# tie-down question



## JohninWI (Jan 16, 2011)

Hey Folks,
Yesterday I tied down some of my older seedlings, really just to reduce there height while my new God Buds catch up (they are about 2 weeks younger).  I'd like to start flowering them the same time.

I used some cord, and I tied the top couple of nodes over at sharper than 90 degrees.

So how does it work with the "apical dominance"?  Do I need to KEEP it tied over for good, or does a few days or a week of being bent over cause the next nodes to grow new branches?  It would be nice to have 3 or 4 main stalks.

I generally just kind of let the plants "do there thing"--little training, just growing a kind of stubby "christmas tree" plant with one main cola.  Except when I screw up and break a branch off or something.


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## BeastyBudzz (Jan 16, 2011)

Are you looking to get 3 to 4 more colas on each plant?

If so why not to? Topping your plant once makes 2 main coas, 2 to 4, 4 to 8, etc..

So maybe top it twice to get those for main branches or "colas"?
just my opinion :]

good luck with the grow!


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## pcduck (Jan 16, 2011)

I just bend them over and do not tie them. They will recuperate and still grow towards the light, maybe by then your others will have caught up or you could stack stuff under the shorter ones to keep an even canopy.

The only time I tie plants is when the buds are to heavy and keep falling over.


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## Rosebud (Jan 17, 2011)

I use plastic rings, like shower curtain rings kinda, and place them on the stem. It works great. If you make a lateral branch, wherever there is a leaf bracket you will start a vertical branch.


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## woodydude (Jan 21, 2011)

I have been using rubber bands and paper clips to train my plants.
Paper clip round a branch or whatever, attached to rubber band and another paper clip to attach it to whatever I am using to bend the branch over.
I prefer this to topping as the shock of topping can stop growth for a little while.
Peace
Woody


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## Alistair (Jan 22, 2011)

I bend and tie them down indefinitely, sometimes permanently.  It can become cumbersome, though, as OSS said.  I use string and tie one end as close to the tip of the branch as possible and then pull it down as needed, then using a thumb tack I secure the other end of the string to the pot.  

Sometimes it's good to remove the string after the branch has been trained, because as the branch grows it tends to cut itself in half with the string.  The branch grows around the string, cutting itself in half.

Fishing weights sound like a good idea.  Perhaps I'll try that next time.

I do LST and topping for most grows.


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## LassChance (Jan 23, 2011)

JohninWI said:
			
		

> Hey Folks,
> Yesterday I tied down some of my older seedlings, really just to reduce there height while my new God Buds catch up (they are about 2 weeks younger). I'd like to start flowering them the same time.
> 
> I used some cord, and I tied the top couple of nodes over at sharper than 90 degrees.
> ...


 
Keep them tied down thru the grow.  You will get lots of equal height colas.  I use zip-ties, but string is fine.  When the tip grows and reaches UP, tie it back down again unless you're ready to flower, then just let it be the last upright cola.

You're going to love the results.  The left-alone Christmas tree shape is OK, but all the branches from the top down and further and further away from the light PLUS are shaded by the branches above.  Tieing down will give you lots of colas, all the same distance from the light and all UNshaded by higher branches.

Lass


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