Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas

I see no reason why you couldn't top after its been fim'd, but its probably not necessary if its already branching out everywhere.

DaveCoulier said:

I see no reason why you couldn't top after its been fim'd, but its probably not necessary if its already branching out everywhere.

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I'm having some trouble finding info on fiming. I round 3 threads that show how to do it, but none mention what it does exactly. Does it just create more branches & bud sites?

Right now I can top above the 2nd true node and only loose an inch or two of plant. I guess when you Fim the true nodes grow farther & farther apart. And 4 colas sounds really nice.

I just hope that there's not too much stem below the 4 way split & that the fimming done doesn't cause soo many branches off the 4 new main stems that the plant wont stand by itself.

Can you confirm that fimming makes more branches & bud sites? If not, can you post a link to a good thread so I can learn more?

Nevermind on that last question, I finally found the answer. It makes more branches and bud sites.

I still can't figure out why it's happening to new growth if I'm not fimming it myself.

Once you Fim a plant once...... hell I can't figure out a good way to ask this. This is probably gonna sound cryptic but, once you fim a plant will the extra branching continue through the life of the plant, or will it just cause more branches at that site? (normally)

When you FIM a plant you take off most of the growing tip but not all of it like a normal top process. If done correctly, the plant will continue to grow from the cut site but branch heavily from there up. Topping takes off the whole growing top and forces all the growth the next node down where the growing tips still exist.

Hope that helps

cappeeler09 said:

yer it was from a clone

when i topped it i expected the bit i cut (topped) would of formed 2 shoots coming off it so ther would of been 2 heads

but its just stopped growing wer i cut it and its just going bushy and opened up

is that what its meant to do

its my 1st time so i dont know m8

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that's what i did to 2 mother plants to see if it will grow more out the sides and less on the top after topped off i hope i didn't kill it man

michael27 said:

that's what i did to 2 mother plants to see if it will grow more out the sides and less on the top after topped off i hope i didn't kill it man

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....all depends on how much blood it lost.

UB,

i have done the 4 main cola teqn.
and veged 52 days then flowered to find a girl. now i wanted just the four main colas to bud, no popcorns, so i trimmed the lower sites about half way down the plant...or more, its only been a week and a half flowering now, so i kno its early but basicaly....did i fuk up?

doogleef said:

When you FIM a plant you take off most of the growing tip but not all of it like a normal top process. If done correctly, the plant will continue to grow from the cut site but branch heavily from there up. Topping takes off the whole growing top and forces all the growth the next node down where the growing tips still exist.

Hope that helps

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Thanks, that makes a lot of sense +rep.

So if I top it I force the growth to the next node and since it'll be the second node it will redirect it's energies to growing 4 main stems instead of branching like crazy. Am I right in understanding it this way?

Another question just came to mind. If there are several alternating stems between the 1st & 2nd true nodes will the topping still work? And do I have to trim off all the branches between the 2 true nodes?

FuZZyBUDz said:

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Ya done good!

Great looking plant Uncle Ben. But everytime I see a pic of this technique there's never any space between the 2 true nodes. Has anyone ever tried this technique on a plant that has several alternating nodes between the two true nodes?

Katatawnic said:

There are opposing nodes and alternating nodes. Both types are "true" nodes. They're opposing when they're young, then become alternating as the plant matures. The reason UB referred to "true" nodes in this thread is to differentiate these between the cotyledons (seed leaves; the first leaves that appear on the plant). All nodes above the cotyledons are "true" nodes. (The cotyledons do dry up and die after a spell, BTW. They're the "embryos" from the seed, the only "leaves" that are contained inside of the seed, and provide the early seedlings with their food.)

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Thanks for the info +rep.

Sorry for the stupid question, I just misunderstood true nodes. I assume this doens't change if someone uses FIMing on the plant, though if there are branches on branches...... I guess I'll just have to give it a try and see what happens. lol

Thanks again.

Katatawnic said:

I've never FIMed, but I'm sure the cotyledons don't factor in one bit when FIMing, due to cutting only the top growth instead of counting nodes and removing part of the plant from the trunk like you do with topping.

I was a bit confused about "true" nodes at first too, but I had a book and the glossary cleared it up for me. Another way to help someone know the difference is that the cotyledons are not only the very first set of leaves on the plant, but they also are the only ones that don't grow larger after they've sprouted... they just exist to feed the seedlings, then they die off.

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I've never FIMed either, I just bought a couple of clones from a plant that was FIMed. lol

And I haven't had to deal with seedlings yet since I started with clones on my first grow. I plan on starting from seeds on my next grow because I don't know how many times these clones may have been regenerated. Plus I want to make some Polyploidys and starting from seed is the best way (in my opinion).

Thanks again for all the info. It's nice to run into someone who doesn't mind lending a hand.

mr773 said:

hey uncle ben i checked alot of threads you posted in and in my opinion you are true grower and by saying that, what do you use as a grower from start to finish. let me know thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I use botany, standard horticultural principles, and common sense.

Nice job Katatawnic

Uncle Ben,
Long time stoner first time grower...
Long story short...been buying some tasty smoke found a few seeds along the way but to pricey so ...you've heard it before..
I'm researching and getting through different methods and techniques...
I don't know the differences between most...fimming...topping...lollipoping...LST...vertical peretuals...splice fusing...
My question is this, do I wait for a certain height from the plant before cutting and going into flower or do I go by how many nodes and leafy growth @ internodes ?
Here is my plant just over 30 days vegging...
any comments or advice is more than welcome...
may I post my pictures UB?

valhalla88 said:

Uncle Ben,
Long time stoner first time grower...
Long story short...been buying some tasty smoke found a few seeds along the way but to pricey so ...you've heard it before..
I'm researching and getting through different methods and techniques...
I don't know the differences between most...fimming...topping...lollipoping...LST...vertical peretuals...splice fusing...
My question is this, do I wait for a certain height from the plant before cutting and going into flower or do I go by how many nodes and leafy growth @ internodes ?
Here is my plant just over 30 days vegging...
any comments or advice is more than welcome...
may I post my pictures UB?

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Welcome to the thread. Feel free to post your pictures and read about the first 10 pages, at least.