Our Guide To Topping And Pruning Cannabis

It can be a bit hazy when you attempt to distinguish between topping your plants and pruning them. While topping involves cutting off the main branch of your marijuana plant, forcing it to grow more flowers, and aiding its potential to give a robust harvest. Pruning on the other hand involves taking off your cannabis leaves and their branches that are lifeless, so energies can be expended where it is needed. Our article will also discuss the difference between a topped plant vs non topped plants.

And this is more reason why the distinction between the two is blurred, a lot of growers do both processes at the same time. However, there are some differences between the two.

Why topping your cannabis is necessary?

Topping helps you to keep your plants healthy and it helps you to have quality yields, while the entire process may seem strange, as it involves cutting off and putting away plants. A major difference between topped plants vs non topped plants.

The plants are then left to grow, cannabis plants often grow vertically. As they focus their energy on the main stalk. The result often portrays a huge cola as its top, with tinier colas showing up on the main stalk. The other colas are usually small, with an antecedent poor quality build. The overall length and yield of the plant are also small. These are also major differences between topped plant vs non topped plants.

Best time to top your cannabis plants

Topping of cannabis plants is usually done at the vegetative stage, which makes it easy for the plants to distribute their growth hormones, from the plant’s main stalk to the branches. When the main stalk of the plant is cut off, energy is directed to the side branches, which forces them to grow, however not upwards again. The topping process makes the cannabis plant bushier.

For the effective topping, you should wait till the plants have grown at least six or seven nodes, which will be used for the initial top, and this is done just above the plant’s 5th node. It is only when the plants have developed this much that they can withstand the impact of topping, so you require some patience here.

When you wait to top your weed plant after it must have formulated over seven nodes, the plants at this time have expanded energy into their upward growth, which you will cut off. This is a time when the plants are supposed to be focused on their lateral expansion.

Ways your cannabis plant obtains light

The bushy shape of your plant will allow light to get to its branches easily, as the plant is large and not long, the buds will also get an equivalent amount of light.

Where you are having only one vertical branch, your plant’s main cola will receive adequate light, however, the plant’s flower stalks will be shaded by the main branch. This will produce large buds at the lower end. By having a bushy shape you are certain of having more buds, with increasing amazing quality.

With time, you can top your side branches and create adequate branches at the side, which will make your plants bushy more. This activity will develop more bud sites on your branches and increase the yield of your plants. Your plants will be topped at least 2-3 times within their life cycle.

Best ways to top your cannabis plants

It is best to top your marijuana plants when they are strong and fully developed this way they can withstand the intense change.

For your initial topping exercise, cut the main branch, this is the rule of the thumb, and ensure it is way above your 5th node, this way, you will have adequate side branches for the continuing part of your plant and it will bush out adequately.

For your other toppings, ensure the side branches you are cutting off are above your 2nd and 3rd node. This action will allow your plants to bush out effectively, and the action is relatively subjective, which will depend on how vastly you will want to see your plants bush, and also how big they should be.

To effectively top your cannabis plants:

Get Your Equipment And Disinfect Them: You will require a set of pruning scissors or alternatively, a razor blade. It should be sharp enough to guarantee a clean-cut, ensure it is sterilized using alcohol, as you prevent infections in your plant.
Agree On The Location Of Your Cut: Locate the 5th node of your main branch and ensure the cut is just above it.
Linger And Watch: The act of Topping, can be a stressful thing to do for most plants, keep your eyes on this process and ensure your plant gets adequate water and light. Before you top again, ensure a few weeks have gone between each top.

Plant topping vs. plant fimming (topped plant vs. non topped)

The process of topping your cannabis plants is trusted by most growers, however, it is not the only option. Fimming is another technique you can use in place of topping. This method started as an accident, however, it is useful for the right purpose.

The distinction that exists between topping and fimming is dependent on the area of your cut, while with fimming you take out the upper half of the recent growth, the same is not the case for topping. Similarly, while fimming gives you about 4-8 new branches from where you previously cut, topping gets you only 2 new branches.

Fimming technique works best for marijuana growers using small areas and is trying to get the best out of their farming. However, the fimmed plants require much of a structural balance to survive, ensuring you adequately care for your garden. The topped plants on the other hand are twice more stable and come with stronger branch supports.

Regardless of the technique you go with, you have guarantees of having an increased yield. If you are confused about the method to go with, you can experiment with both and take a stand later.

Why should you prune your cannabis plants?

Pruning your plants will remove dead leaves and, and allow for light to get to the right branches and buds. While this act may seem strange, it is best as it will give your buds the right atmosphere to grow.

Similarly, pruning your plants will create the necessary space for the plants to receive adequate air, and also for the sun to infiltrate deeper into your plants. This way your plants will stay healthy and vibrant and produce more adequate buds.

Check up on the health of your plants, remove pets and take care of nutrient deficiencies, along with soil issues when you prune your plants.

Best ways to prune cannabis plants

During the early stages of your plant growth, the size of the plant makes it easy for the plants to get adequate sunlight. By topping your plants you will make it easy for the plants to have a bushy growth, which is ideal for pruning.

As your plants grow and bushes out, you will be amazed by the overall shape and entire shroud. This will make you understand where the quality buds come from and it makes it easy for you to take away the unwanted parts of the plants.

Starting from this point till flowering gets underway, you can get the plants to prune. Once flowering takes the stage, pruning your plants will reduce the length and condition of your bud.

To prune your marijuana plants:

Get a pair of shears made for pruning, this can be Chikamasas or Fiskars, and it makes it easy for you to work on your small branches and plant leaves. You will need another pair to take down the larger branches of your plant.

Also, ensure your clippers as well as scissors are sharp and can get clean snips, this way your plants will stay healthy and it will reduce the chances of your plant having infections, and damages. For quality buds, ensure your plants get adequate sunlight and air. For the top of your plants you will need to:

Wipe Out The Large Branches First: this way you will be able to clear enough space before you take on the bigger work, go for the branches at the bottom of your plant as they will often suffer the absence of sunlight and likely never be fully expanded
Take Out The Branches That Will Get Shadowed Out: these are usually the branches in the middle of your plant and others that will not be able to receive adequate sunlight, which will depend on your setup and the mechanism used.
Trim Your Dying limbs And Leaves:

The days that will follow after your plants are trimmed will cause massive growth as the new open space will give adequate room for this growth to happen. Hopefully this articles was able to go over topped plant vs. non topped.

FAQs

When to top outdoor plants?

It is very important to not top your plants to soon. You have to remember that topping your plant is traumatic experience for them. So doing it at the right time is essential. The important time for outdoor marijuana plants is when it is still growing. The soil needs to be healthy as the plant will need more soil to help with the growing changes. Additional Nitrogen will be needed to fuel more growth.

When is it too late to top your plant?

It is very important to note that when topping your cannabis plant that you do not do it during the flowering stage. This means you are already too late. It is important that your plant will be able to handle the pruning stage.

How many nodes before topping?

We always recommend to growers to always wait till there are about 4 nodes before you begin to top your marijuana plant. Some agree to above 6, but we say around the 4th node. Count about 4 nodes and then just cut the tip. Remember the node is a part of the plant that connects stem offshoots with older growth.