Topping & LST | FloraMax (2024)

FAQs

What is better topping or LST? ›

Topping is effectively used to obtain multiple, even-sized floral sites, while LST is then used to bring these floral sites to the same height to maximize grow lamp efficiency.

Normally after between 5-10 days when new branches are sufficient healthy and tall to be anchored and curved like desired.

Low Stress Training (LST)

The lower branches from the nodes 'below' where topping occurred are now also closer and more exposed to the light. As these grow up they can be topped and manipulated using LST.

When you're ready for plants to start the flowering stage, change your lights to a 12/12 cycle (12 hours with the light on and 12 hours with it off ). You will see signs of flowering in 1-3 weeks. On average plants will be ready to harvest after 8-11 weeks of flowering.

This stress is only heightened for a plant that goes through topping. However, the light shift and the beginning of flowering is one of the most stressful times for any plant. Considering this, the majority of growers will tell you to wait 1–2 weeks between the end of topping and the beginning of flowering.

This central flower cluster forms along the upper portion of the main stems and large branches in a mature female cannabis plant. Topping your cannabis plants is a great way to increase yield, decrease height, and make plants easier to work with, especially in indoor cultivation with limited space.

If you are new to cannabis cultivation, topping cannabis plants is a vital step to maximize the overall quality of the yield. It is a tool that helps to control the overall shape of the plant – by redirecting the growing tendency from vertical to lateral.

Nine out of ten times, a topped plant will produce a heavier yield than a plant that is left to grow naturally. Topping discourages vertical growth, promotes an even canopy, and increases light penetration. Topping encourages the plant to put more energy into flower production, rather than vegetative growth.

Important: Don't Top in the Flowering Stage; It's Too Late! Topping should only be used in the vegetative stage!

LST is an easy and effective way of molding plant growth to your grow tent but even minimal training such as pruning can be bad. Despite being a low-stress technique, LST may stunt growth if done too aggressively.

Can I top my plant twice? ›

It is possible to top a plant many times, each time the number of dominant shoots will double. Give your plants some time to grow before you top them. If they are topped too early they might get stunted for a while, mainly due to the loss of photosynthetic tissue.

Low-Stress Training Creates More Buds

More colas means more flower buds for you to harvest. Another benefit of LST: It allows you to limit the maximum height of your plants, which can be critical in an indoor garden when you're raising plants that may reach more than 7 feet tall.

This style of LST (low stress training) is to increase canopy square footage, not so much to make a plant fuller or bushier although that is definitely another side benefit. This style of LST is very good for ScrOG grows. This method is not possible without topping and is not for auto-flowering strains or clones.

LST is most commonly performed during the vegetative period when the shoots are pliable and the plant's growth can be more easily directed. That being said, low-stress training can also be used during the flowering phase. Bending stems during flowering can help ensure even exposure to light.

Weeks 4-6: Buds Fatten Up

At this stage of cannabis flowering, your buds are getting bigger. They'll still have all the white pistils sticking out, but you'll be able to see the buds getting bigger every day.

12 or more hours of darkness is the biological trigger for photoperiod cannabis to bloom. Outdoors, as the nights grow longer incrementally from the summer solstice onward, some strains can even begin flowering when receiving 14 hours of sunlight.

If you can wait, you'll see that buds bulk up noticeably in the last couple weeks before they finish growing. Give the plants only water—no nutrients—after you see the buds are mature. Hold off on picking them for another 10 to 14 days, when they'll be at their peak.

Light Intensity and Yields

The light intensity rule of thumb is that a 1% increase in light equals to a 1% percent increase in yield. In a study by Wageninen University, they discovered this to be true of all horticultural crops they evaluated including, fruiting (vine) crops and flowers.

Generally, you want to water every 2 or 3 days during Flower and you want to water enough that 10-20% of water comes out from the pot as runoff. You can check your soil moisture by sticking a finger in the pot: if the soil is dry a couple inches down, then it is time to water again.

Does lollipopping increase yield? Many growers have increased yields by lollipopping. We know enough about plant science to support the logic behind this type of pruning. What's even cooler is that you can combine lollipopping with topping or fimming.

How do you maximize bud density? ›

Increasing the amount of CO₂ in your grow room can help you grow bigger, denser buds. By doing so, you'll help plants photosynthesise faster and encourage them to take up more nutrients and water.

