Topping at 21 days?

[paulg]

I never top my plants but I do bend my main tops over around day 15, and in less than 2 weeks I have plants with 10 or more future cola sites that make it to the top of the canopy. IMHO… there is really no need to cut the head off your plants and add extra stress just to get more top sites.

Day 15
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Day 21 (6 days after main top was bent over)
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Day 28 (13 days after bending main top over)
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I’d say this has been my experience too. It seems you end up with the same number of good colas and you remove the possibility of stress induced stunting. That said, I’m planning more topping vrs not topping experiments.

 

[Auto Tay]

I agree. I top all my autos on exactly day 21

 

[parsing_trees]

I never top my plants but I do bend my main tops over around day 15, and in less than 2 weeks I have plants with 10 or more future cola sites that make it to the top of the canopy. IMHO… there is really no need to cut the head off your plants and add extra stress just to get more top sites.

I've stressed (and outright killed!) more plants while adjusting LST ties on stiff branches/stems than I ever have from topping. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but it is what it is. Topping clearly wins on time spent on training per plant, too.

(Edit: QUOTE formatting fix.)

 

[420autoflower]

Going to be doing a experiment with topped plants and plants with just the main top bent over in a few months to see what the difference is. I do realize having to adjust my bent coat hanger stakes everyday to keep the main top horizontal is more time consuming than just snapping off the top but In my opinion the overall outcome and yield is better.

 

[Auto Tay]

I’ve experimented with topping vs lst. I prefer topping because of less work and less leaves to deal with. I do believe the lst ones produce slightly larger buds all things equal

 

[Shugrows]

I top at the fifth no matter what day It is. Then take the branches from the first node. Worked well for me. Less work then lst and I have a tendency to break branches and cause more harm then good when I do. If the plant dont look like it will get to tall cause i have a height restriction ill let go naturally and cut the bottom 2 nodes of braches off.

 

[Auto Tay]

The last auto I didn’t top got over 4’ tall from the soil pretty much hogging all the light. I like my autos 2.5’ or shorter. My topped autos finish around that size or shorter. I also veg photos in the same tent so I have to take that into consideration

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

My two cents is to top after any node when you can leave about 1/2” of stalk. This will help form fat knuckles while training/growing. And solely for matter of record, my current batch got topped a few days after showing sex, not purposely thats just how long it took and never saw signs that the plant disagreed.

 

[Shugrows]

My two cents is to top after any node when you can leave about 1/2” of stalk. This will help form fat knuckles while training/growing. And solely for matter of record, my current batch got topped a few days after showing sex, not purposely thats just how long it took and never saw signs that the plant disagreed.

im going to try one this next round when topping letting one go and wait a couple extra days to top to give it that half inch. I normally do it as soon as I got enough. Would never even thought of doing it till you put in your 2 cents. Im giving it a shot. I dont really train but if I read it right should work with just growing it out too.

 

[PeaceLove&Buds]

I top at the fifth no matter what day It is. Then take the branches from the first node. Worked well for me. Less work then lst and I have a tendency to break branches and cause more harm then good when I do. If the plant dont look like it will get to tall cause i have a height restriction ill let go naturally and cut the bottom 2 nodes of braches off.

I’m also a first node remover. I know I’m losing a little yield but it’s easier for me to water and training the 5th is easier than training the 1st. I’m really digging a plant I currently have that isn’t topped but I removed the 4th and 5th nodes as it was growing. Tons of light to the bottom nodes throughout the grow with super limited fan defol which should turn “would be larf“ into loveable buds, and the top grows healthy without blocking light. Im sure to repeat this method often.