Rooting the Top

Hypothetical question. If i was to trim the Top 1.5 inches of a plant, top it on a 45 deg angle, add rooting hormone, and bend it over 180 degrees and put the Top in water-- do you think it would root??? Let's say it did root, and i planted the Top in dirt, bending the plant into an arch. Do you think their would be any benefits??? I'm doing a trial run on one of my mint plants 1st to see if it's possible with a cheaper plant before i trash one of my girls.

.Calico said:

Hypothetical question. If i was to trim the Top 1.5 inches of a plant, top it on a 45 deg angle, add rooting hormone, and bend it over 180 degrees and put the Top in water-- do you think it would root??? Let's say it did root, and i planted the Top in dirt, bending the plant into an arch. Do you think their would be any benefits??? I'm doing a trial run on one of my mint plants 1st to see if it's possible with a cheaper plant before i trash one of my girls.

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Do it and show pics! even if you only do it to a mint plant 1st put up a pic please.

.........lets see

I'll post a pic tomorrow and update the post with additional pics every few days. I'm really suprised that anyone has taken interest! I thought for sure I'ld get flamed.

Hmm not only are you trying to reverse the flow of water and nutrients it intakes but you are going to be trying to draw it from both ends also, doesnt sound like something the plant is going to want to do. But you should still try it.

I can't see any benefit to doing it.

CrackerJax said:

I can't see any benefit to doing it.

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I thought on this for a bit and have to agree. It should root but not be to benificial, infact the stem thats now laying on the dirt will me more apt to go rotten.

Still wondering exactly what your results will be though so keep us posted.

In theory, it should work. But i don't really see a point.

Anybody try rooting a clone upside down?

smppro said:

Anybody try rooting a clone upside down?

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Not per se. However I do, on occasion take a branch and chop it into 2 or more pieces and root those. It does take alot longer than standard clones so i wouldnt reccomend it unless its out of necessity.

I've done this successfully with creepers, like mint, but rather then root the growing tip I rooted midway on the main stem. Basically has the same effect as LST or super-cropping, creates bushier growth.

I imagine it would root eventually. I agree with Syriuslydelyrius, you'll have to trim leaves n such so they don't rot.

Considering the time it would take for the plant to recover before throwing out new growth, I think you'd be better off doing some LST, or super cropping. I imagine you'd get the same result.

what you are doing is called layering. Check out "air layering" google it. There is a good use I can think of....technically you still can call it one plant until you separate them. this could be very helpful depending on the laws where you live if you get busted.

pinkus said:

what you are doing is called layering. Check out "air layering" google it. There is a good use I can think of....technically you still can call it one plant until you separate them. this could be very helpful depending on the laws where you live if you get busted.

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Hmm it is kinda like air layering, but you will still be trying to make the plant grow upside down.

wheres the pics?

smppro said:

Hmm it is kinda like air layering, but you will still be trying to make the plant grow upside down.

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with layering it would be rooted a small distance from the tip. Once the roots take, you slice it so you have the big plant with no roots on top, and a little plant that was formerly the top of the plant. Simple layering is usually done with side branches and not the terminal bud, but it would still work.

couldnt this benefit a plant and make it bigger and help it spread out over a larger space and stay low to the ground,short fat and bushier? IF IT WORKS good?i think it would yeild more if done right?

all i gotta say is...
Gravity is a bitch...good luck though.

I saw a few plants that were toppled by rabbits in moist ground, and they grew adventitious roots in an arch fashion and grew out their secondaries.. The owner figures it worked out pretty well..

born2killspam said:

I saw a few plants that were toppled by rabbits in moist ground, and they grew adventitious roots in an arch fashion and grew out their secondaries.. The owner figures it worked out pretty well..

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+rep for the proper terminology. Would say your friend is rather lucky there. If an animal got to a plant of mine it most often died. Still dont see the point of this other than to "air layer" a set of clones so there ready when the other room blooms as a way to keep your # of plants down to your legal limit.

If you were to root the top then super crop the plant low and fold it over then plant the rooted top and try to turn it into a long vine with bud sites everywhere I feel is just wishfull thinking and at the very least extreemly time consuming and inefficient. There are better more efficient methods to help increase your yield.

I should clarify that it wasn't the tops that rooted exactly, just secondaries on the bottom side..