# Topping baby MJ plants..



## hero4u2b (Oct 7, 2011)

Hi everyone. As most of you know I am new around here and only on my second grow and would like to know how big should a MJ plant be when one wants to top. I am doing 6 and all are still seedlings.. My last grow I tried topping one that was a few weeks old and the 2 large fan leaves under the top got large and the plant really didn't recover well.. It went sideways on me and I probobly could have saved her knowing what I know now ( useing supports to hold her up) until she gained strength to support herself. Now my question is, Should I even top number one? two, I was thinking about topping when I start to see 3 leaflets and do the next set on top. Does that sound right? I dont know enough about firming or lsting to get into anything like that but topped before many years ago, on outdoor grows. Thanks Hero


----------



## Lemon Jack (Oct 7, 2011)

I like to top my plants personally.  I usually wait till I have around 7-8 nodes then top it. JMO  Fiming is almost the same you just cut midway through the top actually rather than cutting the whole top off.  And lst is a really easy  method as well IMO all you do is bend it over gently and tie it down the plant naturally reaches for the light so when it grows out tie it down again.


----------



## Hushpuppy (Oct 8, 2011)

I used to top but I have tried Fimming and love the outcome so much more. It's really not that difficult. It just takes some practice to get it right. The worst you can do is take too much and that just becomes topping.

I have found that if I use my index finger and thumb, and feel down into the top of the new growth, there is a little "nut" of growth. Start by gently pushing that nut open to push out the bigger leaves that are starting to drop away from the "nut", then just pinch about 2/3 of the top of the nut off with yer fingernails, leaving the bottom 1/3 of the nut still there. 

Once it grows out, it will (if it was done right) produce 4-8 new branches, and it will encourage the plant to bush up quicker. If the nut produces only 1-2 new branches or leaves and they are mutated looking, then you didn't cut enough of the "nut". It doesn't harm the plant, and the mutated leaves don't cause any problems, and you can just top them off if you don't like them. If you have several plants try it on a couple and see how it works. I usually wait till about the 5-7th node to fim or top.


----------



## Killertea08 (Oct 8, 2011)

Here are some pictures to help you visualize where everyone is talking about.


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 8, 2011)

So I should wait till they are larger?  I was hoping to do it after node 3 or 4 so they would recover quickly and take off that much quicker.. Thanks everyone. Hero


----------



## Killertea08 (Oct 8, 2011)

Not really sure Hero, but be patient there are many people here to give you the right advice.


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 8, 2011)

Sometimes they give good advice . sometimes I dont exsist. lol maybe its my questions.. Well I dont take it too personal when I dont get many replys anymore. lifes too short to get worked up over things I am powerless over if you know what I mean. I have been watching a lot of videos on you tube about lsting. fiming. topping , There is alot of info there by growers that share their grows publicly.  I think I am going to roll with topping in a week or so at about the 4th node so as they recover quickly.. I dont want my plants to get top heavy again. I want to thank you for your help thou.. take care. Hero


----------



## Locked (Oct 8, 2011)

I hve never fimmed but it sounds interesting....I top my plants at 5 nodes normally. Just a preference though. I try and top at least a week before flower to let them heal a bit. Jmo


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 8, 2011)

Thanks Hammy n puffin. I am going to do it at like node 4 or 5 as well. Hero


----------



## Killertea08 (Oct 8, 2011)

Told ya Hero, be patient there are a lot of great peps on this site.  Growing is trial and error, we mess up and we try again, no biggie.  Good luck on your grow, post up some pics so we can see how there doing.  Be safe
KT


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 9, 2011)

K will soon.. still not much to look at... theyre babys, muy pronto..  Hero, Here you go. I have multiple strains here 2) Confidental cheese's from Greenhouse seeds, 1) Chemdog from Reserva Privada, 1) Papaya from Barneys farm. 1) Pineapple chunk from Barneys farm and 1) Vanilla kush from Barenys farm. Theyre all less than a week old under 24 hour floros, mixture of FFOF and MG seed starter mix, 50/50 , PH'd water @ about 6.8 and 7. Take care , Hero


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 9, 2011)

