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A guide for topping cannabis plants

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A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by Keeno »

A guide for topping cannabis plants

What is topping?

Topping of cannabis plants is a method used by growers to increase the amount of "tops" on a cannabis plant. It's normally used alongside other training methods to maximise a growers yield from their grow area. Each top will form into bud during the flowering cycle of your grow. More tops will generally mean more buds/cannabis flowers.

Topping a plant will promote 2 new tops to grow where 1 would have been. Topping can be repeated many times in a grow and is not limited to only the top of the plant. I will top every part of my plants during the veg stage. If I top a plant 4 times I will have 8 a new tops, if i top them 8 new tops i will have 16 new tops etc.


When to top a cannabis plant

It's important to remember that when topping a plant it will need time to recover. For this reason topping, as with most heavy training methods, is done during the vegetative part of your grow.

It is generally accepted that the best time to top your plants for the first time is after the first node. Nodes are sets of leaves and branches that grow from the main stem of the plant. Once your plant has produced 4 of these it's time to top for the first time.

As I mentioned above a plant may be topped repeatedly through out the veg stage of your grow. If you plan to top several times it's good to allow 2 nodes between each round of topping.

How many times you top a plant depends greatly on your growing style and the time you wish to finish your grow in. A topped plant needs time to recover before flower kicks in, a topped plant you wish to top again is best allowed to grow some between rounds of topping.

How to top a cannabis plant

First you want to locate the area/areas of the plant you wish to top. Some growers will only want to do this once so they will top the main stem only.some growers will want to top repeatedly and all over.

The only tool needed to top a plant is a sharp set of scissors. I prefer to use thin nose scissors. Thin nose bud trimming scissors work great.

My choice of scissors, these are widely available and cheap. Very good for harvesting to.

How to top cannabis plants

Here you can see a top of a cannabis plant. The 2 smaller sets of leaves will become 2 tops.

420 forum

Cut along here.

cannabis grow guide

Be very careful not to damage the growth either side of the stem you are cutting.

topping cannabis plants

You have finished topping your cannabis plant. You can see the 2 new tops here, they will now grow towards your light.

how to grow cannabis

The cut off top of the plant.

cannabis grow guide

As I've mentioned above, topping a cannabis plant works great with other training methods, LST in particular. Click here to visit my LST training guide.
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by GMO »

Brilliant write up mate!

I would just like to add that topping is a great way to organise your canopy and spread your nodes evenly for a better crop incorporating LST and topping. It's become fairly standard practice to top the main stem to allow 4 main branches, but for the second stage topping it's worth having 5 nodes with atleast an inch of inter node

This just works out to a even plate canopy which is regularly spaced enabling sufficient airflow and light to each developing node site and its growth tips

translated from the bongo of the canna jungle


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Son Goku XD (Tue Sep 29, 2020 1:04 pm)
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by Keeno »

GMO wrote:
Sun Nov 17, 2019 2:32 pm
Brilliant write up mate!

I would just like to add that topping is a great way to organise your canopy and spread your nodes evenly for a better crop incorporating LST and topping. It's become fairly standard practice to top the main stem to allow 4 main branches, but for the second stage topping it's worth having 5 nodes with atleast an inch of inter node

This just works out to a even plate canopy which is regularly spaced enabling sufficient airflow and light to each developing node site and its growth tips

translated from the bongo of the canna jungle
I agree, i go into this it the linked LST guide. I love topping and beating my plants into my desired shape. But i gotta say it is very nice to see a plant grow into a natural shape, its not as efficient especially for indoor growers but its becoming a rare sight these days. Mon the Christmas tree canna plant.
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by MommaB »

amazing thank you for this :)
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by omgBoNg »

I like 6 nodes 7th starting, before I do my first topping.
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by JJ »

I let it grow to 6 nodes then cut back to 3 on the first time
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by Wayne36 »

Keeno wrote:
Sun Nov 17, 2019 2:28 pm
A guide for topping cannabis plants

What is topping?

Topping of cannabis plants is a method used by growers to increase the amount of "tops" on a cannabis plant. Its normally used alongside other training methods to maximise a growers yield from their grow area. Each top will form into bud during the flowering cycle of your grow. More tops will generally mean more buds/cannabis flowers.

Topping a plant will promote 2 new tops to grow where 1 would have. Topping can be repeated many times in a grow and is not limited to only the top of the plant. I will top every part of my plants during the veg stage. If I top a plant 4 times I will have 8 a new tops, if i top them 8 new tops i will have 16 new tops etc.


When to top a cannabis plant

It's important to remember that when topping a plant the plant will need to recover. For this reason topping as with most heavy training methods is done during the vegetative part of your grow.

It is generally accepted that the best time to top your plants for the first time is after the first node. Nodes are sets of leaves and branches that grow from the main stem of the plant. Once your plant has produced 4 of these it's time to top for the first time.

As I mentioned above a plant may be topped repeatedly through out the veg stage of your grow. If you plan to top several times it's good to allow 2 nodes between each round of topping.

How many times you top a plant depends greatly on your growing style and the time you wish to finish your grow in. A topped plant needs time to recover before flower kicks in, a topped plant you wish to top again is best allowed to grow some between rounds of topping.

How to top a cannabis plant

First you want to locate the area/areas of the plant you wish to top. Some growers will only want to do this once so they will top the main stem only.some growers will want to top repeatedly and all over.

The only tool needed to top a plant is a sharp set of scissors. I prefer to use thin nose scissors. Thin nose bud trimming scissors work great.

My choice of scissors, these are widely available and cheap. Very good for harvesting to.

How to top cannabis plants

Here you can see a top of a cannabis plant. The 2 smaller sets of leaves will become 2 tops.

420 forum

Cut along here.

cannabis grow guide

Be very careful not to damage the growth either side of the stem you are cutting.

topping cannabis plants

You have finished topping your cannabis plant. You can see the 2 new tops here, they will now grow towards your light.

how to grow cannabis

The cut off top of the plant.

cannabis grow guide

As i mentioned above topping a cannabis plant works great with other training methods, LST in particular. Click here to visit my LST training guide.
Thanks j thought you could only do this a few times as it would stress the plant..but now I know I can do it a bunch and get lots of top crown buds cheers mate
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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by Son Goku XD »

as newbies. I really appreciate this knowledge. Thanks bro

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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by Son Goku XD »

:thanks: 🙏

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Re: A guide for topping cannabis plants

Post by The Aspie Toker »

@Keeno I think the title should be "A guide for topping photo-period cannabis plants" as it more accurately reflects the subject. The rules are different for autos.
Never give advice. Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it.

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