Time to top?

[col.forbin]

Its been about 3 weeks and she is 7" tall and growing everyday it seems. Im a first timer at this, so have never topped, femmed or trimmed. Ive been told to wait until more leaf sets form...could someone tell me if I can top her yet and maybe lead me in the right direction on how?

Thanks everyone...here is the pic (Blue Hash Plant)

08052009277.jpg

[DieAbetic]

she looks old enough to handle it. just cut off the top sprouting leaves at their base (the newest growth). the plant will often split at that point into 2 large colas. do it with each of those and you have 4 large colas on the plant. if you want to keep them at a certain height before flowering (about 1/3rd of total grow space), simply keep cutting once they get to that height. this will make side branches sprout at the lower levels but will keep your plant low. its a weed dont worry you wont hurt it much. make sure to clean your scissors!

[kentuckyneedscompassion]

This is some info I found somewhere on the net, pictures too.
Topping a Plant

1. Locate the very top of your plant and cut through the main stem just below the newest growth. This should be done after the 3rd or 4th leaf set but can be done at any time after the 3rd leaf set.

2. Shows Plant Top cut off and where the 2 new Branches that will form a "Y" in the main stem will grow from.


Me personally, I cut mine down the plant further, to the next set of tiny leaves. That way I can root the top I just cut off.

[justplainbill]

Yep what DieAbetic said. I woulda topped it 2-3 nodes earlier but that is my style.

[col.forbin]

Originally Posted by kentuckyneedscompassion

This is some info I found somewhere on the net, pictures too.
Topping a Plant

1. Locate the very top of your plant and cut through the main stem just below the newest growth. This should be done after the 3rd or 4th leaf set but can be done at any time after the 3rd leaf set.

2. Shows Plant Top cut off and where the 2 new Branches that will form a "Y" in the main stem will grow from.


Me personally, I cut mine down the plant further, to the next set of tiny leaves. That way I can root the top I just cut off.

Thanks KY....what do the #3's in the 2nd pic represent?

[col.forbin]

Originally Posted by DieAbetic

she looks old enough to handle it. just cut off the top sprouting leaves at their base (the newest growth). the plant will often split at that point into 2 large colas. do it with each of those and you have 4 large colas on the plant. if you want to keep them at a certain height before flowering (about 1/3rd of total grow space), simply keep cutting once they get to that height. this will make side branches sprout at the lower levels but will keep your plant low. its a weed dont worry you wont hurt it much. make sure to clean your scissors!

Thanks....question, is there really any reason to top a plant if Im gonna keep it as the mother for a while? (I have another blue hash, almost identical....cant decide which to mother and which to flower)

Thanks

[kentuckyneedscompassion]

I believe they are meant to show the different spots that new growth will come from. Not sure about how they came up with using numbers and arrows. Seems to me arrows were plenty. The numbers just made it confusing. lol

[kentuckyneedscompassion]

If I was going to mother it, I would top it just for the sake of allowing more spots to grow, more spots to grow = more spots to make clones, inturn that will make more spots to cut even more clones, etc etc. by cutting off the 1 spot of growth on top now made you have 4 growing tops, and if those 4 tops grew a little bit, you could cut them in the right spot on each one and create 8 growing points. etc etc.
Sorry if I rambled, been hitting the strawberry cough and am feeling it. ;)

[col.forbin]

Originally Posted by kentuckyneedscompassion

If I was going to mother it, I would top it just for the sake of allowing more spots to grow, more spots to grow = more spots to make clones, inturn that will make more spots to cut even more clones, etc etc. by cutting off the 1 spot of growth on top now made you have 4 growing tops, and if those 4 tops grew a little bit, you could cut them in the right spot on each one and create 8 growing points. etc etc.
Sorry if I rambled, been hitting the strawberry cough and am feeling it. ;)

Ramble on Brother, I need all the help I can get...Im a bit confused, u say ill get 4 tops from the first cut? I thought it would be just 2.

Thanks for the info!