So I was talking to one of my friends who grows as well and he was telling me about a techinque that he had heard of.
I was telling him about how the lower quarter of a couple of my plants have a good amount of smaller nugs that will definitely not compare to how the higher buds are, in size. So what he told me was that when it comes to chopping the plant to just cut the top half and leave the lower quarter of the plant still alive and let the buds mature for a couple more weeks and this will help with the size of the bud.
has anyone tried this or even heard of it? it sounds possible to me but im not sure?
any advice or opinions help! thank you!
This is somewhat true. buds mature faster at the top colas. But I’m not sure if you will gain much more size on the bottom buds but if you wait to harvest them a bit longer, they will gain in potency. Best way to check the “readiness” of buds is to get a jewellers loupe to check the trichomes. They way most people prefer their trichomes is all milky with just a touch of amber colors starting.
Thanks! I have been checking tris but the size difference in the bottom and top is ridiculous. Which I know the bottom will always be smaller but I guess what I’m asking is there a way to make them get bigger??
No, can’t make the bottom ones get any bigger. The plants whole life cycle is geared to produce the biggest and best flowers at the tops of the plants. the only way to create whole new buds on a marijuana plant is to go thru the whole veg and flower period again. Im not 100% sure but I believe it is possible to leave a few of the bottom limbs and convert the plant back into the veg cycle again so that the bottom limbs will continue to grow and become the top limbs. But I don’t think you can do that with every strain. Let me tag a couple of others who have more experience than me at this. @MattyBear @latewood @dbrn32, Isn’t it possible to re-veg a photo period plant?
It’s possible to do what you’re talking about, but it rarely makes sense to do so. Takes quite a while to get a plant to reveg and start growing again.
The harvesting tops and leaving lowers to ripen for a little longer is a lot more common. Nothing wrong with doing that. However it may make a lot more sense to clear those lowers earlier in the grow and just direct that energy to the tops too. Everyone and each situation is a little different.
@dbrn32 is right on the money
Following up. I am not going to address re-vegging because that is not
the question.
You can achieve bigger buds on the lower canopy if you add side lighting.
Get a mars hydro 300 and hang it on the side of grow and turn plants a
1/4-1/2 turn every day or 2 and you can add 20-25% in yield. Peace
Keeping the plants short and compact with excellent light saturation will go a long way towards eliminating popcorn/larfy buds. Also shortens the turn around time between crops, lessens the chance of mould and disease.Side lighting is also going to be of benefit. I see a lot of growers on this forum letting their plants get too big for the available light output they have. They then wonder why the lower half of the plant produces poor quality buds, it is because there is limited light available to the lower portion of the plant. By keeping the plants short your light intensity remains strong and the plants receive adequate light to all parts , increasing the size of the lower buds and overall yield. If your existing light only penetrates a couple of ft into the canopy anything below this point is just wasted growth , wasted nutrients and wasted time.
If you have LST you plants (4) together in a tent, after they have been in flower somewhere around 4 to 5 weeks is it ok to pull net off so you can turn your plants with side lighting. As that would be near impossible with net still on. Seems like I don’t move any limbs last couple of week so taking net off would work.
When do you top
plants.
During veg.