Top or not?

I always thought never top, then learned can of done proper. Well this girl is making me really want to top once those sides fill in. Only one doing this, outdoor. New side growth looks great just that main is being funky. Thoughts??

chakup said:

I always thought never top, then learned can of done proper. Well this girl is making me really want to top once those sides fill in. Only one doing this, outdoor. New side growth looks great just that main is being funky. Thoughts??

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If you’re outside just LST and let it grow!

chakup said:

I always thought never top, then learned can of done proper. Well this girl is making me really want to top once those sides fill in. Only one doing this, outdoor. New side growth looks great just that main is being funky. Thoughts??

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Is that an auto? If so, I wouldn't top it.

I'm just starting and I am indoor only but I will be topping in the future if they seem to be growing pretty quickly. I had a Royal Gorilla last grow that would have outgrown my tent if I didn't top it, and two LSDs and a White Widow that did outgrow it that I didn't top.

That being said I topped a super lemon haze and it ended up only getting about 18-20" tall so it is somewhat of a crapshoot.

you can top autos but I would only do it with a strain i knew could handle the stress and do it early.

No you just get smaller colas and slow it down. Topping is good to control XXL autos that take like 4 months and you want to train it because of space/height (privacy) etc.
If you don't top and you grow for yourself you keep that large cola.
I have fimmed (cut right above the bulb where the leaves come out) and you get more branches with less stress. I did this for my 2nd sour sheriff as the first one is a 4 month auto beast.

I topped this auto and it is a little behind the other 2 i planted the same day but i am liking how it looks

I top all of my auto's. Its a great way to set yourself up for some easy lst about a week after toping for a nice even canopy. I am definitely no the best auto grower out there, but I've never been disappointed with the outcome of topping and killer yields with that huge canopy.

Zogs said:

I top all of my auto's. Its a great way to set yourself up for some easy lst about a week after toping for a nice even canopy. I am definitely no the best auto grower out there, but I've never been disappointed with the outcome of topping and killer yields with that huge canopy.

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Agree with this fully. Love topping. Though i usually get lazy on training outside 1/2 sets of arms after the topping XD still always better spread than untouched though.

Zogs said:

I top all of my auto's. Its a great way to set yourself up for some easy lst about a week after toping for a nice even canopy. I am definitely no the best auto grower out there, but I've never been disappointed with the outcome of topping and killer yields with that huge canopy.

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Unless doing outdoor xxl autos i think just bending the plant over or fimming is better when i top i just get smaller colas

Here's it doing it's thing!

Zogs said:

I top all of my auto's. Its a great way to set yourself up for some easy lst about a week after toping for a nice even canopy. I am definitely no the best auto grower out there, but I've never been disappointed with the outcome of topping and killer yields with that huge canopy.

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I 2nd this. Enough light and you can top.

mordynyc said:

Unless doing outdoor xxl autos i think just bending the plant over or fimming is better when i top i just get smaller colas

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Isn’t that kind of the point? More smaller colas closer to canopy height?

I’ve mainlined my last two. It’s really no big deal to them.

If its a fast growing plant top if its slow and short i wouldnt

He kept with the self top and is definitely one I'm keeping pollen from!!

I wouldn’t too. @ExoticKangaroo and myself ran the same strain side by side. I topped he did not and he got more yield. Kept up with each other’s journals and such to compare. He came out on top not doing it. Def slowed my plant down significantly. But could be because of strain...

TXCase said:

I wouldn’t too. @ExoticKangaroo and myself ran the same strain side by side. I topped he did not and he got more yield. Kept up with each other’s journals and such to compare. He came out on top not doing it. Def slowed my plant down significantly. But could be because of strain...

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If read post above the plant kept the self top, ended up my best male of the group!

A shot of his lowers.

For me if the stain is sativa or high percent in a hybrid then I top as sativa strains tend to have a longer cycle and therefore deal with topping a lot better than indica strains which generally have a shorter cycle. For indica strains I use LST, it is all a learning curve.

My rule for topping autos is day 17.
If the 4th node is in by day 17 or before then I top it as soon as it starts forming.
If it's not there then the plants not growing strongly enough to benefit from it.
Also as someone pointed out above though, it's a practice best kept for large - XXL autos.
I wouldn't try it on anything that's gonna hit bloom by day 25. Need something that goes 5-7 weeks before throwing pistils or you'll hurt the yield.
Definlately improves yield on xxls though.