Well the little bags they all came it were thrown out a while ago.. but I think I got them from where I said.. All were ordered thru singleseedcompany.. I think it is.. I have had these here for probobly 5 months.. waiting for the hurricane season to get over with here so I wouldnt chance loss of electricty.. You could be right but it said chemdog.. no cross or hybrid I beleive.. Hero


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 9, 2011)

Yep I am here cuz I am not all there puffin...update. lol  u were right puffin.. I just checked the seeds I have left over theres 2 rocklocks freebies from from DNA genetics and the papaya IS from Nirvana..( theres 1 one a bag) . Hero


----------



## Hushpuppy (Oct 10, 2011)

Sorry to take so long to get back to you Hero. I was out of town for a few. I like to wait till the plants reach 5th node as that is typically when they are good and strudy and really got their feet under them. 

I don't know how true this is but I read that when growing from seeds, they should not be topped or fimmed before node 5 as they are reaching their sexing stage around node 5 and topping earlier can cause them to revert their sex from female to male because of the healing stress during the sexing period interferes with the hormones that determine sex. 

Either way, good luck with it, Green mojo


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 11, 2011)

Wow thats interesting HP. I still have a week or so to go so Im ok.. Thanks for that info on fimming.. I dont know if I dare try it.. This is only my second grow so I may wait until I have a lil more experience under my belt.. Do def appreciate the knowledge thou fo sho.. Thanks  Hero


----------



## ChuckNorris (Oct 12, 2011)

I usually do mine 4 - 6 nodes =D


----------



## Hushpuppy (Oct 12, 2011)

Hey Hero and Guys who may be interested in the Fimming technique. I am by no means a master at this, in fact I am only just gettin the hang of it, but I thought some pics of my recent foray into my own grow would be helpful.  

I just set up my personal stealth cabinets in a shed at a friend's house. He is going to reap some of the benefits from it since he is providing the place for me. But I got a couple of clones of White Russian and started them in a little DWC-top feed variant system. The first 2 pics are when they were a week in, before fimming. The second 2 pics show the top multi-cola development 4 days after they were fimmed. On one of the plants I counted 8 colas and the other I have 6 colas. Had I just topped these there would only be 2 top colas.

Well the computer put them in the wrong order :doh: The bottom 2 pics are from before applying the Fim technique


----------



## getnasty (Oct 12, 2011)

PuffinNugs said:
			
		

> depends on the plant though too when topped, i get way more than 2 colas when i top. ill have some pictures up in a minute camera not working and wife has the cellphone.


Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought topping resulted in 2 colas, while fimming resulted in anywhere from 4-8 colas. Are you sure you aren't fimming, if this is true?


-nasty


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 13, 2011)

I would love to see those in a few weeks Hushpuppy.. See how many colas were forming.. Thanks  Nice plants puffin. in about a week or 2 I am going to post some pics of my babys and ask for advice on topping. fimming or just letting them go ..  Thanks you guys.. appreciate it..  Hero


----------



## Hushpuppy (Oct 13, 2011)

Yeah, like Puffin said, it definitely will vary with different strains. The key is that when the plant gets 5 or more nodes before it is topped or fimmed, all of the little branch shoots beneath the point of the top or Fim will typically become the new colas. This happens as a self preservation tactic by the plant when it is affected in any way that prevents the top main cola from staying the top main cola. 

In nature the highest and more exposed flowers will have the best chance of getting properly pollinated and dispersed (generally speaking). So if anything is done to prevent that top main cola from staying on top, the plant responds by dispersing the "top main cola" hormones to all of the lower growing branches in an effort to recreate the best chance to get a new "top main cola". More often than not (depending on the strain) most of the newly growing shoots get supercharged to grow in a race to be the "top main cola", resulting in many nice top buds. 

This same effect is created with all of the training techniques. But the structure of the plant is what will change with the different techniques.


----------



## hero4u2b (Oct 13, 2011)

Thanks Hushpuppy.. One day after I get a few more grows under my belt and feel more confident about it. I will def try it.. Right now.. I dont feel qualified to do it.. I think I am going to top in a week or 2 depending how the plants are looking.. I will post pics and ask opinions then.. Thanks HP    Hero


----------

