By controlling the light, you can extend the vegetative stage of growth. You certainly do not want to top a cannabis plant during the flowering stage. The shorter the light cycle, the closer the plant moves toward flowering or seeding. Topping at four nodes is riskier than topping at six- to- eight nodes as plant health improves as the plant grows.Ĭounting the Nodes is one rule of thumb, but also consider topping when you change the plants light ratio. For topping cannabis, you want to have at least four nodes and preferably six-eight nodes. Sativa plants, which are taller, have a longer internode. Indica plants tend to have very short internodes, as these plants are short and squat. The spacing between nodes is called the “internode.” The internode is the stem that grows from one node to the next. A node is a junction on the stem where branches grow from the main stem, and cannabis plants tend to node in pairs. It would likely not survive, even though at week three, it should be in the vegetative stage of its development.Ī good rule of thumb is to count the nodes. A cannabis seedling can range from 1-2 weeks old, and you would not want to top the plant at week three. The plant must be able to handle the pruning process. You don’t want to top a cannabis plant too soon. However, the topping is also planned, and you manage a lot of what your plants do by controlling soil, water, and light. ![]() Those factors all weigh in to determine “when” is the best time to top cannabis. This is because species vary, growing environments vary, and of course, there could be mutations – planned or accidental. When to top a cannabis plant is a big question and it does not always have a perfect answer. The Vegetative Stage and Topping Marijuana Read more on tips for growing Cannabis if you’re just getting started. Vegetative – generally 2-6 weeks, based on pot size. Seedling – generally 1-2 weeks (though can be stretched longer). This cycle can also be as short as eight hours if growing conditions are optimum – good soil, proper watering. Germination – generally 2-3 days, depending upon species type, mutations, etc. Lush healthy plants require all three of these ingredients to produce optimum yield. However, understand that plant health has a lot to do with watering cycles, light, and soil. Healthy – What does that mean? The short answer here is actively growing. The first thing you need to understand about topping is that the plant will need additional nitrogen to fuel the development of additional cola. ![]() That also means that soil health needs to be ideal as topping increases the growing demands for the plant. Therefore you want to top plants when that plant is at its healthiest – giving it additional energy into changing from growing vertically into growing laterally. That is a critical consideration because topping a cannabis plant is a traumatic experience for the plant. ![]() The vegetative cycle, for example, can last from two weeks to six months. The key to managing a plant during each cycle has a lot to do with how much light the plant receives. So, whether we are discussing an annual plant or a perennial plant, understanding the plant’s lifecycle is essential, especially if you want to control the results of each stage of growth. Topping Cannabis Plants – When is the Best Time?Īll plants have stages to their life cycle. Other factors include soil health, watering, and light. Topping, however, is not the only factor that goes into producing quality and sizable yields. The effect is that the supporting branches develop a thicker and stronger cola. It is a tool that helps to control the overall shape of the plant – by redirecting the growing tendency from vertical to lateral. If you are new to cannabis cultivation, topping cannabis plants is a vital step to maximize the overall quality of the yield. Topping forces the plant to grow laterally rather than vertically, but when to do so depends on soil health, plant health, lighting, size and age of the plant, and the growth goals. The first thing to understand is that topping is an exact cut at the node, and while that sounds easy, the timing of topping is critical. Whether you grow indoors or outdoors topping your cannabis plants helps to produce a bigger and better yield, which is every grower’s primary goal.
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