Topping vs Tying Down

Discussion in 'Plant Training' started by MuddyTires, May 7, 2010.

  1. Hey yall im in the procss of my first grow. I will be transplanting to an outdoor location soon. I've been reading up trying to do my HW for upcoming stages. I've found out alot of great info about topping and tying down but im still debating the pros and cons. Please help me out, as i dont have enough info to make a decission right now (although i guess i have a little while)

    Pros:Topping
    -plants wont get too tall
    -higher yield? ( ive heard both schools of though say "oh, _____ method produced more")
    -shorter bushier plants dont have sterotypical weed plant look

    Cons:Topping
    -any quality or potency lost by putting the plant through the period of shock?
    -since im very new to this, possible messin my grow up? or it it easier than it sounds

    --------------------------------------------

    Pros:Tying Down
    -once again, plants wont be tall
    -higher yield?
    -premotes branching
    -more sun coverage

    Cons: Tying Down
    - if i do this wrong or too quickly i could accidently snap the trunk
    -ive also heard that tied down plants are more vaunerable to damage in a storm

    any advice on either of these from you experienced growers would be appreciated. i realize both have their pros and cons and both are good techniques. just looking for some personal advice from some people taht have done it before :confused_2:

    thanks yall
     
  2. i think you are way too preoccupied with how difficult these practices are...both are simple as can be! you can easily use both techniques in conjunction to create awesome little bushes. with tying down outside, i suppose would you risk a greater chance of getting muddy buds or animal attack.

    I'm personally a fan of Fimming over topping...3 tops!
     
  3. dude, on my first grow I was scared shitless to touch my plants while they were still only 5 nodes tall or so. Just do what I did after the 4th node or so *pluck* the new growth at the main stem with your fingers. First time I did it got 4 tops per plant and each cola was almost an ounce dry. It's called weed for a reason, that shit will always bounce back. Just don't get top happy like I did on my second grow cuz the potency did drop with all the shock i put her thru :(. If you need pictures utilize your search function. That button alone got me to where I am now today.

    One question though, if you want to top your outdoor plants shouldn't you just find a nice tidy space to grow indoors because most outdoor growers grow outdoors so their ladies can really grow into TREES.
     
  4. both of yall are probably right im just over thinkin and bein paranoid about it. Thanks to both of you for helping me out. still not sure what im gonna do yet. right now im leaning on what snowboardb said and clip the new growth when it gets to that stage. I cant grow indoors because of where I live now (roomates suck, neighbors suck, community sucks haha). otherwise i would have already set up a room. and i would grow em tall but i'd rather have more colas. anyway +1 for both of ya. thanks.
     
  5. Do both, top and tie down Check out the sticky on 4 way LST in the advanced section. It is not difficult. Great info in there and it will produce a heck of a yield.
     
  6. I both top and tie the crap outta my plants. The shorter and bushier the better.

    Each time you top, it will turn into 2 separate growth stems which is nice, you can end up with more than one nice cola through topping.

    When topping, dont just take the entire top off. I like to pull back the small leaves to get to the little grow tip, and will pinch about 50-60% of that little grow tip off, leaving hte surrounding leaves. This will allow the plant to quickly recoverand start sprouting a second stem.

    You can be as aggressive as you want with them. I tie them down unmercilessly, but mostly because I put them under a screen, and I want my plant to spread out horizontally and not vertically
     

  7. You tie them down without not using mercy? :confused: LOL


    I did both this time around, look what it got me


    [​IMG]
    :hello:
     
  8. i like to supercrop and get the best of both worlds!! pinch the stems right above the nodes the tops will bow down and come next light they will be pointed upward.:smoking:
     
  9. WOW. WOW. AND WOW. thanks guys, never thought i'd get this kinda resopnse. definately gonna top and tie down.

    dreamingreen, definately gonna check out the sticky, thanks for pointin me that way

    Goldenglow1 , thats some great info/advice definately gonna do that

    love the way those plants look Zpyro!

    dirtynails, just to clarify...supercroping is tying and topping?

    Thanks again guys. quick question, i know i can probably find this info pretty easily but when do you personally start the tying down process and when do you usually top the plant for the first time. mine are only about a week and a half - 2 weeks old so im guessin this is a little young still but let me know. thanks again.
     
  10. cottons, great pics dude cant wait for mine to be that big
     
  11. to clarify super cropping is neither topping or tying down, it just creates similar results. pinch above the leaf node until the top lays down. now everything that was below the crease is now thinking it is top growth.im sure you can research some more, or better yet maybe someone will be kind enough to post pictures of some super croppings good luck.
     
  12. ooooh alright. i did a quick google search before asking if it was a combo of both and the website that came up said it was likethe process of topping,pruning,tying down and something else:confused:. anyway. thanks for clearin that up im goning to have to do some research and learn more about it...and if someone posted a pic or too that would be real helpfull too:)
     
  13. Just pich the top off, and then tie it down.

    If you were to ask me, I would say that topping is superior to tieing down. But I top mostly to increase the number of cola buds or stems that will grow.

    The more the merrier, so I always top.

    But then again, I always tie a plant down as well.
     
  14. LST does the same thing, without the stress of topping. When you tie the plant down, 2 new branches will grow out of every node... So you end up with more grow tips than you can count... And you don't put the plant through the stress of having to heal itself after being topped. :)
     
  15. Mr. Cottons,

    Interesting point, I will have to consider that strongly during my next soiree.

    So you dont top at all? Just tie em down eh?

    It is always good to learn something new.
     
  16. Yeah man. Out of those pics I posted... Every one of 'em was tied down... And I've got a cabinet full of some BUSHY ass plants... LST is the shit. There's been some really nice LST grows here... Search around a bit. :D
     
  17. i like what your sayin. makes since.topping does probablly put too much stress on it. probably gonna LST most of my plants, maybe top one just for fun. thanks cottons.
     
  18. So your saying just tie the plants down on the tips like a Y to bring up new growth with fat cola's coming in between the Y ?.. come cheecc out my grow an post something i give rep#
     
  19. What can I use to tie down my plants. I'm new at this and most of my plants are about 4 to 5 ft long. And it looks like it's starting to flower already.. And what's better. Bamboo or wooden stakes to tie them down with.
     

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