# Main cola more potent?



## kalikisu (Mar 3, 2009)

Is the main cola the most potent part of the plant? This is a question brought up in a thread started by Fruitybud. I just would like some opinions and experiences with this topic. Also for those of us who LST and top, what does this mean to us?


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## King Bud (Mar 3, 2009)

Not _entirely _sure how to judge it, but..
..in my experience, there is much less leaf/stem per gram on the top buds, so I think they're more potent.
:confused2:


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## goneindawind (Mar 3, 2009)

From what Ive noticed the area that is getting alot light tends to frost up faster, so its prolly whatever is on top weather its lst or toped gets the frostiest and fattest.


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## Abso (Mar 3, 2009)

I'm not educated enough to answer this properly, but simply any training that redirects the hormone from the tallest point of the plant to allow the other limbs and new cola's to form, .  

That's what it means and seems to do for me, =p.


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## Dillan (Mar 3, 2009)

The trics on the main cola always amber up a little faster then the rest so if harvested all at once i would say yes the main is probably a little more potent then the lower buds.


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## cadlakmike1 (Mar 3, 2009)

Like I said in the other thread if you harvest the entire plant at the same time the main cola's trichs are going to be further along so it will seem more potent. If you harvest in sections and allow all the bud to reach the same color in trichs it should all be the same. just my 0.02.


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## imager777 (Mar 3, 2009)

It varies by strain and growing condition.  That's always a given though.  Also, the potency is completely based on my own judgement.  Trust me, I have enough experience to tell how my body's reacting.  Also, this is for indica and hybrid strains, that have a cloudy stage.

Generally, as far as I've noticed, the main cola's not necessarily any more potent than the rest of the plant.  The trichomes tend to be more or less developed; but the potency, overall, seems to be the same.  Let me explain.  On my plants (Doesn't seem to matter if I top, L.S.T., or let it hang out all natural like) the bottom part of the main cola(s) and the buds just below seem to be more mature.  Sometimes some of the very bottom buds on the plant will mature faster, I guess since they grew first.  However, They never seem to finish as well as the middle buds and the bottom of the main cola.  That's most likely a light issue.  So, results from outside grows may be completely different.  Here's a breakdown of how it seems to be working out for me, based on when I harvest.

Early harvest (Trichomes fully developed, but still clear... maybe starting to get a little cloudy):  
The main cola's usually not potent toward the top at all.  The rest is so so.  If you want to tarvest at this stage, it shouldn't be for the larger cola(s).  It's for the general uplifting high.  There tends to just be a good burst of energy for a short amount of time and then it just wears off.  It could be a strong high, depending on the plant, but it generally won't sit you on your back side and there's no real "come down" period.  It just kind of goes away at some point, leaving you wondering where that high you just had went to.  A.K.A. "Oh great just googly it, I'm not high anymore... damn..."

Mid harvest (Trichomes cloudy... maybe a few clear, maybe a few amber):
This is where it's at for me!  Most of the main cola is indeed more developed and actually, contradictorily, a little more potent.  The very top of the main cola, as usual will be less potent.  It's new growth.  it pretty much has to be.  This will uplift you for a bit, give you a good after glow, and possibly sit you on your back side.  As a side note, if you cure for a while, the very top of the main cola will usually mature.  That's why I consume my colas from the bottom up or middle out now -- middle out is better.

Late harvest (Trichomes going past cloudy):
Yup, the cola will be really mature and stony if you let it get that far.  The rest of the plant will likewise be really mature.  Even the bottom light scrounger buds will usually be at least very milky, if not fully ripe (Possibly over ripe).  The actual potency seems to still be about the same all over.  The high changes to more of a stone or mellow.  It actually seems less potent to me than full cloudy.  But it doesn't matter much.  You won't want to move to do anything about it.  You'll just sit there content and contemplating your current situation.

Really/Over ripe harvest (Trichomes mostly amber):
I've only done this once; so I can only give experience with that.  It wasn't potent enough for me, and I didn't like the all out stone.  It was a weeker stone, and I didn't want to move to do anything about it... totally different from the above nice stone that I didn't really want to do anything about.  I just had this overwelming feeling that I needed to somehow rectify the situation.  The bud was for friends, for a 420 party.  I really took time to grow and cure it.  it was a perfect bud; about eight to ten inches dry... and thick.  Adult sex toys should be modeled after this thing.  To note, my friends loved it.  Honestly, I think it was a little of the bag appeal that did it for them.  I may try again later, but for now I'll stick with partially to full cloudy.  This was White Widow, by the way.  The buds I sampled earlier were great, so it wasn't the plant.  I just let it go too long.  Also, don't get me wrong.  it was still definitely strong... just not strong enough to make the stone enjoyable.  I just felt lethargic and not at all social.

As for sativas and any plant that doesn't have a real cloudy stage... I've only had the pleasure of growing a few of these.  In my experience so far, it's the same deal, except that the longer you wait to harvest the better the high.  I've yet to get one of these to be over ripe.  It's hard enough to wait for even a little true amber.  So, you'll have to wait for someone else to chime in and give more info for your sativay plants.


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## city (Mar 3, 2009)

So... lst'd plants will have even tric's and bud?


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## Abso (Mar 3, 2009)

city said:
			
		

> So... lst'd plants will have even tric's and bud?



That has always been the entire point behind it, haha, =p.


