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

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This thread has changed some of my long held 'conclusions'. I try to stay away from beliefs, but your posts have made me see that I simply have believed things because I had read them so many times... I no doubt everything I know a bit more!


I think this may be a dumb question, so feel free to let me have it.

I have come to see that I will not remove leaves anymore. I used to subscribe to Cervantes' advise on if it easily pulls off, cool, if it resists, leave it.

I'm just wondering if there is ever a case to remove a leaf?


Like, I just got some rooted clones that are getting new growth, but the old growth is looking really bad and shading new growth.


From what I read, I think you're answer will be 'do not remove anything, it may fall off, but don't remove'
 
jjfoo said:
This thread has changed some of my long held 'conclusions'. I try to stay away from beliefs, but your posts have made me see that I simply have believed things because I had read them so many times... I no doubt everything I know a bit more!


I think this may be a dumb question, so feel free to let me have it.

I have come to see that I will not remove leaves anymore. I used to subscribe to Cervantes' advise on if it easily pulls off, cool, if it resists, leave it.

I'm just wondering if there is ever a case to remove a leaf?


Like, I just got some rooted clones that are getting new growth, but the old growth is looking really bad and shading new growth.


From what I read, I think you're answer will be 'do not remove anything, it may fall off, but don't remove'
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First let me start by saying... I don't know anything.

I would hazard a guess that when the plant naturally drops the leaf off, that it has completely removed all of the stored nutrients in the leaf.

Second part... I just topped one of my jan 31 plants for four colas...

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is it just me or do i see another node or 2 hiding down there supra?

i just topped a few of mine, ive got 3 starting all some schwag-seed but ive had decent results so far (aside from hella herm's), topped all 3 of them for 4, no pics yet they're still small and unimpressive, im gonna veg for close to 8 weeks though and see if i can grow some bushes, got'm under 2 23 watt cfl's until the current crop is done, should be 1-3 weeks then ill move it under the 400w mh to juice its growth up

im a believer in your method mr. UB, i like the doing secondary harvest as well, cutting the colas then letting the "popcorn" turn into jawbreakers
 
Mr.Oasis said:
is it just me or do i see another node or 2 hiding down there supra?

i just topped a few of mine, ive got 3 starting all some schwag-seed but ive had decent results so far (aside from hella herm's), topped all 3 of them for 4, no pics yet they're still small and unimpressive, im gonna veg for close to 8 weeks though and see if i can grow some bushes, got'm under 2 23 watt cfl's until the current crop is done, should be 1-3 weeks then ill move it under the 400w mh to juice its growth up

im a believer in your method mr. UB, i like the doing secondary harvest as well, cutting the colas then letting the "popcorn" turn into jawbreakers
Click to expand...


Yeah there probably is, I just cut it that way because I didn't want to remove too much, but expose the four "closest" tops. With my planter arrangement there is ample room for the extra shoots to grow some nice jawbreakers as you call them :D
 
I'm going to be topping soon and wanted to make sure I did so above the 2nd node. I am unsure where to begin counting nodes...is the 1st the single leaf set above the cotyledons or the triple leaf set above the single leaf set. The arrow points to where I am assuming the 2nd node is, the first 3 leaf set.

10001541600x1200.jpg
 
ganjaluvr said:
hey everyone.

I currently just harvested one of my 'Ceres Skunk' ladies... and have the buds hanging by threads to dry..then I'll cure them for about a week.. then they'll be ready to smoke...

My question is...

I have a second 'Ceres Skunk' lady.. that wasn't too far behind the other one. Only this second plant.. has just started her 4th week of flowering as of today.

Is she too far into flowering to maybe top her?

(also.. I've never tried this before.. soo yeah. Keep that in mind as well..)

If you have any doubts.. and think it's too risky for whatever reason.. please say so as I don't want 8 weeks of my life growing this thing to be lost in one day.

Thanks in advance! peace.
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I see no reason to be topping at this point. Its not going to do you any good now.

Guest999 said:
I'm going to be topping soon and wanted to make sure I did so above the 2nd node. I am unsure where to begin counting nodes...is the 1st the single leaf set above the cotyledons or the triple leaf set above the single leaf set. The arrow points to where I am assuming the 2nd node is, the first 3 leaf set.

10001541600x1200.jpg
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Correct. Your arrow is pointing to the second node. Cut above that and you should end up with four tops.
 
Guest999,

I would let it get many more nodes before topping. This is kind of what makes this system different to my style. I mean I used to top right away. After reading here I am thinking the plant will probably do better if you let it get big roots then top it. You'll be cutting a more established (and thick!) plant that may suffer less shock. I have never done this before and am watching my Mexican grow up. It is a few weeks out of the seed and am really excited to watch the progress... I do know the genetics, maybe you guys can tell what it is.



I be posting photos shortly...
 
