technique I have had as many as 5, and have heard of as many as 8. Topping will allow bottom branches time to grow and catch up, making them closer to the lights.

With proper training and manipulation, you can get these giant plants to grow horizontal, effectivly reducing the overall height of your garden as much as 50%. This way you can lower the lights as close as possible to all budding sites. With many budding sites very close to the light, you will get a better yeild of grade "A" bud. As opposed to having smaller shaded buds trapped under an untrained canopy, which will never fully develop.

[Enigma14]

Any help would be appreciated.

I am planning on doing my first closet grow and the space is a little less than optimal (about 2'x2'x8') and was wondering if you might have any pruning tips on how to best use this space. I was thinking i could try to fill the whole space with one large plant, but have no idea how i should best accomplish this task. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

[Medical Marijuana]

Why don't you consider a 12/12 grow to maximise space usage. Boss has a wonderful grow that you could learn from. http://www.420magazine.com/forums/gr...mans-grow.html

[BlackThumb]

Hi again S.Moose, your just getting all tangled up in my first few posts here ain't ya.
I'm getting a little tied up in all these verbal descriptions of pruning, so ran in and snapped a photo of one of mine needing it. It's about 7 weeks but large internode spacing and I was wanting to maybe prune for lower tier growth and bush out a little.
I tried following the upload photo instructions and seem to have done all right as I can find and select my photo in my gallery, but must have brain farted somewhere by the time I got down to the "Inserting in Post" instructions as I have no 'BB Code' option. I got "Linked Thumbnail, "Linked Medium", "Medium Image", "HTML Code" and " "Direct Link", so I did not click on any to post this. Can you go to gallery and look at the uploaded photo to view this and then render comments on what part I cut for this additional growth desired? It's the only photo in there so no hunting. I'm just not sure I follow you when you say you cut the leaf in an upward spiral fashion as to whether I cut the little tip in between the minor branches, or the actual branch w/leaf. I hope this is not a great pain for you and understand if it is, just blow it off. Thanks Bud. (Maybe I'll click the "insert image" button on reply box after all, just to see what happens)

[HeadMed]

+ reps dude! I've always wanted to know for sure... If you asked me to describe a node I couldn't. When reading about FIM I've always thought they were referring to here (red circle). But never been sure, hence, I don't do it.

[Medical Marijuana]

Yes! Same with the very top.

[BlackThumb]

Roger that HeadMed, I've been the same way. God knows I've found enough ways to kill these poor plants without a pair of shears in my hand just mindlessly clipping away.
Thanks S.Moose, I follow now that you would clip this one photo'd, then move up to next tier and snip the one 90 degrees out from this and continue to tip top. Wait for week or so to recover from snippings, and go around again on those skipped this time.
I also found out how FIM was named as thats exactly what I said 1.5 weeks ago on another little starter. In fact I'm going to photo tomorrow and ask S.Moose whether to leave the strange leafs which grew from that OOPs or cut them off for more normal leaf growth. Strange mutant shape sticking out the top of my plant man! Thanks guys!

[Aabama Phill]

What am I doing wrong 9 out of 10 times my plants go limp and die the day after I try to prun or top. But the 1 time I got it to work produced 1 hell ofa bushey plant.

[BlackThumb]

^Hi AP. Maybe to much at one time or something? I followed S.Mosse on this last one in the photo above by starting at the lower fans and then alternating tiers up in a spiral. Then gave her a week to recover from that first trim before going back and doing the un-cut spiral. A week later I then topped and she is bushing nicely as going into flower tomorrow.
The only other thing I did was the normal A.M. watering, and then the trim also early in day so she had 18 hours of light for plenty of healing energy. Can't wait to get her into 12/12 tomorrow.

[Racefan]

Originally Posted by Aabama Phill

What am I doing wrong 9 out of 10 times my plants go limp and die the day after I try to prun or top. But the 1 time I got it to work produced 1 hell ofa bushey plant.

Why do you feel the need to top? Topping shouldn't kill the plant so your definately doing something you shouldn't be. Since that's the case I recommend you bend the top over gently and tie her that way with a twist tie. Search for paperclip training to see what I'm talking about.

[Doctor Dread]

Hey phil, make sure you clean the shears or whatever you use to top the plant with alcohol to disinfect. You dont want to carry over any disease from the shears to the plant. This might be the reason your plants die after attempting the FIM technique...