I got 9 tops easily, by:

1. Pinching the top as laid out here in "FIM Tutorial (taking the guesswork out)"

2. and then tying the pinched top down with a single twist tie.

This redistributes the plant auxin's over a wider area, than LST or topping alone, and adds at least 2 additional tops to the aforementioned techniques.

Here are the results after 1 week



After 4 weeks I removed the twist tie


Here I replaced the twist tie just to show where the top was tied to the main stem



All it takes is a piece of string, or a long twist tie - no need to drill holes and put screws in your containers.

Same plant - 2 weeks into flower


This is much easier than traditional LST and produces a nice bushy bush

Any questions?

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"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so." - Thomas Jefferson my grow

How is that any different than 'traditional' lst? You are bending your plant over... okay...

You should see some of my bushes with 10 main tops.

Topping is the only true way to distribute the ability to move growth inhibitors from the growth points.

By killing a top you are killing the point that produces hormones. Some of these hormones inhibit the growth of the plant. The plants growth tips push the inhibitors down the stem hence older more developed tops have a greater ability to push hormones down the stem which inhibits the ability of all lower growth to do the same thing.

LSTing makes optimal light available for optimal growth.

You really don't know the difference between LST and the technique above?

I've created 20+ tops LSTing, but it's a lot of work.

This is a 2 step process!

LSTing without pinching also redistributes plant auxin's (to the highest point...), but combining it with pinching caused better - more natural, and profuse - branching.

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"If a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so." - Thomas Jefferson my grow

LST = any training without major damage to stems. Vs. Supercropping which does almost the same thing with breaking the stem.

You used a twist tie which could choke your plant. Thats not exactly innovative though I have seen it done...

Edit-

Redistribution of auxins doesn't make sense. Hormones are produced in the apical meristem, some are responsible for facilitating (Auxins) as well as inhibiting (gibberelins & etc) plants.

Pinching doesn't redistribute anything but the growth tips ability to move inhibiting hormones down the stem. This ability to move hormones away from apical meristematic growth.

Bending however redistributes the light and hopefully the rate of growth over the whole plant. If there is no one main dominating point the rest have the capacity to grow evenly.

I just got out of class, lecture on hormones. Should I go get my text book to quote?

interesting thread,
i have been topping and bending my plants for years now, i understand that topping them makes them bush out more and when i bend the top and other branches, it is to make an even canopy with even light distribution on all tops and i must say i have had 30+ juicy nuggs at a time.

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