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How to Top a Cannabis Plant for Optimal Growth. Learn the best ways to top your cannabis plants for the biggest, healthiest, and most productive plants possible.
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What is topping?
Topping is a common technique used to control the shape and size of a cannabis plant. When done correctly, topping can result in a more even canopy, increased yield, and larger, healthier leaves. Topping involves cutting off the main stem of the plant just above a node, which is where new leaves and branches grow.
Why top your cannabis plant?
There are two main reasons to top your cannabis plant: produce more buds, or improve the quality of your buds.
Topping can also help even out the canopy, making it easier to give all your buds light and air. In cases of very lopsided canopies, topping can also prevent mould by allowing more airflow through the middle of the plant.
When to top your cannabis plant
One way to control the shape of your cannabis plant is by topping it. Topping is when you cut off the main stem of the plant just above a set of leaves. This causes the plant to grow two new stems from that point.
The best time to top
Topping is a technique that’s used to create more even growth on your cannabis plant, and can be done at any point during the vegetative stage. However, there is an optimum window of time when you should top your plant for the best results. This is generally 2-3 weeks after your plant has been transplanted into its final pot.
You can top your plant more than once, but each time you do it, you’re essentially halving the amount of energy that your plant can put into growing taller. This means that if you top your plant 3 times, it will only grow 1/4 as tall as it would have if you hadn’t touched it. For this reason, most growers only top their plants once or twice.
How to top your cannabis plant
Topping your cannabis plant is a great way to encourage it to grow more lateral branches, which will in turn produce more buds. When done correctly, topping can also increase the overall yield of your plant. Let’s take a look at how to top your cannabis plant for optimal growth.
The topping process
Topping a cannabis plant is the process of removing the growing tip (or apical meristem) of the plant in order to encourage it to grow outwards, rather than upwards. This can be done with a sharp knife or pair of scissors, and is typically done when the plant is around 8-16 inches tall.
Topping your plant will result in a more Bushy appearance, rather than a single central stalk with leaves coming off of it. This is beneficial for a few reasons – firstly, it allows each node (where leaves branch out from the stem) to receive an equal amount of light, meaning that each part of the plant can grow at an optimal rate. Secondly, it increases the overall surface area of the plant, which allows for more leaves to photosynthesise and produce energy for the plant as a whole.
There are a few things to bear in mind when topping your cannabis plant – Firstly, make sure that you have sterilised your scissors or knife with rubbing alcohol to avoid introducing any unwanted bacteria or mould spores into your grow room. Secondly, when you make your cut, try to angle it so that any water will run off of the cut surface, rather than pooling on top of it – this will again help to reduce the risk of mould or disease taking hold. Finally, remember that each time you remove the growing tip of the plant, you are essentially stunting its growth somewhat – so don’t be too eager to top your plants too early on in their life cycle!
What to do after you’ve topped your cannabis plant
Topping a cannabis plant is a great way to encourage it to grow in a certain way. It can also help increase yield. After you’ve topped your cannabis plant, you need to do a few things to ensure optimal growth. In this article, we’ll go over what those things are.
Caring for your newly topped plant
Now that you’ve topped your cannabis plant, it’s time to give it the care and attention it needs to thrive. Here are a few tips to get you started:
-Give your plant some extra TLC. Topping can be stressful for your plant, so make sure to give it some extra love in the form of nutrients, water and light.
-Be patient. It will take some time for your plant to recover from being topped, so don’t expect miracles overnight. Just give it some time and it will bounce back stronger than ever.
-Encourage branching. Once your plant has recovered from being topped, you can encourage branching by pinching or topping the new growth. This will help create a fuller, bushier plant.
By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your newly topped cannabis plant has everything it needs to thrive.
