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Not sure how or when to prune your cannabis plant? Keep reading to learn the basics of pruning, including when and how to do it!
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Pruning Your Cannabis Plant
Pruning your cannabis plant is an important step in the growing process. It helps to remove any dead or dying leaves, branches, and flowers. Pruning also encourages new growth, which can result in a healthier and more productive plant. There are a few different ways that you can prune your cannabis plant, so let’s take a look at some of the most popular methods.
Why Prune Your Cannabis Plant
Pruning your cannabis plant is an essential part of growing healthy and vigorous plants. By removing dead or dying leaves and branches, you allow the plant to focus its energy on new growth. Pruning also helps promote air circulation, which can prevent problems such as mold and mildew.
In addition, pruning can help shapes the plant to encourage more growth in the areas you want. For example, if you want your plant to grow taller, you can prune the lower branches to encourage new growth at the top.
Prune your cannabis plant early and often for the best results.
When to Prune Your Cannabis Plant
Pruning your cannabis plant is a great way to improve air and light circulation, which can lead to bigger yields. But knowing when to prune your plant can be tricky. If you prune too early, you risk stunting the plant’s growth. Prune too late, and you won’t get the full benefits of pruning.
The best time to prune your cannabis plant is when it is in the vegetative stage of growth. This is the stage when the plant is growing leaves and stems, but not yet flowering. Pruning during the vegetative stage will promote more evenly distributed growth and will encourage the plant to produce more lateral (side) branches.
To prune your cannabis plant, start by removing any dead or dying leaves or branches. These can be removed at any time and will not harm the plant. Next, cut away any branches that are crossing over each other or growing into the center of the plant. These branches are competing for light and air circulation, so removing them will allow the other branches to thrive. Finally, trim back any long branches that are extending beyond the edge of the pot. These branches are not receiving enough light and will not produce as much bud as branches that are closer to the center of the pot.
When pruning your cannabis plant, be sure to use sharp scissors or pruning shears. This will prevent damage to the plant and make for a cleaner cut. Always make clean, straight cuts flush with the stem of the branch being removed. Avoid anything jagged that could tear the bark or leavebehind a stub that could rot.
How to Prune Your Cannabis Plant
Pruning your cannabis plant is an important step in its growth cycle. By pruning, you are opening up the plant so that air and light can reach all of the leaves and buds, which in turn will produce a healthier plant. In addition, pruning will also make your plant more resilient to diseases and pests.
There are two main types of pruning: topping and training. Topping is the process of removing the very top of the main stem, which encourages the plant to branch out and become fuller. Training, on the other hand, is the process of manipulating the shape of the plant by bending and tying down stems. Both methods have their benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which one is best for your plant.
Here are some tips on how to prune your cannabis plant:
1. Start with a sharp pair of shears or scissors. This will make it easier to cut through tough stems without damaging the plant.
2. Make sure that you are pruning in a well-ventilated area so that you don’t inhale any harmful chemicals from the plants.
3. Begin by removing any dead or dying leaves or stems from the plant. These can be identified by their brown or black coloration.
4. Once you have removed all of the dead growth, you can start to prune back any long or overgrown stems. Cut these back to about two inches from the main stem of the plant.
5. If you are topping your plant, remove the very top of the main stem, taking care not to damage any of the leaves or buds below it.
6. Once you have finished pruning, give your plant a good watering so that it can start to recover from its ordeal!
Pruning Tools
Pruning tools are an important part of any grower’s toolkit. The proper tool can make the difference between a clean cut and a jagged, torn one. In order to make the cleanest cuts possible, you will need a sharp knife or pruning shears.
Sharp Bypass Pruners
Pruning is essential to the health and productivity of your cannabis plant. Not only does it remove dead or dying leaves, stems, and branches, but it also helps encourage new growth. When done properly, pruning can increase air circulation, allow more light to reach the lower parts of the plant, and improve yields.
There are many different types of pruning tools available on the market, but sharp bypass pruners are generally considered the best type of tool for trimming cannabis plants. These pruners have a sharp blade that cuts cleanly through stems and branches, and they’re small enough to maneuver around tight spaces.
When choosing a pair of bypass pruners, look for a model with adjustable blades so you can customize the size of the cut. You’ll also want to make sure that the blades are made from high-quality steel for lastingsharpness. Finally, choose a pair of pruners with comfortable handles that fit securely in your hand.
Fiskars Soft Grip Bypass Pruners
Fiskars Soft Grip Bypass Pruners are a great choice for those with small to medium sized hands. The blades are made of high-quality carbon steel which is hardened for durability and long lasting sharpness. The handles are ergonomically designed for comfortable use and feature a soft grip for added comfort. These pruners also have an integrated nail file for touch ups after pruning.
