What it is
Cutting off the main tip of the plant ("topping"), right above a node. Two new branches grow from that node and become the two main tips.
What it's for
Cannabis grows with a dominant tip that takes most of the energy (apical dominance). When you cut it, the plant spreads that energy around: it grows wider, shorter and more even, with two big colas instead of one. Indoors, where height is limited, it is very useful.
When
In veg, with a healthy plant with 4 to 6 nodes. It can be repeated on the new tips (2 tips become 4, then 8), letting it recover for a week between cuts. Never in flowering.
How to do it
- Sharp, clean scissors.
- Count the nodes from the bottom and pick where to cut (for example, above the fourth or fifth).
- Cut the main stem a few millimeters above that node, without touching the shoots coming out there.
- In a few days those two shoots start to grow upward.
On autoflowers
Many growers don't recommend it: an autoflower flowers by age, and the days it loses recovering are not made up. LST is preferred for them.
Before you start
Every prune or training is a wound: the plant spends energy closing it and adjusting. That is why it is only done with a healthy plant that is growing strong. If it is thirsty, has pests, mold, a deficiency or was just cured, let it recover for a few days first: one more blow to a weak plant can kill it.
▲ Pros
- Two main colas instead of one
- Shorter, even plant
🎮 Practice it in UnderGrow
It's done from prune, in veg, and you pick only one technique per plant. It adds yield (roughly 15 % more grams) but stresses and halves growth for about 4 days (4 real h); on autoflowers it stresses more, slows for 7 days and adds less. First, check its health and stress: the technique adds its stress all at once and it can kill a plant with low health. Health only goes back up with the stress bar below 20 %.
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