# How long after plant recovers from a FIM?



## Gregor Eisenhorn (Nov 13, 2015)

Hey guys, just like the title says, how long does a plant usually recover after a F*ck I Missed?

I've read a few times that compared to topping it actually _barley_ slows down growth... but I FIM'med my girl two days ago and still no response (except that one fan leaf that I cut has gotten a bit bigger). Maybe I did something wrong?

I'm asking, because I have never FIM'med in my life, I've only topped a few times resulting in two-three days of recovery time, so I thought that with FIM'ming it takes up to a day or less.

I'm including some pictures (albeit not the best) for you guys to show you whats going on.

Thanks a lot for your help and forgive my panicking.


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 13, 2015)




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## Gregor Eisenhorn (Nov 13, 2015)

That's a top, is it not? Ooh that rymed.


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 13, 2015)

Here's a FIM


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 13, 2015)

Gregor Eisenhorn said:


> That's a top, is it not? Ooh that rymed.


Yeah that's a typical example of topping


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## whitebb2727 (Nov 13, 2015)

Gregor Eisenhorn said:


> Hey guys, just like the title says, how long does a plant usually recover after a F*ck I Missed?
> 
> I've read a few times that compared to topping it actually _barley_ slows down growth... but I FIM'med my girl two days ago and still no response (except that one fan leaf that I cut has gotten a bit bigger). Maybe I did something wrong?
> 
> ...


Depends on strain. Some will not miss a beat. Some hate it.

The Hawaiian skunk haze herbies gave out last year hated topping or fim. It would take it 2-3 weeks to start growing again.


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## GroErr (Nov 13, 2015)

How long it takes to recover depends on a lot of variables (strain, age of plant when FIM'd etc.) but typically within 2-4 days you should see new growth coming up. If you leave that ~20% and get it right, within a few days (4-5) you'll very noticeably see squared off leaves growing from the area FIM'd (the ~20% you left behind), at that point is when I consider it recovered.

Here's a shot of some plants 5 days after FIM, if you zoom in on any tops you'll see the squared-off leaves. Also notice the difference between the 3 strains, the Harlequin's recovered almost immediately, Blue Dream's right behind it, and JTR took the longest:


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 13, 2015)

This is my topping results on a Candy Dream strain - as others stated some like it , some don't.


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## Enigmatic Ways (Nov 13, 2015)

Gregor Eisenhorn said:


> Hey guys, just like the title says, how long does a plant usually recover after a F*ck I Missed?
> 
> I've read a few times that compared to topping it actually _barley_ slows down growth... but I FIM'med my girl two days ago and still no response (except that one fan leaf that I cut has gotten a bit bigger). Maybe I did something wrong?
> 
> ...


Lol I just posted this somewhere else...But you need to cut a little lower to get the perfect cut...Get a razor blade there better for the fim technique imo....Make the cut right where the stem ends and the leaf begins...You don't want the squared off leaves you want that to be gone...It should look like this a couple days after the cut {pic1}...And this is what she looks like now about 40 days later just from that one cut.


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## Gregor Eisenhorn (Nov 13, 2015)

Hmm thanks guys for the responses. It seems that on the internet there is a ton of info about topping, but not of Fimming.


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## Gregor Eisenhorn (Nov 13, 2015)

Enigmatic Ways said:


> Lol I just posted this somewhere else...But you need to cut a little lower to get the perfect cut...Get a razor blade there better for the fim technique imo....Make the cut right where the stem ends and the leaf begins...You don't want the squared off leaves you want that to be gone...It should look like this a couple days after the cut {pic1}...And this is what she looks like now about 40 days later just from that one cut.View attachment 3541866View attachment 3541867


Damn nice FIMming. Thanks a lot for the help, you cleared things up for me. I'll go now and start hacking.


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## innerG (Nov 16, 2015)

Gregor Eisenhorn said:


> Hmm thanks guys for the responses. It seems that on the internet there is a ton of info about topping, but not of Fimming.


https://www.rollitup.org/t/fim-tutorial-taking-the-guesswork-out.239952/


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## DesertGrow89 (Nov 16, 2015)

Several days


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## Budzbuddha (Nov 16, 2015)

Either way works - experiment . 

I did a little of both on this Sweet OG -


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## innerG (Nov 16, 2015)

I usually top twice to get 4 nodes but if I could FIM to get 4 I would because it keeps the plant shorter. 

It's really only possible to get 4 tops from 1 FIM if you start from seed though and I almost always use clones. 

Seedlings have symmetrical nodes, letting you get a 'perfect' FIM like the one in the pic above with 4 shoots at the 1 node. 

Clones and adult plants have staggered/alternating nodes, making a 'perfect' FIM on them about impossible


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## BillyBobinski (Sep 3, 2020)

Enigmatic Ways said:


> Lol I just posted this somewhere else...But you need to cut a little lower to get the perfect cut...Get a razor blade there better for the fim technique imo....Make the cut right where the stem ends and the leaf begins...You don't want the squared off leaves you want that to be gone...It should look like this a couple days after the cut {pic1}...And this is what she looks like now about 40 days later just from that one cut.View attachment 3541866View attachment 3541867


Superb closeup fim image, appreciate that much.


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## Joshhall88 (Jan 5, 2021)

Wgats peoples thought's do we think this f.i.m. worked 3 days since i fimd and was potted i to big pots a week today so 1 week into veg strain 
stardawg


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