gobears4eva
Well-Known Member
love this method,cant wait to top my baby!
Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas
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Jack in the Bud
Active Member
val,make sure you don't forget to maintain your humidity,
increasing your heat will dry out the air ...I'm using a wet towel and a humidifier...blizzard here right now in the mw
My humidity has been running in the 60 to 70% range. To try and bring it down some I had the rooms exhaust fan set to run for a half hour every 4 hours. This exhausted thru a home made charcoal filter sitting in the attic. I checked it yesterday and the interior of the filter was one big frozen mess. I disconnected the 4" drier hose running to the filter and this must have let most of the rooms heat siphon up thru it last night because I had an overnight low of 62 in the room. (up until this point my overnight low during the 4 hour dark period had only been 71).
And then on top of that problem the 4" drier hose I had rigged up to pull cooling air from the attic to my light fixture got so cold that the humidity in the room condensed on it and ran down inside my light fixture. So I've had to disconnect that system and open back up the original vents that were stamped into the fixtures cover.
Which is kind of good because now the light fixture puts more of it's heat into the room and makes the space heater come on less often. All though when the light was off last night between 2 & 6 AM and not adding heat to the space probably contributed to the temp dropping to 62 last night.
Looks like I'll be spending some time today making some tweaks and modifications to my set up to keep it more balanced during the coming cold months. But then isn't it the purpose of a hobby to give you some thing to putz around with?
In spite of these minor problems I must say that my babies are sure looking good. Most of them are getting real close to looking like that picture you posted of yours from day 36 as far as size and mass of foliage. I'm at day 34.
Several days a go I was thinking I'd be vegging for another 2 or 3 weeks before switching to 12/12 but now because they've been taking off so good since pinching I'm thinking it may only be another 1 to 2 weeks. Here in another week or so I plan on easing one out of it's container to get a good look at the root system.
Jack
Holamikey
Member
I've used your method and a couple others on some chemdawg and at week 8 of flowering, your method has created the best looking colas (aside from the natural plant, but there's only one) and I can't wait til the next batch (cut last week) will show their new colas! Thank you, Sir!
Mr.GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
I apologize in advance if this has already been asked, but after reading the first 75+ PAGES of this thread, I just couldn't take reading another "now where am I supposed to cut it?" post by people who never bothered to even read the first freakin' page!!!
Anyway, I am VERY interested in your idea of harvesting the colas, then putting the plants back under lights to fatten up the lower buds, hence increasing the overall yield. My question is, on average about how much longer do you leave the plants under the lights??? I realize there are MANY variables involved here, but I'm trying to get a ballpark average figure.
Also, how significant is the overall gain?? The concept reminds me very much of similar practices I have seen applied in fruit farming, and the difference in an annual crop can be very sustantial!
...and THANKS Uncle Ben, for putting up one of the first truly useful threads I have encoutered so far here!!! People need to pull out of the herd and try to learn what makes plants tick, rather than wasting $$$$ on snake-oils sold by those only interested in profitting from the ignorance of others. The levels of misinformation can be astounding at times!!!!!!!!
DaveCoulier
Well-Known Member
I believe he lets the plant go for another 2-3 weeks afterwards. No idea on how much it increases yield.I apologize in advance if this has already been asked, but after reading the first 75+ PAGES of this thread, I just couldn't take reading another "now where am I supposed to cut it?" post by people who never bothered to even read the first freakin' page!!!
Anyway, I am VERY interested in your idea of harvesting the colas, then putting the plants back under lights to fatten up the lower buds, hence increasing the overall yield. My question is, on average about how much longer do you leave the plants under the lights??? I realize there are MANY variables involved here, but I'm trying to get a ballpark average figure.
Also, how significant is the overall gain?? The concept reminds me very much of similar practices I have seen applied in fruit farming, and the difference in an annual crop can be very sustantial!
...and THANKS Uncle Ben, for putting up one of the first truly useful threads I have encoutered so far here!!! People need to pull out of the herd and try to learn what makes plants tick, rather than wasting $$$$ on snake-oils sold by those only interested in profitting from the ignorance of others. The levels of misinformation can be astounding at times!!!!!!!!
Shackleford.R
Well-Known Member
hello uncle ben! saw you on the texas thread talking about the choppas' thanks for the heads up. i was wondering if you could drop in on my current grow (link down below) and take a look at things. i'm planning on topping (properly this time, last grow wasn't so good) and i'm looking for advice!
Shack
Shack
Mr.GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Thanks Dave!!!!!!!
Good to finally hear this from an expert. I've pinched the top tassle before. I pinched the top tassle out completely.
I 'd like to understand you better. Is the top node #1?
I'll read it again, and see if I take in more info. Too blind to see the pictures. I'd prefer 4 colas over 2, right?
Happy Holidays!
Donnie
I 'd like to understand you better. Is the top node #1?
