How do they look and when to top?

[bluter]

As said 4th grow ever so I’m still “green” pun intended.I could do just what you said bobrown as Laverne & Shirley (I named them) are pretty much identical so we’ll see.

4th or 400th .. we are always learning

 

[bluter]

go have a look at quadlining if you want to try training methods and are going to top. you might also want to try scrogging. if you are 4 grows in and comfy with how it's been going, there's nothing wrong with trying something new.


plants look good . i'd go with 5gal pots unless you plant on flipping early.

 

[steelcurtain22]

4th or 400th .. we are always learning

Agreed 100% The wifey gets pissy as I’m always reading up on growing, drives her nuts, lol, but she’s a keeper!

 

[SmokingWings]

I said first ‘I’ve’ come across, but anyway, you keep saying two smaller buds. What your not mentioning is that the plant is no longer putting all its efforts and energy into one cola. Now it can spread out to many branches with proper branch training you can have many colas per branch that now are bigger than had you not topped. So yes I understand they may be two smaller volas compared to one main but those two colas will still be a good size and with additional training all the other buds getting extra effort will also be bigger and more of them. Either way I respect what your saying but we can agree to disagree.

One problem we will run into is that the plant can only get so much out of the soil. Even when adding in supplemental fertilizers there is a limit to how much it can take up and use. After several weeks new root growth slows down. New fan leaves stop developing and those are where photosynthesis takes place.

You are right that with an extensive topping program we end up with more 'colas' but they will be shorter. The plant can only push so much in the way of hormones and nutrients into the flowering tips. The more there are then the less each one gets.

If we want big 20 inch 'colas' then it is probably best to limit the number of flowering tips the plant has. The plant in the photo is a clone that I played with for several months. Ended up with 8 main flowering tips. Coming off of each of those 8 stems were about 4 more minor flowering tips. Then there were many smaller flowering tips coming of the minor ones which ended up being pruned.

If I had stopped topping sooner I would have had the 8 main ones and have avoided most or all of the minor and small ones. The down side would have been that those 8 mains would have grown close to the lights, maybe even into them. I might have had to do some bending and cracking of stems to keep the top of the canopy under reasonable control. Either way I figure I would have ended with the same weight and the same volume (2 quart jars) of buds. Sorry about the out of focus and weird lighting--my eyes ain't what they used to be.

 

[SmokingWings]

because they are from branches, clones have a different structure than a mother plant. i have done loads of clone runs that i trained out for greater yield.

topping alone will not increase yield. and you lose the apical cola.
topping and training together is the key

No matter what it ends up being a decision as to whether the extra buds are worth all the time, work and electricity it takes to pull it off. Unless it is a fun experiment as part of the hobby.

 

[steelcurtain22]

One problem we will run into is that the plant can only get so much out of the soil. Even when adding in supplemental fertilizers there is a limit to how much it can take up and use. After several weeks new root growth slows down. New fan leaves stop developing and those are where photosynthesis takes place.

You are right that with an extensive topping program we end up with more 'colas' but they will be shorter. The plant can only push so much in the way of hormones and nutrients into the flowering tips. The more there are then the less each one gets.

If we want big 20 inch 'colas' then it is probably best to limit the number of flowering tips the plant has. The plant in the photo is a clone that I played with for several months. Ended up with 8 main flowering tips. Coming off of each of those 8 stems were about 4 more minor flowering tips. Then there were many smaller flowering tips coming of the minor ones which ended up being pruned.

If I had stopped topping sooner I would have had the 8 main ones and have avoided most or all of the minor and small ones. The down side would have been that those 8 mains would have grown close to the lights, maybe even into them. I might have had to do some bending and cracking of stems to keep the top of the canopy under reasonable control. Either way I figure I would have ended with the same weight and the same volume (2 quart jars) of buds. Sorry about the out of focus and weird lighting--my eyes ain't what they used to be.

Yeah I’m learning as I go, thx for for your input, appreciate it and that’s a very nice looking girl, wow. This was an unknown plant, my first grow ever and only time I topped once. I didn’t really do much lst with it, tried but again all was first time for everything. Wasn’t great bud but didn’t expect much for a first grow. I’ll be topping with additional training to try and maximize. Cheers!

 

[LKABudMan]

Agreed 100% The wifey gets pissy as I’m always reading up on growing, drives her nuts, lol, but she’s a keeper!

For me it is not the reading up that she gets tired of. It's that I have to repeat back what I learned

 

[steelcurtain22]

For me it is not the reading up that she gets tired of. It's that I have to repeat back what I learned

My wifey doesn’t want to hear it or see, and I’m okay with that. It’s all mine, serenity now!!!!

 

[LKABudMan]

My wifey doesn’t want to hear it or see, and I’m okay with that. It’s all mine, serenity now!!!!

I guess I'm lucky there. My wife loves that I grow, loves the smell, and helps me out quite a bit. She also loves the result

 

[bluter]

No matter what it ends up being a decision as to whether the extra buds are worth all the time, work and electricity it takes to pull it off. Unless it is a fun experiment as part of the hobby.

i get a greater yield. less larf, and less trim jail.
it costs maybe 14 days total extra in veg and perhaps 1 - 2 dollars worth of inputs.

definitely worth it. hands down. no comparison.