# how to trim and when to trim for one cola plants?



## passafire420 (Dec 30, 2009)

How and when do you trim your plant to train it to make one main cola??

Anyone please respond and let me know!!


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## Icex420 (Dec 30, 2009)

I believe ir grows 1 cola naturally.

If you pinch the top it grows 2. do those two and you have 4.


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## legalize_freedom (Dec 31, 2009)

It's mostly in genetics, or the way you grow.  You can buy starins that grow in the single cola fashion, or you can throw a clone in with little veg growth and it will basically grow one main cola.  As for trimming I like to do any trimming in veg, or within the first 2 weeks of flower, I don't like to be cutting on them after that, although there has been times that I have had to, and had no problems.  I just think if you cut after the 2nd or 3rd week your plant is using energy to heal itself rather than bud production.


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## passafire420 (Dec 31, 2009)

so to just make one cola can i trim off the smaller flowers as they apear?


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## legalize_freedom (Jan 1, 2010)

Like I said I wouldn't trim anything after the 2nd or 3rd week, and don't trim a whole bunch at once, a little here, and a lttle there a couple days later.


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## docfishwrinkle (Jan 1, 2010)

pf i found this @ another site & makes scence to me & pretty much common scence. i have not tried these methods so dont hold me accountable.

first a few need to know things if you want to grow single cola's.

1) the strain selected is of extreme importance in this matter. some plants are designed to branch out and cover space. you have to read into each strain you are considering. a rather short stature indica with branches hugging the main stem would be a good starting point. blueberry feks.

2) the amount of light given to a plant will affect branching.

3) temperatures and humidity will affect both stretching and leafstructure. uneven temps may cause uneven internodes between branches and thats not what we want.

4) spacing. if growing many plants closely together, you must never allow them to overshadow eachother. when one plant grows over an other, the lower one will naturally start stretching for light, making for longer distances between internodes, or between new shoots if you will. longer stretches between new shoots=popcorn buds. because all a big bud really is, is many smaller buds growing very closely together... naturally!


Now.. to the matter at hand, how to get single cola plants:

well before i explain a number of different techniques i need a smokebreak ..(**** good weed, stinky waterpipe  )

Method 1: "the light deprivation technique"

- as stated above the amount of light given to a plant will affect branching. if you deprive the plant of light during the veg phase it will not develop its lower branches, but continously shoot new shoots at the top, closest to the little light there is. now it is important to know that depriving the plants from light will allso cause them to stretch more then normally so too little light is dangerous. many other factors such as the plants ability to absorb nutes with less light, and the plants ability to sustain higher temperatures with less light allso needs precautions. i should think that with less light a lowering of temperatures is in order as higher temperatures will raise the plants metabolism and thus the ability to absorb light and feeding. subsequently you are left with the dilemma of a lowered metabolism, and therefor also a slower growth rate of your plants during veg. 

the correct amount of "too little light" to develop branches x the correct temperature x the correct feeding = the desired result of a pole like structured plant with little branching.

i think somewhere around 50w pr plant and stabile temperatures in the area of 21-22 degrees C in veg phase then returning to optimum conditions in flowering should get you the desired result.



Method 2: "the pruning technique"

-growing the plants with the correct/maximum amount of light and under optimal conditions during veg to get the closest possible distance between internodes. then pruning all of the side branches from the bottom to the top of the plant, leaving only the absolute inner shoot on every branch. you may find on bigger plants that the 2-3 lowest branches may have some distance from the stem to the first shoot. allso it is normal for the very lowest branch to be a be an underdeveloped leecher branch, these are branches that grow below the widest part of the plant and therefor get less light and have longer distance between internodes. therefor cut the 2-3 lowest branches off at the stem. these cut-offs can ofcourse be used for clones.

after pruning put directly into flower or you will loose control of the shape of the plant quickly. notice that sativas will stretch and grow much longer into the flowering cycle, so this method is not reccomended with stretchy sativas.

Method 3: "the tie-in technique"

- with stretchy sativas you will not be able to control the spacing of the internodes in order to create a thick pole. you therefor have to cheat and tie the branches in to the stem. you should do this in a spiralling motion wrapping each branch around and around the main stem carefully turning and pointing each shoot on these branches outwards. you start with the upper branches and finish with the lower ones, carefully organizing each branch and each shoot on that branch into the form of a household screw. you will have to do this some time into flowering with the most stretchy strains to prevent them from growing out of shape. prune what you have to prune. most likely that will be sidebranches on lower branches, or the usual 2-3 lowest ones.

this technique requires alot of adapting on your behalf not only to your particular plants growth cycles but to its environment aswell. you will have to work at this method, finding your way of doing it! how and where to tie and what knots to use, and when to start bending and how much to bend... that my friend is something only the grower of that particular plant knows!


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## docfishwrinkle (Jan 1, 2010)

branches cut @ main will not produce but will produce ur main cola if branches are trimmed w/ a nub on main for bud sites to produce. leave a fan w/ the cut. dont know if i made scence or confused you more.


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## MY_WEED_KNOWS_NO_LIMITS (Jan 2, 2010)

i think i get it. pretty much just trim everything to a stub on the main branch.  i would probably leave som at the top.


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## passafire420 (Jan 2, 2010)

thanks man i think you about sum it up for me!!


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## docfishwrinkle (Jan 2, 2010)

glad to be of some help


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## Icex420 (Jan 2, 2010)

Very interesting fish. Good info


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