My skunk plant is just now showing its 5th node. The space I’m using does not have a high ceiling but my lighting system does have the ability to switch from 100 percent to 50 and 25 percent strength. Using a 600 watt light.
Should I consider topping the plant or reducing the lighting and keeping the length of exposure the same in order to get more height for the plant? And then top it when it get to 7 nodes?
1 Like
If you’re at the fifth node now, you could probably just top it now. I wouldn’t mess with the light. Those settings are usually more trouble than they are worth, and it’s usually better to leave them on full strength. But topping will definitely encourage your plant to grow bushier, rather than taller.
You haven’t yet reached the point where it REALLY starts to grow. I’d top it now and keep doing whatever training you plan on.
Thanks, I did top it and made sure lighting is at 36" Above plant. I know #myfriendis410 said something about doing what ever training I have planned.
Not sure if he/she was referencing LST. I’ve never done stress training before, so I’m a little unsure about it.
My understanding on LST is to allow more lighting to reach lower branches for a larger yield. Seems scary,
Would be times like this I’d wish for a lighting track to replicate the sun’s movements lol.
Could placing foil on flooring around plant serve same purpose? Or would that only increase the heating effect?
I thought the same at 1st but i bit the bullet so to speak and its paying off , (i think) lol.
Very 1st LST on the 5th aug…
Took this pic on the 24th…
Its better to top and LST when you dont have much height space, i have the space just wanted to experiment 
Extra folage looks good, might give it a try using pipe cleaners.
Do you rotate the lean on a weekly basis so bottom folage on both side get the extra light?
Pipe cleaners are great im using them also with abit of strimmer wire where needed!
I tend to just rotate my pot to position the smaller shoots underneath the light and just keep tieing down when they out grow eachother, this is my 1st time so not sure on the BEST way but you want to aim for that flat canopy…have a look on youtube and there is loads of ways to do it but you have to go with what suits you and your space
Goodluck and welcome to the forum…
P.s love the name 
1 Like
Lol, thanks.
I thought I read somewhere about how to do multiple toppings?
When the lower shoots grow out several nodes then you can top them?
Any advice?
Not too sure I want to do those types of searches on a social media site, because of possible tracking.
1 Like
I have also heard about multiple toppings but dont have any experience in doing so. This is my topping, she was topped at her 5th node
I think once those topped shoots are on their 4th node they can be topped again, you may want to try a FIM (!@#$ i missed) done the right way you get 4 new shoots.
I can call in the cavalry for ya…
@PurpNGold74 @Budbrother @Countryboyjvd1971
I actually dont think you top the side shoots, just the main top shoots…but im still learning 
Once your new kolas have grown a couple of new nodes of growth, you can go ahead and top them again, if you like. It depends on how bushy you want your plants, and how short you want to keep them. Also, the more you top it, the more kolas you’ll get, but the smaller the kolas will be. It depends on what you’re aiming for. Usually topping once or twice is plenty, but you could do more if you’re going to veg it longer… This is also a factor, how much time you have to grow it before you flip to 12/12.
I’d also recommend super cropping your plants. I’ll admit that it freaked me out, before I did it, and I was super worried about ruining my precious plants when I first did it. But the results were great, and encouraged tons of new growth!.. and the plants recover just fine.
2 Likes
@WonkaMan has you covered 
I start supper cropping as soon as they can handle it. Before I top or FIM it even, I go down a few nodes to begin. Its not necessarily bending them as much as popping the insides with a few squeezes around. They may slump over slightly at first, but are standing and growing like nothing happened in 24 hrs.
I do that about 2x before I have plants ready to FIM the first time; worse case is that I top 
Then I super crop and really bend them suckers to my will. I have knuckles ALL over the plant by the time I’m done.
They facilitate better nutrient up take and through take for better buds. I do a node and skip a node. You have to allow time to recuperate first before the doing the next. I run a SCROG grow to maximize my space.
You think 6’ is plenty of room until you take into account how close you can get your light to your plants without burning them. Most are around 18-24” So 6’ becomes 4’ quite often. Don’t forget about the stretch and veg too long. Supper cropping can help with height issues, to a point, before you have buds everywhere and on top of each other; and then grow too close to minimal light distances.
Well that’s my $.02 for the evening 
3 Likes
Shoot, I also forgot to include the height of the grow bags or whatever. This further reduces your grow space height as well.
1 Like
Thank you Budbrother
The first photo is the SS I topped three or four days ago.
The second photo is the second SS I started about a week after the first one.
And the little guy in the back is GL .
Looking good, @Mufassa! You’re going to be happy with that topping. That plant should spread out nicely. You’re grow is coming along nicely.
Thank you, I worry about that little gold leaf(GL , back pot) only one in 5 actually took off.
Wishing it was Christmas already lol lol wink wink.
1 Like
@Aquaponic_Dumme thanks for the edit altho im unsure what it was that needed editing? If you can fill me in, that would be great