UB,

I'm building some reflective panels. I read that you use two movable and two that don't move. Why not four movable? Which ones don't move? I was thinking you could have the plants in a corner and the two room walls didn't move, but I'm not sure, could you explain a little further?
 
jjfoo said:
UB,

I'm building some reflective panels. I read that you use two movable and two that don't move. Why not four movable? Which ones don't move? I was thinking you could have the plants in a corner and the two room walls didn't move, but I'm not sure, could you explain a little further?
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It's a matter of convenience. I used a stationary back wall, 2 side panels that were movable and a front panel that was movable. Or, you can use a room corner, just configure it to where it's user friendly and allows you to always have side reflecting panels right next to the plants.
 
no im not i keep hering some say the first node is where the single leaf meats the stalk, and others say its the next one up is the first node, and i highly doubt u could kill me
 
mcpurple said:
no im not i keep hering some say the first node is where the single leaf meats the stalk, and others say its the next one up is the first node, and i highly doubt u could kill me
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LDO, it is hard to kill someone through the net :)

But if you had read the last few pages of this thread you would see me clearly pointing out to where the cutting site is. Theres even pictures with lines involved..
 
Uncle Ben said:
Or, you can use a room corner, just configure it to where it's user friendly and allows you to always have side reflecting panels right next to the plants.
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cool, I'm going to mylar by two walls and have the panels on my living room floor with some 2x3's that I will use to make a stand...


Do you blow a fan directly on your plants? If so, do the walls get in the way?


I was reading something and it seemed like you paint your floor white, too. Do leaves benefit from having light hit underneath them?
 
DaveCoulier said:
LDO, it is hard to kill someone through the net :)

But if you had read the last few pages of this thread you would see me clearly pointing out to where the cutting site is. Theres even pictures with lines involved..
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Dave, you've been more than patient with folks that are too lazy to try to get a grasp on plant parts, plant physiology, or at least read the first page. I just had a guy PM me asking me to define a node.

HEY PEOPLE, GET A FUCKIN' BOOK ON PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND CULTURE! LURK!

This is for the noobs that keep asking the same old questions over and over again -
http://www.starterupsteve.com/swf/posting.html?

....enough of this rant.
 
Uncle Ben said:
Dave, you've been more than patient with folks that are too lazy to try to get a grasp on plant parts, plant physiology, or at least read the first page. I just had a guy PM me asking me to define a node.

HEY PEOPLE, GET A FUCKIN' BOOK ON PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND CULTURE! LURK!

This is for the noobs that keep asking the same old questions over and over again -
http://www.starterupsteve.com/swf/posting.html?

....enough of this rant.
Click to expand...


Good Morning Uncle Ben!
 
jjfoo said:
cool, I'm going to mylar by two walls and have the panels on my living room floor with some 2x3's that I will use to make a stand...


Do you blow a fan directly on your plants? If so, do the walls get in the way?


I was reading something and it seemed like you paint your floor white, too. Do leaves benefit from having light hit underneath them?
Click to expand...

You're going off topic on me, but I'll answer and to save me some time, this is what I wrote in a PM to another member, Tuesday.

Regarding cabinets, gardens are dynamic, they are forever expanding and contracting. I hate cabinets because of the expense, time involved, and lack of footprint flexibility. I did a deal with movable reflecting panels using one painted wall as a stationary wall, that way I could keep them adjacent to the plants at all times, maximizing reflective light. Never had a problem with light not reaching the lowest levels. It's simple - you paint large cardboard panels white, say from furniture shipments or 4X8' sheets of styrofoam, and mount them with a staple gun to uprights made out of lumber, drill a hole at the top, run a pipe thru it and hang your lights using lightweight chains. You leave about a 14" or so open at the bottom for air circulation - that's where I'd sit a window fan, on the outside pointing in for cool floor air. IOW, staple the panels about 14" or so from the floor. Leave the top open to release the heat. It's cheap, easy and very effective. I even made the supports hinged so it could be put away for storage. All you do is pop the staples, fold up the uprights and you're done.

I never bothered with separate veg and flower areas. I used the same setup to veg and then flower. Again, keeping it simple.

To add to that ditty....

I had crossarms attached to the top of the uprights using bolts and thumbscrews. The uprights had drilled holes at the top for one pipe allowing me to use one hood, and nails along the top of the crossarms about every 2". This allowed me to lay two pipes at any point between any 2 nails along the crossarm continum, from one side of the garden's crossarm to the other crossarm. The hoods hung from the pipes by dog chains and were adjustable within seconds just by changing to a different link in the chain. This allowed me to place the lights at any height and at any location within the garden's footprint.

My backwall was stationary, there were two movable side panels and I would place this huge piece of painted cardboard on the floor against the side panels to make up the 4th wall, held in place by a heavy case of brew bottles from the back. When I needed to work with the plants, I would move the box away, pick up the large panel and set it aside leaving the whole garden at my disposal. Cheap - a dime's worth of plant food now and then, a few hoods, $10 worth of lumber/hardware, free cardboard, some Behr Ultra White paint and viola, I had me a garden.

A picture is worth a thou words, and yes that is a sativa that was allowed to grow past the lights.

UB
 

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Sorry, I should have PM'd you. I got so excited I lost it and went off topic. I value your advise and would gladly offer you help if you ever needed it (I'm a computer programmer/admin, if you need any help with geek stuff let me know).

I am sincerely grateful for this thread.

It is just the opposite of what I've been told to do my my more experienced friends. They always had me strip the bottom colas saying they would never produce much... I guess they never seen a photo the ones of your buds.
 
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