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## city (Mar 3, 2009)

I thought it was to get multiple large cola's


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## leafminer (Mar 4, 2009)

Last grow I had moms that were on their second cycle and LSTd them, they ended up most impressive - see  but come harvest time, that multitude of small colas ended up at not much more dry weight than the single cola clones with their pigtails of popcorn up the stem. And since they don't branch naturally, you can grow more single colas than LSTd plants in the same space. 
Of course, all the above is only true for indicas and doesn't apply to sativas.
And is strictly my own experience in recent grows. Here's a single cola plant to compare with the LST'd mom. Draw your own conclusions. 
Basically I like science so I tend to experiment. LST vs single-cola. Next is mass Producer's hempy bucket vs normal bucket.


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## Abso (Mar 4, 2009)

city said:
			
		

> I thought it was to get multiple large cola's



I guess I'm too stoned, but wasn't that was said?  Hahaha.  

You will still have popcorn lower down, its simply the branches you give enough time to catch up in veg to form more colas and nice fat buddage up top.


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## kalikisu (Mar 4, 2009)

yeah since i have grown I have LSTed,but i see these massive single colas and i am always amazed. I think i will give the single cola a try.


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## PhÃ¦drus (Mar 31, 2009)

city said:
			
		

> I thought it was to get multiple large cola's



...with even trichs and bud.


Am in mid-harvest of four modestly-sized plants that I used LST on out of necessity, and am extremely happy with the results.  To clarify: by LST, I'm referring to the tie-down method.  My understanding of pruning and topping was that they were considered higher-stress methods of training.  No matter, I could be insane.

It's matter of personal taste, but I prefer to keep my colas; I ended up with side-shoots from the middle areas of the plant that were nearly fist-sized, with no sacrifice of the growth tip nor time spent regenerating growth the plant had already given me.  But I'm novice (and could be insane).

This was just a first grow, so I can't really give the impression of comparative analytical feedback.  What I can attest to is the fact that you will (with adequate lighting in these areas,) be quite satisfied with your side growth volume, size, and trich-count given the competent use of either of these methods.


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## zipflip (Mar 31, 2009)

leafminer said:
			
		

> Last grow I had moms that were on their second cycle and LSTd them, they ended up most impressive - see but come harvest time, that multitude of small colas ended up at not much more dry weight than the single cola clones with their pigtails of popcorn up the stem. And since they don't branch naturally, you can grow more single colas than LSTd plants in the same space.
> Of course, all the above is only true for indicas and doesn't apply to sativas.
> And is strictly my own experience in recent grows. Here's a single cola plant to compare with the LST'd mom. Draw your own conclusions.
> Basically I like science so I tend to experiment. LST vs single-cola. Next is mass Producer's hempy bucket vs normal bucket.


 
  so how is it you get them single cola plants?  do you start flowering on ur clones as soon as they come round an get rooted? looks nice. it really interests me.


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## BBFan (Mar 31, 2009)

zipflip said:
			
		

> so how is it you get them single cola plants? do you start flowering on ur clones as soon as they come round an get rooted? looks nice. it really interests me.


 
Just let the plant grow naturally without any training (ie topping or lst).  You will end up with a plant with a main stem (and cola) and several smaller bud sites.  Was that your question?


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## WeedHopper (Mar 31, 2009)

> As for sativas and any plant that doesn't have a real cloudy stage


 
What do you mean?


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## Kupunakane (Mar 31, 2009)

Yo Ho imager777,

    I am a bit curious as to what your talking about as far as a Sativa not having a cloudy stage. I have grown Sativa's for many a year outdoors,  and last year finally moved inside with my Sativa's.
 All of my babies have had a cloudy stage, and they are pure sativa, not a cross. I have some really cool pics in here of exactly what you say doesn't happen. Perhaps you might tender an explanation, as I am obviously not doing something right.

smoke in peace
Kingkahuuna


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## WeedHopper (Mar 31, 2009)

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> Yo Ho imager777,
> 
> I am a bit curious as to what your talking about as far as a Sativa not having a cloudy stage. I have grown Sativa's for many a year outdoors, and last year finally moved inside with my Sativa's.
> All of my babies have had a cloudy stage, and they are pure sativa, not a cross. I have some really cool pics in here of exactly what you say doesn't happen. Perhaps you might tender an explanation, as I am obviously not doing something right.
> ...


 
:yeahthat: My Sativas also have a Cloudy Period.


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## imager777 (Apr 6, 2009)

KingKahuuna said:
			
		

> Yo Ho imager777,
> 
> I am a bit curious as to what your talking about as far as a Sativa not having a cloudy stage. I have grown Sativa's for many a year outdoors,  and last year finally moved inside with my Sativa's.
> All of my babies have had a cloudy stage, and they are pure sativa, not a cross. I have some really cool pics in here of exactly what you say doesn't happen. Perhaps you might tender an explanation, as I am obviously not doing something right.
> ...



You're doing everything right.  Not all plants, even sativas have true amber trichomes.  It's just a sativa trait (As far as I know.)  It's rare.  You can liken it to people with blue eyes.  It is, however, a well documented phenomenon.  A simple google will explain far better than I ever could in one post.  Then click the images tab, after googling, to see a side by side comparison of milky vs. true amber.  Once you know what you're looking for, it's very easy to spot.

Odly enough, someone posted a macro of a lowrider on some forum... possibly here.  It actually had true amber trichomes.  That really surprised me.  I don't know the version of lowrider or if that was the usual; but it caught me totally by surprise.


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