Hey Jras, So essentially breaking a thick branch in half let it hang and let the branch recover to keep it low and bud towers shall appear and stem growth lessens. I recall you mentioned you do the super crop twice. Does this stress the plant into full emergency production? Does this shorten the flowering process when it begins? I would think the demand for nutes would be higher to make up for the added production.
I do need to clarify a little bit I super crop 1-2 times in veg and I usually do it one time in early flower like 1st-2nd week to slow down main growth and beef up side branches, minimize the stretch. What is super crop and why does it work? First the reasoning behind the madness, cannabis is a apical dominate type of plant meaning top of plant grows up with smaller side branches and to do this the plant send auxins (growth hormone) to all parts of the plant but majority goes to the top. So what we do like in other types of stress training we trick the plant to think the top is no longer the top can be done with scrog (my preferred method) tie down topping,fiming or super cropping. This will make the plant send auxins to other branches to become the new top, resulting in branches that may have never gotten light to be at the same height as the rest of the plant. Ok now since you have the science behind it Ill tell you my method, first 2 weeks of growing I don't touch I keep my 250 hps fairly close and this gets a nice stack of branches with usually only 1/2-1/4" between nodes beginning of week 3 I raise the light to about 18-24" above plant this will cause her to stretch only takes about 2 days. Then I do the first crop job (pinch the stem you hear and feel stem break turn 90 degrees and pinch again and gently bend over). In less than 24 hrs you'll see her start to recover, top will start to bend towards the light and immediately see growth in lower branches, and I do this again in a week and this time I usually do a couple other branches that are the tallest basically trying to get all branches at same height. Then again 1st-2nd week of flowering, this gives her time to recoup before the buds start I DO NOT crop after 2nd week as she does need a little time to fully recoup and not be to stressed out. Then I go through and defoliate any budsites that aren't receiving any light. G
As far as nutrients go I give them recommended dosages throughout but yes I go through more solution because I get a bigger buds and bigger yields than if I were not to super crop. Hope this helps or gives a little insight. G
Now it makes a little more sense. Thank you for sharing. Would you also do this method if trying to get seeds?
I mean If you want cola branches and seed branches , does doing this method effect quality or quantity of the seeds? If you pollinated some. Or preferred just for seedless production? Or does it not matter because all stressful acts happened in veg already..
I certainly like to learn new techneques that i can incorporate in my growing style. That pic with PE it looks like the alps. Good job. If they want to get huge i let them. In the past the harvests have been great when i do come across one that wants to get big. I cant wait for my PE to develope. Although many of my tops will be seed filled, i hope. Sent from my iPad using Grasscity Forum
Oh yea sorry I forgot we had conversation about pollination haha, no does not affect seed production but I do always make sure i pollinate a branch that exposed to good light that way you guarantee its nice and finished when you harvest G
Yea you want to try and keep most of your stress early on and down to a minimum otherwise you could tweak her even in veg, basically your plant will tell you everything too if it gets stressed from first crop job well maybe that's all I'll do. That's why I love scrog it's a very low stress training with excellent results best method I've tried to date. Only reason I'm not doing it is I have inlaws come and visit and stay adjacent to my grow room so I have to temporarily change location and moving a plant that's 4'x4' square down stairs is impossible, so I changed methods to keep them short and really bushy so I don't loose to much yield. Scrog is awesome cause same rules apply as before with talk of auxins but you make every branch have equal auxin spread cause of exact same height with no breaking and heal time. G
Ok cool. yea I finished with pollination process and i tried to use top branches. Was thinking of trimming it, or just leaving it be
At that stage I wouldn't trim if I were you earlier is better like end of second to middle of third is max, think about tucking some of those leaves down to allow more light penetration too. Sometimes if the plant is pliable enough you can spread the branches a little and do the tuck. Be very careful if you spread as if she's too ridged and you spread too much SNAP FUCK!!! Haha so be gentle G
Ok, I will leave it be. I trimmed already twice in early flower. That's what I usually do is have them tell me what's what. I just chaperone and make sure things are working properly and needs are met to flourish. I will certainly attempt the method you employ to see if works for me. Thanks again and those pictures are very nice of your plants.
Time for some updates white widow is enter he last week so is on straight water View attachment 1702736 View attachment 1702739 Here is the black diesel 16 days into flower Cheese candy 16 days in flower And here is my auto G
Can u explain to me what you did with your top colas to supercrop? And also how did u get them so bushy and wide? Steady topping them? Sent from my iPhone using Grasscity Forum