With Seedstockers’ feminised seeds you’ll obtain incredibly hardy plants that are adaptable to whichever pruning technique you prefer the most.
The pruning process is essential for yield optimisation both in terms of quantity and quality, so you’ll have to know how to choose and carry out the most appropriate technique according to the strains that you decide to use.
· Topping: This is perhaps the most commonly used HST method. To apply topping, you need to cut the main stem near the area of development of the third node. This facilitates the growth of the lower branches and results in lower, more branched apical growth. Using this process, a larger area of the plant is exposed to light, which in turn leads to a higher yield. You can also apply topping to other stems to obtain more bushy plants with a greater number of branches and buds. With this technique you will grow small and compact plants, which is ideal if you’re looking for discretion in your outdoor grow or have little space indoors.
· Fimming: This is a complex technique that involves cutting 70-80% of the main stem (without eliminating it completely) to obtain the growth of 4 to 6 new shoots instead of 2. Fimming significantly increases the number of top colas and maximises the production of buds, obtaining compact plants that don’t take up much space and offer the same advantages as those trained with the topping technique.
· Lollipopping: This technique consists of removing the lower shoots and secondary branches that don’t get enough light so that the energy concentrates on the upper branches. As these are more exposed, they grow stronger, leading to huge buds with a shape similar to that of a baby pacifier. You only need to follow a few simple steps to perform this technique:
- Gradually cut the weaker lower branches during the vegetative phase.
- Totally eliminate the secondary branches during the third week of flowering, just when the first flowers appear and vegetative growth stops.
Lollipopping is ideal whether you grow in SOG, SCROG, or LST. However, it’s important to remember that, for this technique to reach its maximum potential, it is best to choose the varieties from our catalogue that concentrate their production in only a few main branches; for example Amnesia, Gorilla Glue, or Super Skunk.