length /# of internodes for clones

[lumpcore]

I have a few plants i REALLY want to switch to flower, but want to take cuttings of them first. there are side branches, but they aren't moving very fast - most have between two and four internodes. how long / how many internodes should a branch generally have before being taken as a cutting?

I will post pics as soon...

 

[Hushpuppy]

I like to let my plants get to about the 6th node and then I FIM the tops of them. I let them grow out further and then take my cuttings 1 week before switching to flower. I like to let my plants get good and healthy before taking clones, that way I know that my clones as well as my mothers will be good and strong.

 

[lumpcore]

okay, thanks

 

[HemperFi]

excellent advice

 

[lumpcore]

i'm familiar with high stress training and low stress training, but what is FIMing? i did a quick search and nothing came up.

 

[bho_expertz]

Try Fim Medical in YouTube. Pretty good video made from a Vader guy.

 

[King Bud]

Lumpcore, see the "Growing Resources" at the top navigation bar, there's a good guide for FIM technique there.

I would wait a week, or until you see good growth again, before switching to flower, after taking cuttings.

 

[Hushpuppy]

I think Fimming is a better method than topping in most situations where you want to "bush up" your plant. I prefer it over topping because topping will cause the 2 secondary branches directly below the topping point to become the new top main colas; while Fimming, (when done right to a strain that takes well to it) will cause all or most of the secondary branches beneath the FIM point to become top main colas. With topping you get 2 main colas while FIM will give you as many as 4-8 main colas.

FIM is the techenique where you pinch out the growth bulb at the top of the plant but not take all of the bulb. Unlike topping where the whole top with stem is removed down to the leaf set beneath, with FIM you leave about 1/4-1/3 of the bulb in place.

I don't know exactly why it works but it fools the plant into slowing the vertical growth and divert the growth energy to the secondary branches that form at the leaves. All of these grow out and shoot straight up in an effort to become the top main cola. Once these branches have a week or two to get going, you can do LST on them to hold them down. Or you can put a screen over them and spread them all out beneath it for a scrog. Or let them grow up into a nice bush that will form cactus-like towers of bud.

 

[lumpcore]

thanks, guys - between the recommended reading/watching and hushpuppy's description of what the difference between FIMing and topping is, i think i know what to do.

love the sound of "cactus-like towers of bud"!!!

 

[Hushpuppy]

here is a good example(early on before they got big) of the cactus buds that can develop if you let them veg awhile after applying FIM: :hubba: This is an older run of our Blueberry Punch when we first learned how to FIM