Corona Sharpening Tool
Corona makes a great sharpening tool that can handle all your pruning needs. This handheld sharpener has two slots for different types of blades, and it’s easy to use. Simply insert the blade into the slot and run the tool along the edge of the blade. The Corona will quickly and easily sharpen your blades, and it’s small enough to take with you wherever you go.
Pruning Techniques
Topping and fimming are two common pruning techniques used on cannabis plants. Both of these methods involve cutting off the main stem of the plant. This will cause the plant to grow multiple new stems, which will result in a bushier plant.
Topping
Topping is a pruning technique that involves cutting off the top of the main stem. This method can be used to encourage the growth of multiple main colas (the buds that grow at the tops of the plant), rather than just one. Topping also promotes bushier growth and can be used to control the height of your plants.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Choose a main cola that you want to focus on.
2. Cut off the very top of the main stem, just below a set of leaves.
3. Two new shoots will emerge from the cut you just made – these are your new main colas.
4. Allow these shoots to grow until they are about 6 inches tall, then cut off the tops again. Repeat this process until you have the desired number of main colas (usually 4-6).
Fimming
Fimming, or “topping”, involves cutting off the tip of the main stem. This stresses the plant, causing it to branch out and produce more buds (the colas that contain the THC). Fimming is usually done when the plant is about a foot tall.
To fim a cannabis plant, find the main stem and look for new growth at the top. This new growth will have 4-5 leaves (also called nodes). Using sharp scissors or a knife, cut off the entire tip of the main stem, just above where these new leaves are growing.
After you fim a plant, it will go into shock and stop growing for a few days. Once it starts growing again, you will see multiple small stems shooting up from where you made the cut. These stems will quickly grow into full-fledged branches, each of which can produce its own cola.
LST’ing
LST’ing, or low stress training, is a technique that involves gently pulling your plants downwards and securing them in place with string or wire. This method of training is typically used on tall plants that are beginning to show signs of weakness under their own weight, as it helps to distribute the plant’s foliage more evenly and avoid top-heavy growth. LST’ing can also help to maximize the number of through the main cola, giving your buds more surface area to soak up light and produce a bigger yield.
To start LST’ing, gently pull your plant down so that the top-most cola is level with the rest of the canopy. You can secure it in place with string or wire at this point, making sure that the materials you use won’t damage the stem. Once the plant has been se cured, give it a gen tle tug ev ery few days to en sure that it remains loosen. Don’t pull too hard, as this can cause the stem to break.
Advanced Pruning Techniques
Pruning your cannabis plant is a great way to improve its yield and quality. However, it is important to know how to prune properly in order to avoid causing damage. This section will cover some advanced pruning techniques that you can use on your cannabis plant.
Defoliation
Defoliation is the process of removing leaves from your cannabis plant. This can be done to increase airflow, reduce the risk of mold and mildew, and increase bud production. Defoliation can be done throughout the grow cycle, but is most commonly done during the flowering stage.
There are two main types of defoliation: selective defoliation and complete defoliation. Selective defoliation is the process of removing specific leaves from your plant. This is often done to increase airflow or remove leaves that are blocking light from getting to lower buds. Complete defoliation is the removal of all leaves from a branch or the entire plant. This is usually done in an attempt to stimulate bud growth or increase yield.
Complete defoliation should only be attempted by experienced growers, as it can be stressful for plants and may result in reduced yields if not done properly. Selective defoliation is much less risky and can be done by growers of all experience levels.
To perform selective defoliation, simply remove the desired leaves from your plant using sharp scissors or a knife. Be sure to disinfect your scissors or knife before each cut to avoid spreading diseases or pests to your plant. cuts should be made cleanly and at a 45-degree angle just above a node (where the leaf attaches to the stem).
Once you have removed all of the desired leaves, give your plant a good watering and wait a few days to see how it responds before removing any more leaves. It’s important to keep an eye on your plant after defoliating it, as stressed plants can be more susceptible to pests and diseases. If you notice any negative changes in your plant’s health, stopdefoliating immediately and consult with a professional grower for advice on how to proceed.
Super Cropping
Once your cannabis plant has grown a few main stems, you can begin to “super crop” it. This involves gently bending the main stems until they crack, which encourages the plant to grow lateral (side) branches. These side branches will then produce more flowers (buds).
Super cropping is a gentle bending technique that does not involve cutting or breaking the stem. To super crop, find a main stem that is at least as thick as a pencil. Gently grip the stem with your fingers and bend it until you hear a slight “crack” sound. The stem should be bent at a 45-degree angle or less.
Once you have super cropped a few main stems, your cannabis plant will start to grow lateral (side) branches. These side branches will then produce more flowers (buds).
Super cropping is an easy and effective way to increase your yield without harming your plant. It is also a good way to make your plant grow shorter and bushier, which can be helpful if you are growing in a confined space.
