Topping Weed Plants High Stress Training Guide

Topping plants is one of many popular techniques growers use to maximize yields in the grow room. Topping is considered a high stress training method as you are required to break or damage the plant similar to fimming. Low stress training dose not require you to break or damage the plant. Topping should only be done during the veg stage as topping well the plants are flowering can minimize the yield. Topping the plant requires you to cut the top of the plant just above the nodes or under the new growth. This will make 2 tops and promote growth to the lower branches.

Why Top Weed Plants

Topping cannabis promotes growth to lower branches and creates two main tops. Topping plants can increase the yields and this is the main reason growers top their plants. Other reasons include taking clones, and sometimes topping is used to even out the canopy. You can top your plant as many times as you want but depending on genetics your plant might take up to 1 week to recover from the HST or high stress training. By topping 4 times during veg you can create 16 main colas and more then double the yield of the plant. I myself often top 1-3 times when growing and I use mainlining or a low stress training technique to keep the canopy even.

When To Top Weed Plants

We recommend that you wait until there are 4 or 5 nodes on the plant before using the topping technique. This ensures the plant has enough time to build up a healthy root system and strong stem structure before shocking the plant from topping. Some growers top earlier when there are 2-3 nodes but I have found plants bounce back the fastest when they have a healthy root system. Even know it can be done we do not recommend topping during the flower stage as it could minimize the yield.

Can You Top Auto flowers?

Yes, Just remember most auto flower plants start to flower with in 30 days so make sure you have your topping done before the plants start to flower or you could stunt your plants lowering the yields. Healthy auto flowers can be topped when there is 3 – 4 nodes and will end result can be rewarding.

Equipment Needed To Top Plants

It is up to you what you use to top your plants but the two main items growers use is a razor blade and scissors. I myself use either a box cutter or Fiskars snips that I have for trimming. I would recommend getting a pair of the Fiskars snips they work amazing for trimming and topping and you do not risk cutting branches like you would with a razor blade.

How To Top Weed Plants

Topping cannabis plants is one of the easiest training techniques to complete there is essentially only one step to topping and that is to cut the top off the plant and then let it recover. Depending on how healthy your plant is and what genetics your using your plant can take anywhere from 24 hours to 1 week to recover. The best method I find to top plants is with a nice sharp set of pruning snips so I always use my fiskars that I listed above. You can use a razor blade but if you slip or cut to far through the top you risk cutting into your plant or cutting bud sites off the plant. As yo can see from the photo above you want to leave some extra stalk when making the cut to prevent the stalk from splitting. Once the cut above is made there will be two tops instead of one. You Can top your plants as many times as you like. The more times you top the more tops you end up with but remember there is a recovery period.

First Topping = 2 Tops
Second Topping = 4 Tops
Third Topping = 8 Tops
Forth Topping = 16 Tops
Fifth Topping = 32 Tops
Sixth Topping = 64 Tops

Much Respect & Happy Growing
Written By @NsRob

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Topping Weed Plants High Stress Training Guide