Is Mainlining worth it?

I have a small space under my basement stairs, which I decided to use and fuck around with a plant there. I am using a GH Waterfarm with a 300 watt LED, which I figured would be like a blow job for one plant.
Anyway, I have always been intrigued by mainlining, and I have experience with Bonsai, and I figured the philosophy made sense to manicure the plant, and get 4 main colas. It seemed simple enough, just trim up to the 3rd node, and cut down from the 7th, and tie back the branches, and away you go.
Anyway, it took like at least a week to recover and my colas look like shit, maybe as good as some branch tips.
I am 5 weeks into bloom, and I am pissed off, as I wanted this plant to be a specimen, not a dog.
The plant itself looks really cool with the branch structure, but that's about it. It is a Berry Bomb, which I have grown before, and is great plant, usually.
So, this is my question. Has anybody else used this system, and what was the results? I'll tell you what, I'm never doing it again, just a standard topping from now on, because I personally think mainlining is not worth it.

I dunno. Havnt tried ML yet. I know @DirtyNerd has good success Mainlining. Maybe he has some advice?

I used to do it when i had a perp to slow plants down by 2 weeks, topping for 4 will get u the same yield quicker, i used to mainline for 8 or 16 if i meeded to delay veg but i grow clones now and no perp so would not consider it unless i was into photography, but im into max yield in shortest time so mainlining is not viable for my current set up

zeddd said:

I used to do it when i had a perp to slow plants down by 2 weeks, topping for 4 will get u the same yield quicker, i used to mainline for 8 or 16 if i meeded to delay veg but i grow clones now and no perp so would not consider it unless i was into photography, but im into max yield in shortest time so mainlining is not viable for my current set up

Click to expand...

Tell me about it not being worth it. It totally looks cool, like it belongs on a coffee table, and your friends will say nice plant, but like you say, a 2 week slow down on a plant that usually would give me 4-5 oz dry, I'll be lucky to get 2.5-3.0, maybe. It's a load of shit, in my opinion, and I really want to pass that on to any grower that is considering it.
Be kind to your plant and your wallet, and don't do it, that's all I have to say.

Those that are into the Mainlining will defend it comparing yields per week over time. Nugbuckets had that thread, and there's a stand alone website for mainlining http://www.growweedeasy.com/mainlining-nugbuckets

Cool looking stem..

Crappy looking bud and yield.
He couldn't have put better pics on that site?

I agree with the side that is AGAINST mainlining. If you have a low grow height, do more shorter plants.

Many of these "techniques" are halfway developed by people and go viral because others think it's a new cool thing when really, it worked for some people somewhere but who knows their deadlines and conditions. Maybe 2 months of twisting pinching and bending is cool for the grower A type, but for B type that don't like to do impractical things for "fun" but rather try to get the best quality and yield, it's not something that needs to be done.

The cannabis plant knows how to grow, you just gotta let it do its thing bro.

Practice to see for yourself what works, it takes 3 months from reading a new thing to when you can tell if it worked or not anyways so just try your own tricks and post the results. A lot of styles of growing are still being worked on and aren't solid ways yet.

Peace and happy growing.

Captain Plank-Eye said:

I agree with the side that is AGAINST mainlining. If you have a low grow height, do more shorter plants.

Many of these "techniques" are halfway developed by people and go viral because others think it's a new cool thing when really, it worked for some people somewhere but who knows their deadlines and conditions. Maybe 2 months of twisting pinching and bending is cool for the grower A type, but for B type that don't like to do impractical things for "fun" but rather try to get the best quality and yield, it's not something that needs to be done.

The cannabis plant knows how to grow, you just gotta let it do its thing bro.

Practice to see for yourself what works, it takes 3 months from reading a new thing to when you can tell if it worked or not anyways so just try your own tricks and post the results. A lot of styles of growing are still being worked on and aren't solid ways yet.

Peace and happy growing.