It is recommended that you wait until your plants have at least four nodes before topping them, and most growers recommend topping the plant above the sixth node. Nodes are the part of a plant that connects new stem offshoots with older growth, which can form a branch, a leaf, or in the case of cannabis plants, a bud.

Topping doesn't work with all plant varieties. It is most ideal for plants that have strong upward growth, with multiple nodes for branches and flowers to develop. This way when you cut off the top of the plant, the bottom portion is nearly identical.

This is also known as the terminal bud. Healthy plants typically form one main cola from the center of their structure and smaller colas form on the outside of the plant.

Usually, growers trim the fan leaves weeks before harvest, which is a period that leads to senescence, a phase in the plant cycle when the larger leaves start fading away. It is safe to start removing these dying leaves and continue until harvest.

The best time of the day to top is before the plant goes to sleep, so that it has the whole night to recover. In order to top your plant, all you have to do is cut the tip of the main stem after the third or fourth node like in this video below. And you are done!

A common misconception amongst indoor growers is that light leaks during the vegetative growth phase won't disrupt crop growth. However, any irregularities in lighting patterns can stress plants out.

It really depends on the plant, says Myers. "Faster-growing houseplants, like pothos and African violets, will benefit from annual repotting [with fresh soil]. Slower-growing plants, like cacti and sansevieria, or mother-in-law's tongue, can be repotted every one-and-a-half to two years."

When all goes well you can expect a smooth re-bloom and another harvest. Some growers have been known to reveg the same plant 3 or 4 times.

Topping to increase the number of colas

Topping is a form of pruning and involves pruning off the branch tip of the main cola. When you top the main cola, the energy goes to the side branches. The next two lateral branches will become the main branches. Topping will increase the overall yield of your grow.

How do you increase bud size before harvest? ›

To some degree, more light translates to fatter buds and higher yields (you'll need to pay attention to the distance between your grow light and plants or your plant may suffer from light burn). Increasing light intensity is the most effective way to fatten up buds.

First and foremost, trimming greatly reduces the chance of any mold forming on your freshly harvested cannabis before it has the chance to dry. These leaves can trap moisture, making it much easier for mold to form, ruining months of hard work.

The re-vegging process is highly stressful on a plant and even if it does re-veg successfully, aberrations often occur, such as unusual leaf growth and hermaphroditism. Re-vegged plants are more delicate and must be given more attention and care.

Overwatering during flowering

During the bloom period, some leaves might fall off the plant, and you'll need to prevent them from remaining inside the pot, as if they mix with soil and moisture, they could rot and give way to harmful fungi, which can contaminate the roots and attack the plant's metabolism.

Flowering starts after more than 7 hours of dark period

Instead of splitting off leaves, the plant starts producing flowers. After two cycles of a sufficient enough dark period, the plant fully enters the generative phase.

Many growers remove the top tier of foliage before starting LST. While not necessary, cutting or pinching off the uppermost leaf clusters stimulates the plant to begin branching out and it gives you a symmetrical base to start the training.

LST is a great way for growers of all types to improve the yields from their plants.

Topping or FIMing your cannabis garden will result in a greater number of cola's and a greater yield of bud – all which will need to be trimmed for consumption! In large commercial greenhouses and outdoor grow spaces, plant training can very quickly double or triple the yield.

If you're using LST you want to improve yields you don't want to get a lower production, so even though you can, you should adjust the ties when your plant outgrows them and preferably remove them around week 2 of flowering. This way you avoid stress and harming your plant.

It is recommended that you wait until your plants have at least four nodes before topping them, and most growers recommend topping the plant above the sixth node. Nodes are the part of a plant that connects new stem offshoots with older growth, which can form a branch, a leaf, or in the case of cannabis plants, a bud.

Does topping a plant stop growing? ›

Topping cannabis plants is an old method suitable for both indoors and outdoor plants. It consists in essentially cutting off the top part of the plant. This is done to stop growth and force your plants to grow more branches rather than growing vertically.

When to stop LST training. Low stress training usually stops around a month into the flowering phase of your plants.

In optimal conditions, plants should be kept in their vegetative stage for approximately 60 days. This time period should give the plant the opportunity to maximise yield and acclimatise to growing conditions.

Logically, the two new branches do not grow as fast as the one would. Topping a weed plant divides the growth of one branch over multiple ones. Making the plant grow less in height, but push more energy into growing wider. This is very convenient for growers, especially for indoor grows in confined spaces.

The longer you keep your plants in the vegetative stage, the bigger your plant will be, resulting in bigger yields from plants that were vegetated longer.