I'll read it again, and see if I take in more info. Too blind to see the pictures. I'd prefer 4 colas over 2, right?
Happy Holidays!
Donnie
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
Happy it worked out for you.
Yep, same concept. You pick the apple when it's at the peak of perfection.
Leave it under the lights until you get bulked up buds. For me, that would be about 2 weeks. Amount of time depends on too many factors - size of plant, amount of leaves retained upon the first harvest, etc. Your mileage will vary. If you're one of the lollipoppers, having trouble retaining leaves until harvest, don't bother. I get around an additional ounce of dried bud, see pix, the second one being one of the lowest buds.
You're welcome, and understand perfectly well this industry. Been trying to empower people to be their own master gardener for about 14 years.
#1 as in first to form.
UB
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Mr.GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Lol. Nope, no lollipopper here --- that whole concept pretty much contradicts both logic and science, plus it totally goes against everything I learned as a child growing up on a farm (and don't even get me started on this ridiculous "supercropping" BS!!!). But, to each his own I guess!!!
I should be harvesting my first INDOOR grow here in a few weeks (my plants are still as thickly leaved and green as they were during the veg stage, and I hope to keep them that way until harvest), so I'm going to do the multiple-stage harvest and see how it works out. Just think of all of the perfectly good buds that the lollipop kids throw away --- sad when you really think about it.
I should be harvesting my first INDOOR grow here in a few weeks (my plants are still as thickly leaved and green as they were during the veg stage, and I hope to keep them that way until harvest), so I'm going to do the multiple-stage harvest and see how it works out. Just think of all of the perfectly good buds that the lollipop kids throw away --- sad when you really think about it.
Shackleford.R
Well-Known Member
i really dig this staggered harvest concept. i grow under high wattage CFL (single 150W in a hood) should be ideal for my harvest. so you cut the colas down, then (for CFL growers like me) lower your lights to get all the other branch/popcorn buds?
sounds simple and logical enough to me! thanks for the guide UB!
Shack
sounds simple and logical enough to me! thanks for the guide UB!
Shack
Mr.GreenJeans
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I would think a CFL grower would REALLY benefit from that, even moreso than HID growers. Be sure to let us know how it turns out.i really dig this staggered harvest concept. i grow under high wattage CFL (single 150W in a hood) should be ideal for my harvest. so you cut the colas down, then (for CFL growers like me) lower your lights to get all the other branch/popcorn buds?
sounds simple and logical enough to me! thanks for the guide UB!
Shack
Good luck and good growing!!!!
Shackleford.R
Well-Known Member
oh for sure!!Yeah, I would think a CFL grower would REALLY benefit from that, even moreso than HID growers. Be sure to let us know how it turns out.
Good luck and good growing!!!!
so far this grow has been a dream! good genetics/soil... no headaches!
anyhow, if you want to check it out, i'm only in my 3rd week with 2 weeks of veg left.
it's the link in my signature marked "current"
Shack
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
Yep.........
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
Yep, to each his own gimmick.
Good luck. Since you have alot of healthy leaves left, it will work out fine. Whatever you do, do not flush. Keep giving them the right foods to maintain the leaves.
i really dig this staggered harvest concept. i grow under high wattage CFL (single 150W in a hood) should be ideal for my harvest. so you cut the colas down, then (for CFL growers like me) lower your lights to get all the other branch/popcorn buds?
sounds simple and logical enough to me! thanks for the guide UB!
Shack
Have fun Shack!
DaveCoulier
Well-Known Member
Heres something you may enjoy reading:
http://www.stonerforums.com/lounge/growfaq/1712.html
I can't tell you one way or the other. In about 12 weeks I can after harvesting and curing. Im gonna flush one plant and leave the rest alone. I would say a proper curing will impact taste and smoothness more than flushing can.
Try it for yourself and do a blind taste test with yourself and friends, then you'll never have to wonder whos right and whos wrong.
P.S. UB likes it when people experiment, so that they actually learn something rather than blindly follow what everyone says as truth.
valhalla88
Active Member
UB,
I'm not sure if I'm on track or what .
I think I topped it wrong and went into flowering to early.
I went from the bottom up two nodes and chopped it .
took some cuttings as I wanted to try to clone...1 week later and not sure if cuttings are going anywhere. They still are green and I am keeping them moist .
Anyway I certainly value your opinion and consider your help a privledge...like I said its alive and I'm learning .
Thanks for any help.
I'm not sure if I'm on track or what .
I think I topped it wrong and went into flowering to early.
I went from the bottom up two nodes and chopped it .
took some cuttings as I wanted to try to clone...1 week later and not sure if cuttings are going anywhere. They still are green and I am keeping them moist .
Anyway I certainly value your opinion and consider your help a privledge...like I said its alive and I'm learning .
Thanks for any help.
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