Some experienced growers will top up to 5 times (or more) to obtain 32 branches and can be well rewarded for their efforts. 2. Healthy plants usually take 2-3 days to recover from topping. After topping, do not remove the leaves from that node as these are needed to power growth of the branches from that node.
Make sure to cut just above a pair of leaves, as this will encourage the growth of multiple branches. Know when to top weed plants; it can be done any time after the plant has reached the vegetative stage, but it's typically done when the plant is between 3-5 weeks old.
Avoid watering: After topping your plants, they'll be stressed. To avoid stressing them even more, avoid watering them for a few days. Add nutrients: The extra stress on your plants will mean they need more nutrients. Add a fertilizer solution and make sure your plants have enough light.
Non-topped plants tend to develop one strong central stem that grows much taller than the rest of the plant, and becomes laden with flowers during the bloom stage. This dense region of flowers is called a “cola”. Meanwhile, the lower branches of the plant develop lighter foliage and fewer, often smaller flowers.
It is recommended that you wait until your plants have at least four nodes before topping them, and most growers recommend topping the plant above the sixth node. Nodes are the part of a plant that connects new stem offshoots with older growth, which can form a branch, a leaf, or in the case of cannabis plants, a bud.
Whether you grow indoors or outdoors topping your cannabis plants helps to produce a bigger and better yield, which is every grower's primary goal. The first thing to understand is that topping is an exact cut at the node, and while that sounds easy, the timing of topping is critical.
When plants have too little water, leaves turn brown and wilt. This also occurs when plants have too much water. The biggest difference between the two is that too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Most growers will agree that week 3 of flowering is the right time to start lollipopping. After a couple of weeks in the bloom phase, most cannabis strains will begin to display multiple bud sites along shoots. Marijuana will stretch during this phase, some strains more than others.
Considering this, the majority of growers will tell you to wait 1–2 weeks between the end of topping and the beginning of flowering. A decent amount of growers, however, believe a plant can handle the transition with only 5–7 days of recovery.
WHEN SHOULD I STOP USING RECHARGE? It is not harmful, but most folks stop using Recharge in week 5 or 6 of flower.
Some say that it is best to top the plant at night when most of the hormones have been sent to the roots. This means that there is a smaller chance of the plant being stunted after the main shoot has been removed.
Stunted growth – Topping can also stunt the growth of a cannabis plant, as it can reduce the amount of energy the plant has available to put into new growth. When topping is done properly, the result is generally a larger number of smaller buds whose combined yield is greater than it would have been prior to topping.
The first thing to know about pruning is that it is possible to have too many bud sites. Too many bud sites will mean that some buds cannot sit on top of the plant canopy, and thus do not get enough light and end up being smaller and less desirable.
The answer is yes, it is possible to over-fertilize plants. It is a common issue among gardeners, especially those at the start of their gardening journey, and it can cause major problems for your plants. Through over-eagerness you can give the plant too much fertilizer and unwillingly do them harm.
Many growers have increased yields by lollipopping. We know enough about plant science to support the logic behind this type of pruning. What's even cooler is that you can combine lollipopping with topping or fimming.
You can remove fan leaves during flowering in much the same way you do during veg. Prune away large leaves that are overshadowing bud sites, as well as dead or dying fan leaves. One thing to keep in mind is that you should prune in intervals, giving at least a couple weeks between each session.
In some cases, it may be advisable to commence force-flowering in mid-June or early July, which should provide your plants with enough time to grow vegetatively and complete flowering too. Starting plants indoors is always advisable, particularly in regions that experience cool springtime temperatures.
One of the quickest, first signs of overwatering your plants is to observe occurs at the tip of the leaf. If the tip of the leaf is turning brown this is a sign of overwatering. Too little water will result in your plant's leaves feeling dry and crispy to the touch while too much water results in soft and limp leaves.
Signs of underwatered plant
The leaves may also appear yellowish, dry brittle, and dull. If the plant is droopy and dry, you can try to water enough to where the soil is damp, but not overly soaked or floating in water.
When a plant is first becoming overwatered, leaves turn yellow. If soil doesn't have a chance to dry out before you water again, leaves start to wilt. When overwatering is the problem, wilted leaves are soft and limp. (If too little water is the issue, wilted leaves are dry and crispy.)
Topped vs Non-Topped Plants Produce Different Yields
On the one hand, topping encourages bushier lower growth and the development of multiple colas. However, it also exerts a large amount of stress on young cannabis plants, resulting in slower, stunted growth for at least seven days post-topping.
You can harvest your plant by either cutting the entire plant down at once, cutting the stems down one by one while keeping the buds attached to them, or by removing the individual buds from your plant.
Topping doesn't work with all plant varieties. It is most ideal for plants that have strong upward growth, with multiple nodes for branches and flowers to develop. This way when you cut off the top of the plant, the bottom portion is nearly identical.