Topping question

So I want to top one of my plants today to experiment. I have 9 vegging from non feminized seeds. So I'm eventually going to top all of them but I want to try one today. It has 3 developed nodes and a little new growth above it. Can I cut that new growth or do I need to wait for it to have a little more stem. Pics below.

You COULD do it now,

But what's the rush? I'd wait till about 5th or 6th node.

But hey I was very excited at that stage too

Wait a day or two so the stem stretches enough to easily get your cutters in there without damaging the lower growth sites.

agreed with both previous speakers

Lol yeah I know I'm kinda rushing. I just wanted to get one topped so I can watch it's progress ahead of the others. But yeah I'll wait lol. So when you get to your fifth node how far down will you chop? The third?

Boomy said:

So I want to top one of my plants today to experiment. I have 9 vegging from non feminized seeds. So I'm eventually going to top all of them but I want to try one today. It has 3 developed nodes and a little new growth above it. Can I cut that new growth or do I need to wait for it to have a little more stem. Pics below.
View attachment 3691630 View attachment 3691631

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Ive always read to wait til the 5th node because it stresses them out too much before that. But its you plant, its up to you.

Here is a Blueberry X Lemon Kush that I am using as a guinea pig so I can learn about and prove/disprove the things we all hear and read. Just want to see it for myself. I topped it above the third node just as the fourth was developing, and twice since. I don't think you can cause significant stress to a healthy, vigorously growing young plant by carefully topping it. After each topping, new growth was apparent in less than 48 hours.

Yeah so I did it lol. Couldn't wait I wanted to experiment on one. Hopefully it works out. Now I can compare it's growth to the others I'll top at the fifth.

Will be fine,but i would have waited

Ganjagurl is right. Waiting until the 5th node will make 4 tops. Topping early will make for a slower veg but it should be ok after a couple weeks in recovery.
I've been getting some very bushy plants just by topping & retopping and then pinching the tallest colas to slow them down.

Richard Drysift said:

Ganjagurl is right. Waiting until the 5th node will make 4 tops. Topping early will make for a slower veg but it should be ok after a couple weeks in recovery.
I've been getting some very bushy plants just by topping & retopping and then pinching the tallest colas to slow them down.

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Ya me too!

Did I say 4 tops...silly me I meant 2 tops then you top those tops & you'll get 4....then 8, etc...here's my blueberry OG just before going to the bloom room; counted 10 tops...vegged 10 weeks from seed

Always wait, it will recover and grow just fine doing it now like you did, but they recover MUCH faster when you wait to top and they are more established. I mean a lot faster.

Talkenlate04 said:

Always wait, it will recover and grow just fine doing it now like you did, but they recover MUCH faster when you wait to top and they are more established. I mean a lot faster.

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I topped at the third node as the fourth was developing (see above) and saw growth in less than 48 hours. How "MUCH" faster could it possibly be if I had waited? 30 hours? Can't see how it would matter much.

714steadyeddie said:

You COULD do it now,

But what's the rush?...

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ernmm, the next crop?!

Wait next time and see. They just do better when you wait. It will go slower no matter what when you do it to early. Of course you are going to see it grow, thats what they do. But they grow stronger and more robustly when you wait. Plant in my pic is 16 days old from seed. 8 well formed tops. I like to wait to top right as the plant is starting to show vigorous growth. Topping when you did wont hurt anything so I am not saying that, I was just sharing with you my results from waiting longer.