# to top or not to top?



## dodgydan (Jun 25, 2012)

Ok, so last time round i grew out 17 cheese plants in 15litre pots under 2 600w hps in a SOG style grow. I pretty much left them to do there thing and was pleased with the end result (28 oz dry) but want to improve on this yield. Who wouldnt! Does anybody know how or when to top these ladies in veg to keep the plants fairly rigid but with two main colas still. I dont want big bushy plants as there will not be the space for this. Is it even possible to keep them tall and slender with two colas??? Any pros or people with experience out there wanna help a guy out?


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## tripboufe (Jun 26, 2012)

yeah.. for what u are looking for is to, top ur plants 2 weeks before u flower them that will make 2 colas and no bushy plant, i say 2 weeks coz u need to let them have a lil time to recover


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## Kush2180 (Jun 26, 2012)

How long did you veg your plants in your last grow?


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## Kush2180 (Jun 26, 2012)

top above the second true node and you will get 4 main colas (2 will be bigger and 2 smaller, but there will be 4)


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## GreenChile (Jun 26, 2012)

Oie oie Dan, so it goes like this, the bigger your plant is, the better your results will be when it comes to topping. 
Of course thats just a theory and the strain and growing environment will be the biggest dictators when it comes to final yield.

Ive grown a few batches with a similar set up as yours and I got a better yield from topping.
So since your growing in 3 gallon containers, I would suggest this: 
Veg your plants in 1 gallon containers with a good organic soil mix. "FIM" them at about 4 weeks old. (youll get 2-4 growth shoots from this) 
At about 6 weeks old, top them once more (try for 3-5 total tops) and transplant them into 3 gallon pots and veg them for 2 more weeks.
Then, "lollipop" your plants and trim off the bottom 3 branches and all the new growth shoots except for the top 3-5.
Let them recover and veg them for 7-10 days, then put them into flower. 

I cant say if youll personally get a bigger yield, but youll get better quality nugs since you wont have any popcorn nugs, as all the growth is diverted to the nugs at the top of the plant.


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## kinetic (Jun 29, 2012)

GreenChile said:


> Oie oie Dan, so it goes like this, the bigger your plant is, the better your results will be when it comes to topping.
> Of course thats just a theory and the strain and growing environment will be the biggest dictators when it comes to final yield.
> 
> Ive grown a few batches with a similar set up as yours and I got a better yield from topping.
> ...


I wish I had the patience and/or room for a long veg. Sounds like a solid plan though!


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## georgyboy (Jun 29, 2012)

kush seems to have it right. check out uncle ben's topping technique to get 2 or 4 main colas. I have done this a couple of times now and it works everytime. Each shoot comes up and grows just like the main stem. If you do this as soon as it is possible (when the plant is barely at three or four nodes) you'll get good symmetrical growth that you can control. Then you could switch the lights about 2 weeks after you top, and cut out the lower growth, and you will harvest several plants with 2-4 donkey dick colas on them. You can use a little metal ring (think tomato cage, only not nearly as large) to keep the plant from spreading out too much. check out "mainlining ace of spades" Here's the links to the two posts i've mentioned above.
https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/151706-uncle-bens-topping-technique-get.html
https://www.rollitup.org/subcools-old-school-organics/517798-main-lining-ace-spades-tutoral.html


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## mercuryobsession (Jul 3, 2012)

like tripboufe said, top about a week to 2 weeks before 12/12, buuut instead of once top twice, leaves you with 4. i suggest cutting the 2 other sides that will grow in if you dont want a bush. (you sometimes end up with 6 colas after topping twice)


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## althor (Jul 6, 2012)

I always recommend first growers to let it go without doing any training so they can see what a natural grow looks like.
After that I recommend topping. I generally top from 6 down to 4. Basically thats cutting the two leaves with the small top off right over the 4th node. I give it two weeks to recover, then flip to flower.


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## Po boy (Jul 6, 2012)

check this out. the right anwers all the time from Uncle Ben. GL


*Uncle Ben's Topping Technique to Get 2 or 4 Main Colas*


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## wtxmale (Aug 6, 2012)

I followed uncle bens,,,topped before 4th node,,,,one plant now has 6 large colas and 6 smaller colas this pic is from a cpl weeks ago,,,they are in flower now and prob. 10" taller. I lollie poped the lower smaller ones


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## largebuds (Aug 10, 2012)

there look good if you have the space i would lst them

this is the way i have grown for years,


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