# How to count nodes



## Surfer Joe

I have come across conflicting advice on how to count nodes for topping a plant.
One says to count the first serrated leaf set as node 1 and others say to count the first triple leaf set as node 1.
What do growers here tend to count as the first node?
And do you recommend cutting after the stem has had time to grow well past the node or to cut as soon as you can cut the stem above the node?
Thanks for any advice.


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## pute

I don't count nodes when topping.  It is how fast growing a plant is and the strain.  Some strains I don't top, some I do.  Some I top sooner that others.  I do top and then fem top usually.  Different strains do different things.  Get to know your plants. Confused, I was. After several runs you will know what I mean.


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## Chad.Westport

I always recommend growing out the plant naturally the first time to see how it wants to grow and what shape it takes. After that, if it was a fast and stretchy grower, I may use a mailing or manifold technique on the clone. If it was a slow grower or a shorter plant, I may not chop it at all in order to keep it as a level canopy with some of the taller plants that I have trained.

To answer your question - I don't count the node with the three finger leaves.


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## bigsur51

I start counting the first set of nodes after the cotyledons


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## Chad.Westport

and the funny thing, there isn't a "right" answer to the question, just preferences.


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## pute

Yup!


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## WeedHopper

Yep,,i very seldom top my plants.


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## pute

WeedHopper said:


> Yep,,i very seldom top my plants.


Most commercial indoor growers do.  At least the ones I know do.  They clean up all the bottoms of the plant as well....increases the yield.  Pics coming as soon as my lights come on.  Not saying it is right or wrong.....just the way I was taught to maximise yield.


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## pute

Ok, lights are on and I pulled a Pineapple plant about a month from harvest.  Two pictures one showing the way I top a plant.  Had one that stretched a bit more that the others but still a nice canopy across the top.  All the buds get even light.







This pic is how I clean up the bottom of the plant.......the buds at the bottom are popcorn or smaller sized.  I don't mess with these so they are removed so the plant can concentrate on the upper parts of the plant giving bigger buds.






Not saying my way is the only way but works for me.


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## jimihendrix

High Times had a pruning method back in the 90s.
The first True Serrated Leaf was the starting point/Node.

1 of the 2 first single serrated leaves is taken from 1 side.

As the plant grows, and develops the next set of leaves, the leaf from the OPPOSITE SIDE NODE of the plant is taken.
This process is repeated until the 5th Node, and then Topped at 6th node. Thats it. Take ONLY the TOP, not the 6th NODE BRANCHING, for some that may ask. Just snip the growing tip. Leave it alone, and blast it with Light, Food, Water, Lots of Medium and AIR FLOW.

I myself generally dont top my plants, but bend them over, and force the secondary growth to become main shoots. If I cull the lowest branches depends on strain. On a strain like Super Silver haze, the bottom secondary branching can produce huge colas if left alone. Some strains will benefit from removing the lowest parts. Im also not a fan of taking to many Healthy leaves. I may remove some that are growing inwards towards the stalks, but generally leave the leaves alone.
I also like strains that stretch alot during flowering, and take advantage of not having to veg as long. Some really long flowering strains ( 100+ days ) may start on 12/12, or they may get vegged 2 weeks. I had some Willie Nelson back in 2006, and vegged it 30 days, in 5 gallons Promix BX, and it was about 12-15 inches tall when flowered, and was 7 feet long when done, took up 2x 1000w Hortilux HPS, and grew 84 days after flowering was induced. I got the most ever from that amount of Medium. 16oz dried from 5 gallons medium.. Ive never done that well again. Lost that strain. I usually use 20 gallon containers, and get 16oz easily. Id never ver the Willie Nelson again if I could ever find it again. People also loved it. It was grey with trichomes.
I start seeds-flowering under 1000w Hortilux HPS, so they never see low light levels at any time of their lives.

I also agree that its good to just let a plant grow, and see how it does on its own. I mainly go for more sativa dominant hybrids that stretch alot, and have prolific side branching.

IMHO Topping vs a plant that stretches, and has strong secondary branching, in the long run the pruned plant may produce better, but will also increase Veg Time by weeks But i in another scenario, I think the turn around is faster, to have fast growing plants that one can take advantage of the stretch, and prolific side branching.


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## WeedHopper

The bottom is about the only thing i trim. I also bend them over sometimes,,according to what im growing.
Now if im growing outside i almost always top my plants because i have to keep them low and bushy to keep them camouflaged.


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## pute

Good stuff here.  I hope the new growers are watching an appreciate the many different ways of growing this plant.  Pay close attention to what *jimihendrix *said in his post.  He is spot on.  I do however grow about 50% indica because of popular demand.  Many long time smokers say Sativa's don't get them high.  I personally like sativas because of exactly what what was stated above.


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## Surfer Joe

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It's comforting to know that there are a lot of opinions about how to get the most out of the plants. I'm not so worried about doing the wrong thing.
I have topped in the past at the 4th, 5th, and 6th nodes and managed to get an even canopy, but when there are too many plants in the tent, they are crowded and it defeats the potential of spreading out a wider canopy.
Once I did just one plant and it spread out well with lst under the light and the yield was about 3 times what I normally get when I have 5 or 6 plants in the tent.
I'm growing two LSD fems from barneys farm now so I will see how they develop with more space.


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## WeedHopper

My C99 thats outside i toped at about 12". I now have 13 Big Colas.


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