pruning / shaping plants

[girlsonly]

how do i trim my plant to make it grow 7 or 8 big buds instead of 1 main chola, ?

do i simply cut off the top of the main shoot before flowering ???

[Bitterfly]

yep! you got it.

you could also trim the new shoots aswell :D

but i recommend doing it about 2 weeks before flowering, otherwise the new shoots will not grow and buds will just form around where you cut it :D

[green_machine]

I think that bitter meant to say that the latest you should be pruning your girls is a week or so before turning to flower. :mr:

Some strains have a maximum number of colas that they can produce (and maximum yield) so it won't matter if you have 1 top or 8 your harvest will remain very close.
Each time you cut a section off, the node below where you cut or kinked will shoot out two new shoots as leaders. So to create 8 tops you will have to top the plant 7 times.

You can top your girl - but it causes stress to the plant that can be avoided. You can get multiple tops/crowns/colas by other more efficient methods that are less traumatic to the plant.

SuperCropping/Kinking - hard to master at first but defo the best method - the stem is squeezed until you feel it crush between your fingers then twisted around and bent over. If you did it correctly the kinked stem will slowly turn itself towards the light as the laterals take over the main growth. Then it all ends up even and you also restrict the final height of your plant while getting many more budsites at the top level of the canopy.
If you didn't do it correctly then it will just straighten up and keep growing after repairing itself.

LST - low stress training can be achieved by bending the main stem downwards (don't snap it) and tie it to a brick or the side of the pot etc. The lateral (side) branches will then grow towards the light while the end or main grow tip will turn itself towards the light and they will all end up roughly even.
Some people train the main stem in a circle inside the pot and call it Jogging.

Try topping your girl once or twice then do the LST IMO, the results should be great. BTW the earlier you start your topping the better as the plant can recover a lot faster.

Make sure to post some pics of what you do,

green_machine :guitar:

[girlsonly]

cheers guys

[bigbuds24]

hi peeps hope some1 can help! im new and could do with some advice! I have recently changed to 12-12! i had 1 plant taller than the rest tried bending the top and the stem split a little! is there any chance of the top recovering or am i pissing in the wind! all suggestions welcome!

[organix]

As long as the growth tip is still alive it should be alright, wrap some surgical tape round the split if you can.:)