Am I over-topping?

First time grower...I'm in week three of veg, and I just topped my plants. My concern is that I may have overdone it. I topped not only the very top of the main stem, but several of the larger colas also had similar looking 'tops' on them, so I removed the tops from them as well. Should I have done this?

You wanna wait till they're a little bigger before you top them, because topping during veg. stage of growth impedes vertical growth.

gummo2 said:

First time grower...I'm in week three of veg, and I just topped my plants. My concern is that I may have overdone it. I topped not only the very top of the main stem, but several of the larger colas also had similar looking 'tops' on them, so I removed the tops from them as well. Should I have done this? View attachment 2666264

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You can FIM as many times as you like, I think you mean FIM ...pinch the end, two ends take there place...

Topping is done where you have a say 10" plant with 9 sets of matched nodes...
You chop it back down to the bottom 6 branches [I clone the bottom two, and grow the next 4 out]
Here is a great thread on "topping" :

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html

Good Luck...

And, I 'd like to add....
My tops of plant, I clone, and usually get around 75-80% of tops to clone...
So, now, when I know I am going to "Top" plant , one week before I top, I FIM it...
Then when you clone the top of plant, it will already be growing a double top....
I call this FIM before birth...
Makes some kewl clones to then FIM and LST ...

Sand4x105 said:

You can FIM as many times as you like, I think you mean FIM ...pinch the end, two ends take there place...

Topping is done where you have a say 10" plant with 9 sets of matched nodes...
You chop it back down to the bottom 6 branches [I clone the bottom two, and grow the next 4 out]
Here is a great thread on "topping" :

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html

Good Luck...

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I think your a little mistaken on what topping vs Fimming is. Topping is just cutting off a top of the stem. you only have to cut off 1 new node to be considered a top. however you can cut many and its still considered topping. Fimming means "Fuck I Missed", meaning you cut only part of the leaves instead of the whole new node.

Couple things with your topping....If you top to much you can expect smaller colas. A cola being the bud....not sure what you mean by topping larger colas? I would assume you mean shoots. Doesn't mean less yield just more bud sites and smaller buds. Uncle Bens article is a great read. A must read in my opinion and one of the most informative threads on this site. You should be fine although next time you might want to top once from the main shoot and then fim some of the others. Topping a smaller plant multiple times at the same time will give it some stress. Should be fine though. But Speaking of stress....there is a couple things I am noticing about your plants. Your lower fan leaves are curling under, so something is going on there. Also you tray looks very dirty....are you running a ebb and flow out of that tray? It is important to run a clean setup, especially your hydro. The curling of those leaves could be a few different things. Can you tell us more about your setup? Temps, light distance and type, watering, feeding, PH...

Say what?

Topping is just cutting off a top of the stem. you only have to cut off 1 new node to be considered a top.[

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That sounds like FIMing...

however you can cut many and its still considered topping.

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Yes, that is topping...

So, what you are saying,. is you top perfectly every time, and never FIM...
I FIM every plant, and if it goes two split, or three, it still aint topping, cause I FIMed it...
LMAO....
I then TOP at a later time, after the Clone has grown up a bit...
You might say: "Topped" cause you got lucky... I say FIMed cause Fukk I [didn't] Miss, but could have/should have missed...
I get it..........................Haha but obviously you don't get me....

hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Good Luck man...

Lower your N a bit too.

To top a plant means just that, you're taking the top off. It doesn't matter if it is the top node you remove or the very bottom then you get the top two living tips to take it's place, correct term TOP. Now when you F.I.M. a plant you take out 70-80% of the top of the plant and it has to be new growth, and you at least get two tops, I've seen a plant shoot 5 out before. And topping only gives you way more potential bud sites for the most part, but they will diminsh in size as you keep topping. Remember though all the tops will fill up with flowers and need to be supported, or else it will all be for nothing. Top in stages as it will help spread out the amount you are stressing your girl(s) at any given time. A clean garden is a happy garden, the more stuff for bugs and mold to live on the more bugs and mold you'll have, just advice learned through mistakes.(Hydro can be a finicky bitch) Good luck with your grow, keep it green. out.

edit* check out Main-lining in the search bar!

You guys are awesome. Thank so very much for your feedback. This helps a ton.

mycomaster said:

To top a plant means just that, you're taking the top off. It doesn't matter if it is the top node you remove or the very bottom then you get the top two living tips to take it's place, correct term TOP. Now when you F.I.M. a plant you take out 70-80% of the top of the plant and it has to be new growth, and you at least get two tops, I've seen a plant shoot 5 out before.!

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Its impossible for one cut to get five tops. Its 2 then you fim each one to get 4 then those 4 become 8. If you Top it its the same way you get two more sites then so on.. But each cut will result in two more not 5 ever.

Also topping is usualy taking more then one node off and FIM is only the newest youngest growth before it stretches into a new node. I fim by pinching and top it down about 3 nodes that way the lower sites will grow into a canopy like super cropping and SCROG or SOG.

Sand4x105 said:

You can FIM as many times as you like, I think you mean FIM ...pinch the end, two ends take there place...

Topping is done where you have a say 10" plant with 9 sets of matched nodes...
You chop it back down to the bottom 6 branches [I clone the bottom two, and grow the next 4 out]
Here is a great thread on "topping" :

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html

Good Luck...

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TBH You can really just top any plant or branch and with most plants including cannabis, it will cause all the the axillary buds on that brand below the wound to flush out (grow into new branches) and will almost always cause the tip to split in two.

You are better off waiting until you have 4+ sets of real leaves or nodes before the first top and imo any subsequent topping of individual branches so they have enough size to sustain themselves until the wound heals without drying up and losing that branch/plant. You can top indefinitely as long as you have the plant in veg mode. Over topping would only really be an issue if you havea deadline to flower/harvest them which would stop them from growing out the two new branches from the wound becasue that takes a while to heal and grow into healthy new branches/growth points.


I wouldnt top much during flowering perosnally because there is a 2 month limit for the branches to heal up, then grow and THEN get mature buds on them at that point. Top until your plant is bushy enough for you or FIM or whatever, and then switch to veg and leave it the hell alone so it can fill with buds.

Just my two cents


oh, also, impeding vertical growth isnt really a problem because if you dont train it, thebranches will all still grow upwards (the two new main ones that come from the toppedor fimm'ed growth point. It might slow it a bit but you can veg to the desired height anywya. Ive seen topped plants from many species get huge height wise and be really bushy due to being topped while short. Given a large enough pot and good enough nutrients (perosnally i dont think you need any added but you will get better results if you do) then youll get a beautiful plant.

newbie9 said:

Its impossible for one cut to get five tops. Its 2 then you fim each one to get 4 then those 4 become 8. If you Top it its the same way you get two more sites then so on.. But each cut will result in two more not 5 ever.

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I'm sorry but you're wrong!! You need to do some reading before coming on here saying I'm wrong. How long have you been doing this? 1 year max, Believe me when I say you can F.I.M. a plant and get more than just 2 chutes of new growth. Try it, take out 70-80 percent of a new TOP and if you do it correctly you will get at LEAST 2 chutes, more if done right. out.

" I wouldnt top much during flowering perosnally because there is a 2 month limit for the branches to heal up" what does this mean exactly, please?

It just takes a small amount of time for the cut you made to heal correctly and the new living tips to get started and growing. If you take out the top you will create 2 tips for more buds, but they will be smaller and they need time to mature and be able to create enough flower weight to make it worth the topping in the first place. Keep em green. out

fuck I just saw " during flowering" shit I must be tired. yeah I personally wouldn't top during flowering even up to a week before. Sorry