Reasons to NOT pinch outdoor!

[cbcool]

This is my first outdoor grow, I was told by a friend that pinching increases tops and yield, I asked" isn't that an indoor technique due to canopy penetration?" I didn't get a straight answer so I'm still unsure what's correct?

Needless to say it's monsoon season here, and I decided that I'll never pinch an outdoor plant again, I feel it weakens it's structure and in some ways potentially slows it's growth.

After the 45mph winds, sideways rain and hail subsided, I went to the garden to assess the damage and it was worse then I thought!

This was the worst of four plants, I just thought I would share, I taped her and the other four back together , hopefully they heal and survive.

I feel if they weren't pinched and had an upright structure they would not have split, just my opinion.

 

[stonedbuddha]

you're missing critical support. Not every strain can build heavy enough stalks to survive 45 mph winds. I don't think it was pinching that causes your issues, although it does slow growth to that branch, proper pinching or netting can balance the plant hormones.

Where is your caging, stakes and netting? Looks like a pretty good sized plant so I can already assume the massive strain from being blown around ripped it to pieces.

 

[cbcool]

Yes, your correct in some respects, that plant was only two feet tall, uncaged. The other three that split were all caged and still split. I just feel if it weren't pinched it would not have split in extreme conditions.

 

[Dawn Patrol]

45 mph winds will wreak havoc no matter how you support them unless you get lucky or the plants have some sort of windbreak. I really don't think pinching them was the difference, if they were not topped there's a good chance they would have just snapped in that kind of wind.

 

[Top_shelf_farms]

You live and you learn. Next time properly cage those girls....

 

[cbcool]

I guess I should have been more specific, I do have an 8 foot wind fence around my garden.

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

This is my first outdoor grow, I was told by a friend that pinching increases tops and yield, I asked" isn't that an indoor technique due to canopy penetration?" I didn't get a straight answer so I'm still unsure what's correct?

Needless to say it's monsoon season here, and I decided that I'll never pinch an outdoor plant again, I feel it weakens it's structure and in some ways potentially slows it's growth.

After the 45mph winds, sideways rain and hail subsided, I went to the garden to assess the damage and it was worse then I thought!

This was the worst of four plants, I just thought I would share, I taped her and the other four back together , hopefully they heal and survive.

I feel if they weren't pinched and had an upright structure they would not have split, just my opinion.

that plant will heal those if u tape it up for sure.. i had one do the exact same thing earlier this year and i taped it back up. i took the tape off a few days ago to look and the stems have a huge knot there and it looks like someone weilded them back together and now they are stronger then ever plus i have a huge wide sour blueberry now.if u look close in pic one u can still see the black tape is.. here she is just 2 days ago

 

[Betterhaff]

I usually don't top or pinch outdoors unless I want the plant to bush out but generally they do so naturally. Depends a lot on the plant too and the nature of how they grow. If I need more stealth I find bending does well and doesn't slow up the growth and a lot of the lateral branches start to perform like top colas.

I doubt the topping had anything to do with the plants splitting, sometimes the weather can be brutal. I usually stake the main stem though. I had to flatten some plants because of flyovers in the past and they bounced back. Didn't get the expected yield but harvested.

 

[cbcool]

Thanks guys, I taped them back together last nigh after the rain passed, I think they'll heal up. They seemed pretty happy and sun tracking this morning after getting an epic shower.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

Good luck. I hope the plants heal up for you!