LST vs. Topping?

[Version 2]

My first plants are just now growing their fourth node and I was looking at the LST and Topping methods of growing. I understand a little bit about Topping, not too much. But I found this on LST:http://forum.grasscity.com/showthrea...tress+Training.

My question is, which methods is better, or more preferred? And if anyone has a decent link on topping method I would appreciate it.

[d4rkw0lf]

Top, and then lst

Top, just simple cut the top off........

[youngandstupid]

Originally Posted by d4rkw0lf

Top, and then lst

Top, just simple cut the top off........

And that does what? Not being a jackass I have literally no clue and have heard the term before. Can you do it after LSTing?

[s12fever]

Explaining topping imo is basically this:

See a normal mj plant, how it shoots vertically upwards on 1 main stem...
Topping is cutting the top node off, so it causes another node to grow thus making two main colas instead of one...


______________|
without topping: |


__________\ /
with topping: |


ignore the ___'s

:P

[mrtwomuchskill]

hey S12 I always wanted to know is that you on the avator if so drop me a PM

[godiva]

Originally Posted by mrtwomuchskill

hey S12 I always wanted to know is that you on the avator if so drop me a PM

HAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

GET YER COAT - YOU'VE PULLED!!!!!

[godiva]

Sorry MrTwo - wasn't laughing/making fun of you....

S12 is a chap

[s12fever]

Originally Posted by mrtwomuchskill

hey S12 I always wanted to know is that you on the avator if so drop me a PM

LOLZORDS!!! I WISH

[Version 2]

Ok, so that explains topping a little more. When should this be done though? During veg or flower?

I've started a grow journal on my two plants. I'm going to grow one in the traditional way, and the other I'm going to try LST on. That's so incase I horribly mess up my LST I'll still have one plant untouched.

[godiva]

Top during early stages of veg - if you top it when its flowering you cut off the bud - rather a pointless excercise - lol

[Steed007]

To top simple use sissors(clean setrile) and simply cut off the growing head between the newest formed leafs, thats it!
Once done simpley wait 5 days for your plant to recover from shock(well you did just cut its head off lol).
Two new tops will grow either side becoming 2 new main stalks rather than 1 if your after yeild in buds then topping is recomended.
see my first pic below Ak48 Topped as you can clearly see the 2 new heads
with a surprise growing inside in pic 2

Only top a plant once you seen at least the first set of 7 leafs!
And never top a plant thats in the flowering stage or at the start of it.

[DuRiecheSoGut]

how many times can you do this? Just once or as many times as you likr? Space permitting.

[Reefa Cheefa]

You can do this as many times as you like its adding more and more bud sites. or you FIM which is just like the top but the cut is a little higher and the result will be 3 or more tops. i took clones from one of my plants, fimmed then used lst and it has Crazy branches i just counted 18 growing tips and its not even 6" tall

[Nirvanas_Papaya]

The advantages of topping a plant, this is generally for people who are limitted on space. Weed grows sort of like a Christmas tree (tall in the middle) which makes it difficult to grow due to height restrictions. It also makes it difficult for the light (placed above the plant) to reach the lower branches.

I think you misunderstood something, when you top a plant properly (kinda like you mentioned above) this forms several "MAIN COLAS" not just the one in the center. All of the colas will (or should) grow just as big and healthy as the main cola would have grown. Plus this method allows the plant to grow a nice, relatively level canopy which you can then place the lights directly on top, thus maximizing light absorbtion by the plant, exactly where they need it, on the main buds.

Hope this helps ya