Topped clones into 12/12 too soon?

Jimmy Luffnan

Jimmy Luffnan

Well-Known Member
Im looking for answers from anybody with experience in this matter or scientific knowledge.

Running a perpetual indoor grow of predominantly sativa strain, I have a flowering period of 10 weeks.

To help reduce stretch (and create 4 colas) of sativa's during flowering I use Uncle ben's Topping technique. As seen in Bens first post, after the cut has been made, the plant redistributes hormones within a few days.

I like to grow my clones up to 5-6 nodes high over 8-10weeks, then cut above the second node and then put them into flower... thus replacing the clones with the new cutting.

These rooted clones then go into 12/12 light period, but I use veg nutes for a further 2 weeks to reduce yellowing.

My question is, am i giving the the freshly topped clones enough time to redistribute hormones or is the flowering light cycle possibly damaging yield by not giving the topped clone enough time to establish?

Or do I need to give the freshly topped clones an extra week or two of 18/6 light to settle their hormone redistribution before flowering cycle?

Thanks.
 
Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
Jimmy Luffnan said:
Im looking for answers from anybody with experience in this matter or scientific knowledge.
Running a perpetual indoor grow of predominantly sativa strain, I have a flowering period of 10 weeks. To help reduce stretch (and create 4 colas) of sativa's during flowering I use Uncle ben's Topping technique. As seen in Bens first post, after the cut has been made, the plant redistributes hormones within a few days. I like to grow my clones up to 5-6 nodes high over 8-10weeks, then cut above the second node and then put them into flower... thus replacing the clones with the new cutting. These rooted clones then go into 12/12 light period, but I use veg nutes for a further 2 weeks to reduce yellowing.
My question is, am i giving the the freshly topped clones enough time to redistribute hormones or is the flowering light cycle possibly damaging yield by not giving the topped clone enough time to establish?
Or do I need to give the freshly topped clones an extra week or two of 18/6 light to settle their hormone redistribution before flowering cycle?
Click to expand...
LOL, scientific knowledge! hocus pocus dominocus!!! uncle ben didn't invent topping, so don't take his method as the only way. i'm sure it's very helpful, but it's a pretty simple procedure, and other than what angle you decide to cut, it's all the same. doesn't matter what strain you're working with, you pretty much just lop off the top. sativa/indica, it makes no difference. in reality, tying down will accomplish the same thing, and in fact, will save you time! any type of cutting of the plant, will slow down your growth. tying down will also slow things down a bit, but nowhere near the same level as hacking off a top! the hormones you're referring to are auxins. when you tie down the tallest growth tip, the other one's will instantly start racing against each other, to try and become the uppermost top. it's pretty interesting to watch this happen. you can do it over and over. once one regains the top position, tie that sucker down beneath the others, and the whole battle starts all over again. i usually only do it once or twice in flower. (yes, in flower.) i end up with a good dozen, foot long colas. you won't get as big of a main cola as you would if you didn't tie down. it's pretty entertaining watching the plant respond to you manipulating it....

p.s.
i'm in no way trying to disrespect uncle ben. anyone who comes here and tries to educate others, should be applauded.
 
Little Tommy

Little Tommy

Well-Known Member
I have topped and LSTed plants. I try to finish topping them a good 2 weeks before flowering. Tie your mother down can be done anytime. The only downside to the LST is that the horizontal growing takes up a little more room. I agree with Silky. It can be very entertaining to watch which top will try to be the next hero.
 
Jimmy Luffnan

Jimmy Luffnan

Well-Known Member
Silky Shagsalot said:
LOL, scientific knowledge! hocus pocus dominocus!!! uncle ben didn't invent topping, so don't take his method as the only way. i'm sure it's very helpful, but it's a pretty simple procedure, and other than what angle you decide to cut, it's all the same. doesn't matter what strain you're working with, you pretty much just lop off the top. sativa/indica, it makes no difference. in reality, tying down will accomplish the same thing, and in fact, will save you time! any type of cutting of the plant, will slow down your growth. tying down will also slow things down a bit, but nowhere near the same level as hacking off a top! the hormones you're referring to are auxins. when you tie down the tallest growth tip, the other one's will instantly start racing against each other, to try and become the uppermost top. it's pretty interesting to watch this happen. you can do it over and over. once one regains the top position, tie that sucker down beneath the others, and the whole battle starts all over again. i usually only do it once or twice in flower. (yes, in flower.) i end up with a good dozen, foot long colas. you won't get as big of a main cola as you would if you didn't tie down. it's pretty entertaining watching the plant respond to you manipulating it....

p.s.
i'm in no way trying to disrespect uncle ben. anyone who comes here and tries to educate others, should be applauded.
Click to expand...
Thankyou for you perspective Silky:leaf:
I have used tie down methods before, but my fault I forgot to mention that the setup is vertical :wall::-P
Brings back memories of being a kid and first growing outdoors with tie down and watching them compete! haha:clap:

Little Tommy said:
I have topped and LSTed plants. I try to finish topping them a good 2 weeks before flowering. Tie your mother down can be done anytime. The only downside to the LST is that the horizontal growing takes up a little more room. I agree with Silky. It can be very entertaining to watch which top will try to be the next hero.
Click to expand...
Yeah this is what Im trying to work out Tommy:weed: Does the plant have enough time to establish that it is going to create 4 main colas before it goes into flowering mode or does it kind of trip itself up and only create 4 half ass colas (stunted) as opposed to if it had 2 extra weeks to get itself together on creating the 4 new branch sections before it goes into flowering/stretch mode thus giving it its full yield potential..:weed:

I know its probably a trial and error, but experience saves a lot of trials hehe

Rusty Crutch said:
Its not a problem. Plants grow like crazy after you flower them. Have you looked into Supercropping?
Click to expand...
Supercropping.. yes I have done this before.. but not in this new vertical setup
 
Jimmy Luffnan

Jimmy Luffnan

Well-Known Member
I think Im going to lean toward that extra 2 weeks before hitting the 12/12 ;-)

I saw this as the safe and obvious way, but I always have height concerns and minimizing height of sativa's when they start flowering... cause they man they love to reach for the skies!:bigjoint:

My mind was thinking that if I gave them that extra 2 weeks... it might make the difference of an extra 6 inches which in some setups can make things go from comfortable to cramped height.

But if the plants start to scrape and bend around the top of the flower room a little, I guess it's acceptable... having the piece of mind that the auxins have had the time to do what they need to do:blsmoke:

I mean at the end of the day, it's only another 2 weeks under the cfl's;-)

Cheers guys.
 
Little Tommy

Little Tommy

Well-Known Member
You can also use LST if they start getting too tall. No law says you can't do both and LST is fine to do during flower.
 
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