When to top or fim?

[JDwinell]

How old and big should my cannabis plants generally be before I can successfully top them or FIM them without damage..also gim or top?? Also how many nodes should the plant have and where and how to cut?? I know it's a lot but I'm needing help!! Thank u all!!! Here's a pic at their size now week and half old ish...

 

[013]

Hey JDwinell,

generally speaking for topping purposes no earlier than 4 to 5 nodes above the cotyledons… an exception would be autoflowers. Every time you top it slows the plant down for recovery period.

I don’t really practice fimming so can’t speak to that part

 

[zigzagman1960]

5-6 nodes. If you want a bush top just below the last node (newest). If you want long manageable colas-4 nice ones-top leaving only the first two nodes above the cotyledons. Top high leaving plenty of stem rising above the node you leave to prevent splitting Your plant.

 

[JDwinell]

I usually top above the 4th node as early as is possible. But just top at the highest node now, and then start LST when all the lower branches start to grow.

5-6 nodes. If you want a bush top just below the last node (newest). If you want long manageable colas-4 nice ones-top leaving only the first two nodes above the cotyledons. Top high leaving plenty of stem rising above the node you leave to prevent splitting Your plant.

Thank u!!!much appreciated!! God bless you!

 

[Phytoplankton]

4-6 nodes is about right. With autos you kind of have to gauge the plant, if it's growing well I will top it, but only top once!

Edit: BTW, your plants look like they're coming alone very nicely!

 

[JDwinell]

Thank u for ur input my friend it is very much appreciated!!

 

[cbdhemp808]

Lookin' good, @JDwinell ! Happy growing!

 

[JDwinell]

Thank you my friend

Lookin' good, @JDwinell ! Happy growing!

 

[JDwinell]

UPDATE: So I've been rotating the pots and plants as a form of very low stress training to encourage a uniform circular growth shape of the plant..I also started EVER SO GENTLY bending the top 2 leaves away from the center top to allow more light...anyway just thought I'd document it....

 

[Phytoplankton]

Quick question, what media are you growing in?

 

[JDwinell]

Coco loco potting mix..NOT COCO COIR/PERLITE!!! It's a Fox Farms product consisting of 50% coco/perlite blend max with many other substances and heavy amendments line bat guano earthworm castings and all kinds stuff it's pretty hot stuff actually...

Quick question, what media are you growing in?

 

[Delps8]

Top above the 4th node, auto flowers or photoperiods. I did five auto grows and the conventional wisdom for timing for autos was 21 days. That worked out pretty well for me.

No worries about "slowing down" growth. Topping removes nothing vital from the plant (obviously). For the life of me, I can't figure out how removing foliage that has done nothing to contribute to the growth of the plant can "slow growth down".

Top at four nodes and the other foliage will continue to do what that growth has been doing for the entire life of the plant - powering growth.

UPDATE: So I've been rotating the pots and plants as a form of very low stress training to encourage a uniform circular growth shape of the plant..I also started EVER SO GENTLY bending the top 2 leaves away from the center top to allow more light...anyway just thought I'd document it....

As a "high light" grower (just made that up), I applaud the desire to get the best light you can on your plants but there is no need to bend things to let more light in at this stage. The best thing you can do, in terms of light, is make sure that you give your plants plenty of it.

The only way to determine how much light your plants are getting with is you measure it. Vendor guidelines re. hang height and dimmer settings are good guidelines but the only way to know how much light your plants are getting is to measure it.

You can drop $300+ on a PAR meter (there are cheaper models available and there are reasons why they're priced as they are) or you can get a light meter for about $35. A PAR meter is an excellent piece of equipment but, for most growers, a light meter is the better purchase and is, in practical terms, as accurate as a PAR meter.

When I started growing (again) two years ago, I found this graphic very helpful. I used it as a "how to guide" to refine my growing processes. It's a screenshot of a YouTube video by Dr. Bruce Bugbee. He is, as best I can tell, the leading expert on cannabis research. His "intro to grow lighting" videos on YouTube are superb.

 

[hoonsince89]

i top at 3rd or 4th asap. Never had an issue...

 

[JDwinell]

Same thing I was thinking thanks for ur input...how long should I wait before topping again and how long after abd hjw many times can I top or should for max yield???