# vertical and topping?



## DimePieceDarryl (Mar 18, 2012)

have 3 sativas dominant girls doing a vertical 400w hid system. since im doing vertical would u advise toping sativa dominant strands or letting them get tall.

i have 3 plants in a 4x4x72 area

thanks


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## noris559 (Mar 18, 2012)

Oh yeah topping/fimming is just more yield. I recommend topping early a couple times on each node.


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## onlybuilt4 (Mar 19, 2012)

FIM all day, there's really no debate about that. You'll also want to do some pretty intense larf trimming (aka "lollipopping") and heavy LST/other training as well, supercropping included. Certain strains take to certain techniques better than others, you'll just have to play around with a few girls and see what works the best.


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## OGEvilgenius (Mar 19, 2012)

Heath Robinson used to avoid topping etc depending on how he was growing vertically. On his tree grow he said he prefered the natural structure as the side growth benefits a lot from a vert bulb. Topping/Fimming really are something for horiztonal growing more, although that isn't to say some strains wouldn't benefit. It really all depends on your space and genetics, number of plants, etc.


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## onlybuilt4 (Mar 19, 2012)

OGEvilgenius said:


> Heath Robinson used to avoid topping etc depending on how he was growing vertically. On his tree grow he said he prefered the natural structure as the side growth benefits a lot from a vert bulb. Topping/Fimming really are something for horiztonal growing more, although that isn't to say some strains wouldn't benefit. It really all depends on your space and genetics, number of plants, etc.


You're absolutely right, I should have been more specific. I was speaking about his particular setup...with a 400w you will absolutely achieve a better yield and better overall canopy with topping/fiming and other training techniques. With a tree grow, as you mentioned, there is certainly an argument to be made for the other side. It is all very strain-dependent and predicated by the number of plants as well, as you mentioned.


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## bboybojo (Mar 22, 2012)

I am 1 month of veg into my first vert grow, one of the 7 plants (indica dom) I topped, kinda regret it now, it is too short and bushy to be benefiting from a wall of light hitting it in the side.


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## OGEvilgenius (Mar 22, 2012)

bboybojo said:


> I am 1 month of veg into my first vert grow, one of the 7 plants (indica dom) I topped, kinda regret it now, it is too short and bushy to be benefiting from a wall of light hitting it in the side.


That would have been a problem for me as well had I topped mine. Vertical growing I'd generally recommend against it if you're just growing in pots on the floor surrounding the light. Could be useful if you had a flooded tube setup or something similar though.


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## onlybuilt4 (Mar 22, 2012)

bboybojo said:


> I am 1 month of veg into my first vert grow, one of the 7 plants (indica dom) I topped, kinda regret it now, it is too short and bushy to be benefiting from a wall of light hitting it in the side.


indica-dom plants really don't do terribly well in vert setups anyways because of their structure. The only way to really do those effectively is with a true SOG-style wall of green


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## terrycodone (Mar 22, 2012)

i am currently running a 400w mh setup vertically and im doing both,with 1 of 6 subjects topped and another left alone.its not as relevant because theyre indica dom but the topped ones canopy seems to be benefiting more from the cfls hovering close atop rather than the 4 of 9 branches receiving vert light in the plant grand scheme of things


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## fred flintstoned (Mar 22, 2012)

I've been doing the vert thing for a few years and top everything. By growing a multitop, wider plant I can fill the space with fewer plants. I have lemon haze going now and if I hadn't topped repeatedly I would have to double, maybe triple the count to achieve the same yield. I also have them trained on a screen to about 3 feet wide and all branches are facing the lights. With ten plants surrounding 3x600W the canopy is full and tight. Yield will be quite impressive.
Fred


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## tokeintuckz (May 2, 2012)

fred flintstoned said:


> I've been doing the vert thing for a few years and top everything. By growing a multitop, wider plant I can fill the space with fewer plants. I have lemon haze going now and if I hadn't topped repeatedly I would have to double, maybe triple the count to achieve the same yield. I also have them trained on a screen to about 3 feet wide and all branches are facing the lights. With ten plants surrounding 3x600W the canopy is full and tight. Yield will be quite impressive.
> Fred


hey could you give me some advise on how to ad a screen to a vert tube grow if there is a way ?


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