Bottom Branching?
- Thread starter Mystic
- Start date
StonerGrower
New Member
Please give an explanation of this so called "bottom branching".
Ive never heard of Bottom branching...Im sure Ill know what it is if you give us an explanation. So many names floating around these days, its hard to keep up.
Ive never heard of Bottom branching...Im sure Ill know what it is if you give us an explanation. So many names floating around these days, its hard to keep up.
- Thread starter
- #3
Sorry to not have clarified. "Bottom Branching" is the act of cutting away the bottom branches of your vegging plants. Once your plants are in the flower cycle the light does not penetrate far enough to hit the bottom branches.
The belief(I've heard) is that because it is not receiving light, that is not useful.
And that by cutting it away the plant directs it's energy into the remaining branches.
There are some people that swear by this. I however, didn't bottom branch my plants, but am curious if it really makes your buds that much bigger.
Thank you for your time
puffsamust
New Member
I think it depends on the style of grow you wanna use, it would be good to do it this way if you are going after a single cola. I hear cutting off the bottom branches up to about 6 inches helps the plant concentrate on making the main cola fatter instead of making popcorn buds that won't receive so much light. I saw something about once your plant is taller than 40 inches, the light won't go down far enough for the bottom branches to receive much light anyways. I think the 40 inch depth was for a 400w hid but I could be wrong. If you are going for lst or scroging style, I'd leave everything to maximize yield. Generally, pruning seems to slightly deter growth so you should cut the branches while the plants are in veg. People seem to do this about a week or so before it goes into flowering so the plant has time to recover. Hope that helps, 
StonerGrower
New Member
Removing the lower branches that contain fan leaves should never be done.
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- #6
puffsamust
New Member
Lemme correct my mistake, I'm probably a greener noob than you are (just been reading a bunch here, haven't gotten my feet wet yet). People who scrog do cut off branches that are under the screen so the plant puts energy to the upper ones. Keep in mind what Stonergrower said about the fan leaves as they are like solar panels to the plant. What style of grow method will you be using mystic? I'm planning on doing 12/12 from seed with strains that don't have much lateral branching, sort of like SOG so I can pack in a bunch and get a quality single colas. This will hopefully eliminate the need for pruning and growth will be on a fast track. I got my inspiration from atmosphere1's journal. Check it out if you are interested in this style, the yield speaks for itself IMO.
- Thread starter
- #8
Lemme correct my mistake, I'm probably a greener noob than you are (just been reading a bunch here, haven't gotten my feet wet yet). People who scrog do cut off branches that are under the screen so the plant puts energy to the upper ones. Keep in mind what Stonergrower said about the fan leaves as they are like solar panels to the plant. What style of grow method will you be using mystic? I'm planning on doing 12/12 from seed with strains that don't have much lateral branching, sort of like SOG so I can pack in a bunch and get a quality single colas. This will hopefully eliminate the need for pruning and growth will be on a fast track. I got my inspiration from atmosphere1's journal. Check it out if you are interested in this style, the yield speaks for itself IMO.
I'm considering doing SOG. This first time my plants grew really big and bushy. Which is a blessing, but I wasn't prepared for them to take up so much space. I had been pulling off smaller buds on the bottom branches to redirect the plants energy into the larger end cola buds. Which worked amazingly. But I want to be more methodical about this so I don't have to do as much back breaking work. I've heard people say that you have to choose whether you want bushy plants with many buds or huge colas on your plants. And that you have to sacrifice one for the other. It would be great to have both.
I'll check out the journal you suggested, Thanks again.
Racefan
Well-Known Member
Puff has it right. If you feel the need to remove lower growth do so at least 1 week beforre flipping to give them time to recover.
Puff ...you will still have to prune lower growth even if you do a grow from 12/12. Same time as you recommend to mystic.
Puff ...you will still have to prune lower growth even if you do a grow from 12/12. Same time as you recommend to mystic.
how about taking flowering clones from the lower branches of a flowering plant does this effect the yield
Racefan
Well-Known Member
no effect except to redirect more auxins to the upper growth.
Racefan
Well-Known Member
well let me correct myself. When pruning there is always some stress. But if done properly it should be minimal and recover withing a day or two. That's why we say to take them at least a week before flippping if going to do it in veg.
Racefan
Well-Known Member
It won't affect the yield if taken soon enough. It could actually help yield by redirecting the auxins to the cola buds. Now if you took them at day 60 then it will effect yield by reducing the total weight of bud. I use flowering clones as well and have a plant count limit as well so I understand your concern.
what is flipping?
Racefan
Well-Known Member
well it depends on how and when you use the word.
When growing cannabis flipping means to turn the lights from a vegetive cycle like 18 hours on and 6 hours off to a flowering light cycle of 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
When talking in australia it's like saying the f word as in..."the flipping cop stole my weed".
When discussing swimming or gymnastics in the USA it's a term to describe a action that causes a persons feet to rotate over ones head while this person is in the air or under water.
This is racefans unabashed definations of the word "flipping"..
When growing cannabis flipping means to turn the lights from a vegetive cycle like 18 hours on and 6 hours off to a flowering light cycle of 12 hours on and 12 hours off.
When talking in australia it's like saying the f word as in..."the flipping cop stole my weed".
When discussing swimming or gymnastics in the USA it's a term to describe a action that causes a persons feet to rotate over ones head while this person is in the air or under water.
This is racefans unabashed definations of the word "flipping"..
I use to use bottom branches for clones that is until I followed the advice of the more experienced and started taking clones third branch from the top of the plant and trust me when I say there is a WORLD of difference, in terms of rooting time and fullness of the plant during veg. and bud sites during flower. Do a side by side, it will be well worth the time. Happy growing. Peace.
