Pruning

[jimjumper]

Pruning may be necessary, with a low ceiling, to keep the height of the plants down; or it may be that you want to increase the number of heads. whatever the reason, and whatever the method, do note the following:

Major disturbances to the plants results in "recuperation stasis" i.e. the plant's growth is slowed up. prunning the cannabis plant will add a week or so to its maturity time.

if you prune too many time the plant will bush out and create a lot of heads- but they will be small and weak. i don't recomen prunning unless essential, and then only do two prunnings. my feelings, shared by a few other growers, is that plants should be allowed to live out their natural existence with as little interference as possible. However, here are some pruning techniques:

Equipment for prunning, including your hands, should be clean and sterile. plants are open to infection and cross infection just like you, so be creful in your handling of them.

The actual "cutting" of the plant can be done with thumb and forefinger, or a pair of sharp scissors. when removing a large section of the main trunk, make your cut about .5cm above the point where a leaf stem meets the trunk. To avoid infection, appart from having cleaen tools, paint a bit of prunning sealer (available from nurseries) onto the cut. try to prune in warm sunlight.

Cut the first top off the plant at one month (there should be 5-6 sets of leaves by this stage). the second cut may be done 2-3 weeks later, (approx. 14 sets of leaves) This system will increase the number of heads, but not overly stress the plant.

By the way, "bending" is an interesting alternative to prunning if height is a problem. the top of a 1.5M plant can be tied to a brick beside the pot with a piece of string, abd the string slowly tensioned over a period of a week or so, untill the yop is parallel with the ground. branches at the bend will continue upwards, and develop into trunks in their own right, but shorter than the main branch would have been. you will then have a double headed, bushier, shorter plant, without the stresses of prunning.

[dexorated]

Some good advice... basically instead of pruning, tie and tuck your branches/leaves out of the way.

[jimjumper]

its up to you what you do with your plants, as ive never actuall tried bending the plants i cant recomend it to you. although i do have a few grower friends who would recomend bending over pruning as it causes less stress to the plant.