Budseeker147
Member
Any plant I have done a ub to has killed it every time the roots just pack it on what's left it's mad
-
ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!
Uncle Bens topping method SUPRISED!!
- Thread starter Budseeker147
- Start date
haven't heard that name in quite a while.....wonder what happened to him??? looking good man
Uncle Ben's method on another site and used it exactly for a couple grows when I was starting.
Once you understand the biological processes that happen when you top a plant, you can use it more specifically for your situation.
Multiple tops look cool and are great in screens or with fewer but larger plants. A few runs ago, and for the first time, I let one plant go untouched. The result impressed me so much that I currently prefer (untopped) single main cola plants.
It is often stated that a topped multi-cola plant will out produce an untopped plant. IME, all things being equal, the yields are roughly the same. Not to discredit topping, it is an extremely useful technique when dealing with height or plant counts.
The number of tops you'll end up with, count the branches below where youre going to cut. If there are 4 branches, you'll get 4 tops. When the main shoot is cut, the plant redirects growth auxins? hormones? - something tells the secondary branches that its go time.
Why wait for 8 nodes if you're going to cut at 4? It seems to me that it wouldnt make a difference in terms of how the plant responds. A possible reason is allowing more time for the plant to mature and strengthen its stem and supporting branches. Most people who top plants let them fill out before flipping so it may not even be necessary for this reason.
Anyone have a sound argument for letting the plant grow much past where you are planning on cutting it?
BTW, Nice plant.
Once you understand the biological processes that happen when you top a plant, you can use it more specifically for your situation.
Multiple tops look cool and are great in screens or with fewer but larger plants. A few runs ago, and for the first time, I let one plant go untouched. The result impressed me so much that I currently prefer (untopped) single main cola plants.
It is often stated that a topped multi-cola plant will out produce an untopped plant. IME, all things being equal, the yields are roughly the same. Not to discredit topping, it is an extremely useful technique when dealing with height or plant counts.
The number of tops you'll end up with, count the branches below where youre going to cut. If there are 4 branches, you'll get 4 tops. When the main shoot is cut, the plant redirects growth auxins? hormones? - something tells the secondary branches that its go time.
Why wait for 8 nodes if you're going to cut at 4? It seems to me that it wouldnt make a difference in terms of how the plant responds. A possible reason is allowing more time for the plant to mature and strengthen its stem and supporting branches. Most people who top plants let them fill out before flipping so it may not even be necessary for this reason.
Anyone have a sound argument for letting the plant grow much past where you are planning on cutting it?
BTW, Nice plant.
I top clones twice midway through veg. I do it then because of the stall it causes and I want larger supporting branches supporting the new sites for these larger buds. I'm not sure you get anymore weight from topping either. I do it because them big honking buds are more susceptible to botrytis. My environment isn't dialed in so I also spray the buds with Actinovate every 2 weeks.
CloudyAmberDay
Member
when I did this, It kind of took the "keeping" it short out of the equation for me. I had 4 6ft colas (by 3rd week of flower) and couldn't keep it
I veg for roots - that's all I really look at the veg stage as - building a nice root-ball. So I veg for a week after topping for roots.
edit - sorry if I misread question "grow much past where you are planning on cutting it" like more then 5-6 nodes?
Just FYI, there is no stall if this method is done properly (top only healthy plants with 5-6 nodes established). They are up a going the next morning.
CloudyAmberDay
Member
Z
Ziggaro
One of the main reasons I use the UB method, is it is so consistent. Especially from seed.
I do it slightly different and cut above the third node, but also completely remove the growth from the first node. I find using the 2nd and 3rd nodes, gives me 4 stronger colas compared to the 1st and 2nd.
But yeah you usually end up with all 4 colas all pretty close in size, usually all within a couple inches of each other. You also don't get much popcorn or undergrowth. As you just have 4 colas from the bottom of the plant.
CloudyAmberDay
Member
thanks for the explanation
https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=104379
HIGH STRESS TRAINING INCLUDES
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Speaking of fingernails, let's look at the other type of high stress training: stem mutilation. Now, there are interesting theories, methods and discussions invovling both the science and application of this type of training. This type of training is known by many different names:
-Crushing the herd
-Supercropping
-Stem-smashing
-Leaning the stem over[/FONT]
topping IS considered HST - but there is no recovery in this method...
edit - wanted to add "There is no stressing the plant!" in this method. If I wasn't clear.
ALSO - weed1s - supercropping would put a random branch somewhere(get in the way, etc), I do this for 4 colas SOG's. It's clean, easy, snip one time and done.
Peace.
edit ""Recovery" implies damage. There is no damage or stress like I've said a dozen times. You get your output and when you're satisfied with the foliage mass and size of the plant then let her flower." - Uncle Ben
Last edited:
To answer Ron's question, no, I don't see an point in doing that. Unless you're using the top to make a clone, there's no point in letting it grow to chop it down again.
I always top early and have for a long time. There's no slow down in growth whatsoever if the plant's motoring along nicely.
