So I've been researching LST and topping for my outdoor grow this season and I'm just wondering, is it necessary? If you don't top or LST does it greatly effect the potential yield? I'm just kind of worried I will mess something up so I'm debating doing either one of them. Also I'm planning to plant in the ground so I'm assuming they will get pretty big so it would be nice to cut down on the height but do either of these drastically alter height?
Neither of them are difficult and can be used in combination. Literally just cut the top off the plant off after it has at least 3 sets of leaves, then tie the branches down and top again after a couple more nodes have grown if desired. Just never top less than a week before flowering. The benefits are debated but it will keep your plants low and anything to get more lights to the buds during flowering should increase yield.
Topping and LST have a HUGE effect on yield. When you trim one tip, two grow in its place. A couple weeks later, you cut the top off again and you end up with 4 tops. Plus all the side branching starting catching up. So instead of getting a couple buds, you get buds growing out of just about everywhere on the plant. Have you ever seen a movie with a two headed dragon and the hero of the movie chops off the heads and thinks he's done, but suddenly it has 4 heads and he has to fight again. At the end of the battle the monster has dozens of heads and looks like a crazy beast. That's like the difference between an untopped plant and a topped one. Several heads, or buds. Or only a couple if you don't top.
I personally would avoid the topping, but that's my personal prefrence. Otherwise, and keep in mind I'm an indoor grow who is very familar with all kinds of plant training, I would say go for it. Doing the LSTing is not harmful or destructive too your plant, and you will increase yield dramatically.
Lst, top, and super crop...do them all. You will thank yourself. The more training the better the yeild.
Okay I think I'll go ahead and do them both, oh yeah and what exactly is super-cropping I remember a buddy of mine telling me about it but I forgot what it was exactly
its when you bend the tops of your plants over. you want to damage the plant material inside the stems, causing the plant to think those tops are dead and send all the nutrients and such to lower/side branching to create new tops. the idea is to damage the plant enough, but make sure it will heal. look up a quick video guide on youtube and youll completely understand
I also recommend using a pair of needlenose pliers instead of using your fingers to make your bend lots easier and unless you get crazy with the crushing you won't break a branch like you would using your fingers.
I plan to lst my plants. Do you keep it tied down all the way till the end? Or would you untie in say begining of september.
Leave all season. U better hAve something to support them up. I lost some bomb nugs cuz they were not tied up