Click to expand...

Let me finish my diatribe about mainlining, because every thing you said about growing style is true, in that it may work somewhere and for someone, but not for me. I have extensive growing experience, and gave that plant a PH adjustment every day, fed it meticulously, 1-360 watt Pinnacle above it's useless head, and did everything PERFECTLY, and it still sucked and it was a very good plant from previous experiences, and it was mint when I put it under the light, which I can tell you is an awesome light that I get 4' plants regularly.
That light's wattage and 90 day's growth went down the fucking drain. Oh, well, at least I got some bud, but not nearly enough to make up for the cost and effort.

Yes man i got intrigued enough to try but looking back at nugbuvkets def grows i think he was s noob tbh but good with the camera backdrops/ undried weed etc

Man I have been planning on trying my first main line after my current grow finishes in next few weeks but finding and reading this thread has me seriously questioning if it will be worth it. Thanks for the info

im 50/50 on the whole mainline thing. on paper it sounds great, direct route for nutes to be delivered, creates even canopy, and eliminates popcorn buds on the bottom. I really think mainlining is strain dependent. if your strain isn't capable of being a single cola dominant plant, then imo you'll probably have poor results. I'll be doing a side by side comparison with my next veg cycle

a single topping, diving 2 main colas per plant seems to work well but all that crazy training with 3 toppings seems like a waste of time

mauricem00 said:

a single topping, diving 2 main colas per plant seems to work well but all that crazy training with 3 toppings seems like a waste of time

Click to expand...

I'm at 1 month above ground now....... They would be monsters if they weren't topped. But I'll know more after they finish.

BM9AGS said:

I'm at 1 month above ground now....... They would be monsters if they weren't topped. But I'll know more after they finish.
View attachment 3746435

Click to expand...

All these were planted at the same time?

Yes. 6 are clone tho and 3 seeds were slow.

Clones are not main lined.

It does seem counter productive to cut a plant so much that it sets it back two weeks. Perhaps the more simplistic technique could be to shorten veg time by 2 weeks as to not spend that time, electric and water/feed on keeping them from over growing the space. I would imagine most will agree in many situations topping once is almost mandatory though, due to light penetration and other indoor factors. Seems topping more than that forces the lengthening of veg time or you lose out. Maybe fine if you do one big grow per year so can veg on. Maybe not so fine on a 8 to 10 week perpetual where two of those weeks may also include germination/rooting.

Here is the thing....for those who have not tried it, you shouldn't say that just topping or training will deliver you the same yield. NOT TRUE!
I did an experiment on my outdoor plants last season using the same strains.
Half were done the way I always have (topping, super cropping, fim, lst)

The other half was mainlined.

Now mind you these had the same amount of soil and sun.

The old method got me around 1-1 1/2 pounds

The mainlined got me 2+ pounds average.

The other benefits is I didn't have hardly any larf on the mainlined. Never had to lollipop and trimming was WAY EASIER.

completely silly to complain about a 2 week longer veg when you get that many benefits. You can shorten that time too using the manifold method taught by nebula vs. The mainline from nugs.

Btw.... If any of you try this outdoors, make sure you support the split In the stalk or you will have problems

ganga gurl420 said:

Here is the thing....

Click to expand...

Why is it silly to complain about losing 2 weeks veg when that actually equates to 20% or more of some peoples entire veg time?. If one simply lets them go two weeks longer in a 8 week veg do they get stems like yours?.

Flowki said:

Why is it silly to complain about losing 2 weeks veg when that actually equates to 20% or more of some peoples entire veg time?. If one simply lets them go two weeks longer in a 8 week veg do they get stems like yours?.

Click to expand...

when you are getting 40%-50% more yield, with less larf? Yes it seems silly.
I did two plants this yr in a 5 gallon bucket (light dep) with a 5 week veg.
got 4.5oz off the mainlined
Got 2.75oz the old method.

did that to show a friend who is learning