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Looking to get the most out of your cannabis crop? Super cropping is a high-yield gardening technique that can help you get bigger, better buds – and we’ll show you how to do it.
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Why super cropping?
Super cropping is a high-stress training technique that involves physically damaging the plant to force it to grow sideways. This is done by bending and tearing the stems of the plant. When done correctly, super cropping can increase yields, produce bushier plants, and increase the quality of your buds.
Increased yield
Super cropping is a high-stress training (HST) technique that involves damaging the plant to stimulate growth. By breaking the cell walls in the stem of the plant, you allow more space for the flow of nutrients, water, and energy. This results in a bushier plant with more nodes, which means more sites for flower production. In addition to an increased yield, super cropping also leads to larger flowers and can shorten the overall flowering time.
Better quality
The theory behind super cropping is that by damaging the plant in a very specific way, you will actually induce it to grow better. When a plant is damaged, it releases certain hormones that signal the plant to start growing in a different way in order to protect itself.
For example, when a branch is broken, the plant will put more energy into growing the side branches so that the plant is better supported. This also happens when you super crop a plant — by damaging the main stalk, the plant will put more energy into growing side branches.
The result is a bushier plant with more surface area for the buds to grow on. This increased surface area means that each bud will be slightly smaller than if it were on its own, but you will end up with many more buds overall. In addition, because the plants are bushier, they will be better able to support their own weight, meaning that you are less likely to have problems with branches breaking under the weight of heavy buds.
When to super crop
Before flowering
Super cropping is a Marijuana growing technique that is used to increase yields by breaking the main stem of the plant. This allows the plant to put more energy into growing lateral (side) branches which increases the amount of bud sites. Super cropping is usually done before flowering, but can also be done during flowering with certain strains.
After flowering
Super cropping is a high-stress training (HST) method that allows growers to increase their yields by provoking the plant into producing more flowers. Although super cropping can be done at any time during the vegetative stage, it is most commonly done after the plant has started flowering.
To super crop, growers bend and twist the main stem of the plant until it snaps. This damages the stem, which signals to the plant that it needs to produce more flowers in order to survive. In response, the plant produces more flowers, which leads to larger yields.
Super cropping is a risky technique, and it is important to be careful when super cropping your plants. If done incorrectly, super cropping can permanently damage your plants or even kill them. However, if done correctly, super cropping can significantly increase your yields.
How to super crop
Super cropping is a high-stress training (HST) technique that is used to increase yields in cannabis plants. By breaking, bending, or otherwise damaging the main stem of the plant, you force the plant to produce more lateral growth in an attempt to repair the damage. This results in a larger plant with more buds.
The twist method
To super crop, start by finding a main cola on your plant that you’d like to manipulate. Gently twist the stem of the cola clockwise until you hear it snap. This weaken the vascular tissue inside the stem, making it easier for the plant to reroute nutrients around the damage.
Once you’ve snapped the stem, bend it down until it’s at a 45-degree angle with the rest of the plant. Use your fingers to hold the snapped stem in place or, for larger colas, secure it with a small piece of duct tape.
As the plant heals, it will divert nutrients to the areas that need them most, resulting in increased growth in those areas. The process of super cropping also triggers what’s known as axillary bud development. This is when dormant buds near the base of the leaves start to grow, resulting in even more branches and colas.
The bend method
Cannabis super cropping is a high-stress training (HST) method that involves bending and topping the plant to stimulate vertical growth. By pinching and twisting the main stem, you can force the plant to grow more lateral branches – ultimately increasing the plant’s yield.
The “bend” method is the most common way to super crop. To do this, simply find a main stem that’s at least half an inch thick. Gently bend the stem until it cracks (be careful not to snap it in half). Once you hear the crack, secure the bent stem in place with some type of support (such as a small bamboo stake or trellis).
You can also use your fingers to twist and break the stem. This technique is known as “finger super cropping” and it’s a bit more aggressive than bending. With this method, you really have to apply some pressure to snap the stem – so be careful not to damage the plant. If done correctly, you should see new growth within a few days.
The pinch method
Pinching is another way to super crop. Pinching is done by simply grabbing the stem of the plant between your thumb and first 2 fingers and gently squeezing until you hear/feel the stem snap. Some people will pinch all around the plant, while others will only pinch the main cola. I prefer to only pinch the main cola, as pinching multiple stems can sometimes shock the plant.
After super cropping
After super cropping your cannabis, it is important to wait a few days before watering your plant. This will give the plant time to heal and the root system time to recover. When you do water your plant, make sure to water deeply and slowly so that the water can reach the roots.
Increased yield
Once you have super cropped your cannabis, you can expect to see an increase in yield. This is because more of the plant’s energy will go into producing buds, rather than leaves. The buds will be bigger and more densely packed with trichomes.
Better quality
Super cropping is a great way to improve the quality of your cannabis. It involves carefully breaking branches in order to encourage new growth. This results in more bud sites and a fuller, healthier plant.
Super cropping is easy to do and only requires a few minutes of your time. It can be done at any time during the grow cycle, but it’s best to do it early on so that the plant has time to recover before flowering.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to super cropping your cannabis:
1. Choose a branch that is at least two inches wide and two feet long.
2. Gently bend the branch until it snaps. You should hear a cracking sound but the branch should not break completely in half.
3. If the branch does break completely, start again with a new branch.
4. Once you have successfully snapped the branch, tie it up so that it doesn’t touch any other part of the plant. This will help encourage new growth.
5. Repeat this process with additional branches if desired.
After super cropping, your cannabis plants will be fuller and healthier. They will also produce more bud sites, which means more potent flowers come harvest time!