This is how big they are when I top them
This is what those little shoots look like
Re-potted from the 1L into a 10L, then put under a 600w light, this is what those tiny shots become in just 12 days
Getting the topping done earlier let's the plant make main branches out of those shoots from the very beginning, and for me, that's the key to them all being so thick.
I always top early and have for a long time. There's no slow down in growth whatsoever if the plant's motoring along nicely.
This is how big they are when I top them
This is what those little shoots look like
Re-potted from the 1L into a 10L, then put under a 600w light, this is what those tiny shots become in just 12 days
Getting the topping done earlier let's the plant make main branches out of those shoots from the very beginning, and for me, that's the key to them all being so thick.
Weeded1s
Member
Because that is HIGH STRESS TRAINING - homie don't play that
If supercrossing is high stress than cutting is what a fawking massage?
CloudyAmberDay
Member
UB's Topping method does not shock the plant or cause it to have recovery time
Peace.
Last edited:
CloudyAmberDay
Member
Weeded1s
Member
Dewd I watch my own plants react not someone elses. Dont know who uncle ben is..im sure hes a cool guy and with no disrespect do you think my homies in the triangle (humboldt, lake, mendicino) grow big ass bushes with only 4 tops. Its one way to do it. All we r doing is making the other nodes think there the top. I prefer to lay my top sideways not chop it off. Sometimes I get 16 heads. A simple fim can get u 4 heads in 1 pinch.
CloudyAmberDay
Member
Since you're unfamiliar with uncle ben or this method, here...
"OK, I've posted this several times here but I'll do it again. I wrote a FAQ to clear up any misunderstandings and first posted it at another forum. Here it is:
FAQ
Q - Is your technique effective with a clone?
A - Only if the cutting (clone) has opposing nodes. Don't expect to get 2 or 4 main colas if the nodes are alternating. You're manipulating the plant's hormonal processes aka "apical dominance". The plant will redistribute the auxins equally to dormant foliar buds.
************************************
Q - Will this work on a landrace, indica OR sativa, and what about hybrids?
A - The hormonal processes, redistribution of auxins, work the same whether you have a sativa, afghan (indica) or your typical mutt.
************************************
Q - Can I cut above the 3rd or 4th node?
A - You can, but you won't get the same effect regarding bulked up main colas. I came up with this simple technique in order to increase main cola production from 1..... to 2 or 4. If you want alot of bud sites and a bushier plant, then top at say.....the 8th node, but, that's not my technique as described.
************************************
Q - I don't want to stress my plants. How long will this set my plants back?
A - There is no stress involved like underwatering a plant or giving it too much heat or light. They will respond with new output where the leaf petiole attaches to the "trunk" within 24 hours. If not, you have a cultural issue that you need to address.
************************************
Q - You say to wait until the plant has 5-6 nodes before topping. Why?
A - That is only a guide to insure you have an established, well growing plant with a good root system. 3 nodes or 8, it's your call.
************************************
Q - Can I root the cutting?
A - Of course.
************************************
Q - What's a node??
A - Get outta here! "
-Uncle Ben
Everyone has their own way of doing things.
Personally I don't want to be bending and twisting stems every day, lst'ing, tying down stems, snapping and taping stems, you get the idea.
One cut, Done. As Uncle Ben says, you can grow SOB (sea of bush) with this method.
You can manipulate the distribution of auxins and apical dominance however you would like. However this thread was based on uncle bens topping method and it's success. Nice 10 zips OP!
Good luck with your endeavors weed1s.
This is all about plant training and what way to best get your plant to grow the way you want it to. Pinching can play a big part in that as well as topping. Neither way causes a cannabis plant to stall in its growth much if at all. The picture above was pinched and topped by that point.
The reasons for both can also be slightly different. Pinching can stall or give structural strength to a branch as well as redistribute hormones.
The only thing uncle ben says which I disagree with is that you have to wait to 5-6 nodes before topping it back to the second, in order to know you've got a healthy working plant. In my experience the earlier you top the better, and the less time the plant wastes growing one shoot as the dominant stem.
The reasons for both can also be slightly different. Pinching can stall or give structural strength to a branch as well as redistribute hormones.
The only thing uncle ben says which I disagree with is that you have to wait to 5-6 nodes before topping it back to the second, in order to know you've got a healthy working plant. In my experience the earlier you top the better, and the less time the plant wastes growing one shoot as the dominant stem.
Weeded1s
Member
I didint stall growth cuz you just cut half of it off. Lol (makes a ton of sense to chop a weeks worth of growth)
It also doesnt work on clones...supercropping works on everything.
Lastly laziness on training Gets laziness results. If u grew a og like that youd miss out on many many many ounces.
That post is old school at best.
It also doesnt work on clones...supercropping works on everything.
Lastly laziness on training Gets laziness results. If u grew a og like that youd miss out on many many many ounces.
That post is old school at best.
CloudyAmberDay
Member
Yeah, all personal preference. I can't defend uncle ben for his own technique as far as weed1s's argument was going. I catch your drift, nice plants and top.
Last edited:
