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Maximizing Cannabis Plant Yields with Topping
There are several techniques for training cannabis plants, but only a few have been tried and tested over the years and proven effective. Growing more buds, managing the plant’s shape, and using light efficiently are some of the reasons why techniques like topping are popular among growers. Today, we’ll explain one of the most common plant training methods: how to top a cannabis plant.
Topping, along with techniques like low-stress training, super cropping, a sea of green, and scroggin, is used by cannabis growers to shape the plant’s overall structure. Taller strains can be trained to grow wider instead of taller. Some growers trim the top part of the plant to make it shorter and bushier. When cultivating various cannabis strains indoors, plant training is often necessary to keep the canopy level.
One commonly used technique in gardening is topping. Topping involves removing the upper portion of the plant. It might seem counterintuitive to cut off the upper part of the plant, especially since that’s where the big buds usually develop. However, removing the top actually increases your potential yield.
The purpose of plant topping is to enhance bud quality by creating multiple colas instead of one large cola on the main stem. As a result, this leads to a higher yield. Once again, it’s the greater number of top bud sites that boost yields when employing cannabis training methods like topping.
The Benefits of Pruning the Top of a Plant
There are three primary reasons why cannabis growers employ topping as a training technique: efficient space utilization, optimal hormone distribution, and enhanced light utilization. We will delve into the rationale behind each of these factors and elucidate how topping can significantly elevate your gardening success.
In its natural growth pattern, cannabis plants tend to adopt a Christmas tree-like shape, with the lower branches extending widest to capture ample, unobstructed light. By removing the upper portion of the plant, the lower branches are no longer overshadowed by the large fan leaves above. This translates to more light reaching a greater number of leaves, resulting in increased photosynthesis. Consequently, the plant gains more energy for growth and bud development.
Additionally, topping serves as an effective tool for managing plant height, particularly in compact grow spaces with low ceilings. It also aids in creating a uniform canopy. When cultivating a variety of cannabis strains, if one strain tends to grow significantly taller than the others, topping that particular plant will bring it to a height more in line with the rest.
Topping proves invaluable for plant management when a gardener allows their plant to grow excessively tall during the vegetative stage. Most strains experience nearly a twofold increase in size during the transition phase known as the “stretch” when the flowering cycle commences. If a plant is already in close proximity to the light source and there’s a concern that it may outgrow the available light during the stretch, topping can effectively restrain its height.
Furthermore, there are several physiological benefits to topping the plant. When cannabis is topped, it’s the lower branches that ascend to form the canopy. These branches tend to grow thicker and sturdier, often requiring less support later on. One of the primary physiological advantages of topping any plant lies in the redistribution of auxins and hormones when apical dominance is disrupted.
Instead of the auxins and growth hormones concentrating at the tallest point, they are evenly distributed across the level canopy. This fosters uniform growth across numerous bud sites rather than one dominant central point. Having several “top” buds instead of a single large cola reveals the potential for boosted yields, particularly when used alongside other plant training methods.
Another incentive for growers to maintain an even canopy is to optimize the amount of usable light (PPFD) delivered to the cannabis plant. A level canopy ensures that the same amount of light reaches as many bud sites as possible. In the absence of training, plants can exhibit a towering main stem far above the majority of lower branches and bud sites.
To accommodate the taller upper area, the grow light must be positioned farther from the bulk of the lower bud sites, leading to lower PAR levels for most of the bud sites. Yet, with a uniform canopy, cultivators can place the light nearer to most of the upper bud sites.
Ultimately, when you top a plant (or even several side branches), two new branches emerge in place of the old one. This results in two bud sites, offering one way in which topping contributes to increased yields. The redistribution of growth hormones also stimulates lateral branching within the plant. When combined, these two advantages yield a larger, more robust plant compared to one grown without topping.
When Should You Trim the Cannabis Plants?
Topping a cannabis plant is typically carried out during the vegetative stage. Although in certain cases where a plant excessively stretches during flowering, topping may be necessary, it’s primarily performed during vegetation. Most gardeners choose to top a cannabis plant once or twice, although this training technique can be applied multiple times, provided the plant is given time to recover between each session.
Many growers refer to a specific node number as the point at which they should top the plant. However, it’s advisable to use your judgment. While growers often recommend topping between the 5th and 7th nodes, the actual height of the plant at this stage can vary, depending on whether it’s an indica or sativa strain. It’s essential to consider the height of your growing space and the typical stretching behavior of the strain when deciding where to top the plant.
Some growers opt to let the plant progress further into the vegetative stage before performing the topping process. A well-established root system can accelerate the plant’s recuperation in contrast to a seedling with less developed roots. Growers might also choose to trim a few of the lower branches before determining the optimal location for topping. The removal of some lower branches can influence the number of branches (nodal spaces) left before topping the plant.
In both scenarios, it’s crucial to top only healthy plants, as this technique does introduce some stress. While the plant may experience mild shock, with robust genetics, topping a plant should not induce hermaphroditic traits. Topping cannabis plants stands as one of the most commonly employed plant training techniques.
How to Trim the Cannabis Plants
Growers will require just one tool for topping the plant: a sharp and sterilized blade. Many cannabis cultivators use trimming scissors, while others opt for a fresh razor blade. Similar to taking a clone, gardeners should aim to make their cut at a 45-degree angle rather than a straight, horizontal one.
When topping a mature plant, make the cut approximately 2-3 cm above the last node where you want new branches to emerge. The cut section of the stem will eventually dry and slightly recede. Leaving this extra space allows for this natural process without compromising the strength of the branches at the uppermost node.
To count nodes, begin from the first set of lower branches and work your way upwards. Each pair of branches above represents a new node. Nodes are essentially the points where branches are attached, typically one branch on either side. When employing this plant training technique, growers count the nodes on the main stem to determine the optimal location for topping.
Now That You’re Prepared
Following the cannabis plant’s topping, provide the newly trimmed plant with a few days to a week for recuperation from the adjustment. Avoid the temptation to immediately transition the plant into the flowering stage after topping. Instead, ensure the plant receives adequate watering and nutrients. It’s remarkable what a healthy cannabis plant can withstand in terms of training techniques and stress.
By employing this straightforward plant training technique, you can achieve larger yields, cultivate different strains side by side, and optimize the efficiency of your wattage per euro.
Topping, as a plant training method, is frequently combined with other techniques. Low-stress training (LST) methods, such as gently bending or tying down branches, provide additional options for managing the canopy and disrupting the plant’s apical dominance. “Mainlining,” a cannabis training technique, combines topping and LST approaches.
