Quadlining

[OlderNOTwiser]

I've been tagging along and trying not to hijack this thread by Chadly01 ( https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum...11841-tri-leaf ) where there is a truly mutant tri-leaf growing. I, too, have a tri-leaf going and was looking for help on quadlining my triple header (sexline? Oh, my!). Remembering this post I searched for and began reading again (probably my 3rd or 4th time now) to get the node selection sorted out before anything got too far off the mark. I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see this thread is still kind of active after more than a year. And what's more awesome, for me anyway, was to discover that JohnEmad is training a tri-leaf as well. And that Doubledealing72 just wrapped up a tri! Good Stuff!

My question #1 is probably too simple but when ya don't know the answer....With a quad or tri or whatever number of nodes you saved, what determines if you cut or save the new sites at 1, 3, 5, etc. or 2, 4, 6 etc.? I'm leaning to save #3 and/or #5 on the lower segment and # 2 and #4 on the upper segment to try and get separation between the two segments for the cola to snake up through without too much difficulty. Is that even proper logic?

Question #2: On this plant I'm noticing odd colorations on some leaves that do look like tobacco mosaic virus. But after reading the article and seeing references to genetics as the more likely cause I guess that makes sense since it is already a genetic aberration of the tri-leaf kind and it may just be that. Picture attached, let me know your thoughts.

Question #3: I noticed this morning that the growth on the lower (older) segment is already going to alternating nodes. Top segment looks like it is also beginning to switch from opposing to alternating. I've seen that on a much older untrained plant before but not so early. Almost looks like clones. I'm wondering if there are consequences coming (male, hermie, little shop of horrors) or if it is yet another genetic anomaly. Guesses?

Anyhow, some pics.

[Doubledealing72]

Thanks OlderNOTwiser, I like to continue posting plants using this technique, so there should be new posts at least every 3 months. And anyone that is trying this technique is welcome to post as well!

I'll try and answer your questions to the best of my ability.

1. What determines it is really personal choice. However, I like to cut off the nodes closest to the main stalk. This tends to leave the middle part a little more open, letting more light and air get through the plant. I normally just cut them off, unless there are sites that are really low and I know they aren't going to amount to anything.

2. My plants tend to get color variations like that, and also sometimes these little rust looking spots. Not sure what causes it, but it doesn't seem to affect them too much.

3. I would say that it could be because of the mutation, but i have had asymmetry in limbs before and it wasn't too big of an issue. Time shall tell!

[JohnEmad]

Hey OlderNOTwiser, Thanks for mentioning me but I would give way to mcubed476 due to his vast experience at this.
I have a tribranch plant that I topped but since then it has been transplanted into a 15 gallon pot and topped at about a dozen places to stop it from growing any taller.

When I top I usually keep 3rd/4th/and 5th branches but any number of different approaches such as mainlining, quadline or our newly named sexline can work. Every plant kind of tells me what it can accept.
I am sure you will grow this one nicely with your well thought out approach.
Look forward to seeing it grow.

[Doubledealing72]

Lol, I'm not sure if you're joking or being serious 🤣

Can't blame me, it's a funny term 🤣

[oldjarhead100]

I never heard the term before ,remember I had to ask what a LEO was lol so yes I was serious

[JohnEmad]

Sexlining for me is topping the plant and keeping the 3,4,5th set of main branches or 6 branches.
It makes for perhaps too many tops in some cases.but it sure is sexy. Lol

[oldjarhead100]

Doubledealing72 This is one of my girls this one has 4 main stems coming from the trunk ,then I tied down the side branches ,now here my question do you get a better yield by leaving the side branches of the side branches ,or do you keep them clean until they reach the outside of the pot and turn up ,I'm trying some both ways

[Doubledealing72]

I prefer the style in the first pic you have. I like to believe it helps with airflow through the plant. They are both looking good!

[PRIMO]

oldjarhead100 Sextet-a group of six, so quadline being four mains, six mains = sexline.

[oldjarhead100]

thanks ive done that man does it get crazy with all the middle shoots

[Doubledealing72]

My current quadlining. Bubba Cheese and Amnesia XXL. The last time I grew Bubba Cheese I snapped a branch off and it became a triline. I havent made that mistake so far lol. I did manage to crack a branch on the Amnesia XXL, but it shouldn't hurt it too much at all.

[OlderNOTwiser]

I have two CBD autoflowers going now. I've topped and quad but still very nervous. I have some pistils off the main branches that I assume I can ignore while training? They're at 4 weeks above ground but seem so tiny and delicate as compared to a photoperiod plant. It's looking like I'll have tiny plants and harvest which isn't as important as getting this dialed in.

[Doubledealing72]

Hey OlderNOTwiser ! It sounds like you're off to a good start! If you put some pics up I'd love to see how your plants are currently doing! In reference to the pistils, ive grown plants to completion without removing anything but the original nodes that I cut off, and I've taken off pistils that were closest to the main stem so there would be more air flow. Both worked out well, so it's really up to you as to how you want to do it.

I've never grown photoperiods before, so I cannot comment on how they relate size wise. Sorry I can't help you there! I will say there are certain autoflowers that just grow small. Ive grown trainwreck and red poison multiple times and they have never given me more than 3 oz, no matter what style or method of training I use. Genetics is a big factor as you probably know.

Drop a pic so we can see how the girls are doing!

[Doubledealing72]

Its been 20 days since the last pic I took of the quadlining on the Bubba Cheese and the Amnesia XXL (don't let the post date fool you. I took the pic 5 days before I posted on here lol.)

All in all, I'd say things are going pretty well. The Amnesia XXL is looking really good, but she has so many leaves that its hard to see all the bud sites. The Bubba Cheese is looking awesome.


Amnesia XXL




Bubba Cheese

[SoOrbudgal]

Look at all those bud sites just a great job mainlining.

[Redy321]

I have had a few people asking me about how I've been training my plants, so I figured I would make a thread that goes through each step. Most of my journals are just focused on if they are healthy or not, and pics of them every week.

I'll cover the two terms I will be discussing, and then it will be story time lol.

QUADLINING (I previously referred to this as a "double mainline") - Leaving just 2 nodes on when the plant has about 4-6 nodes. (I normally leave the 2nd and 3rd node on, but I see people on other sites leave the 3rd and 4th nodes on with good results).

MAINLINING - Leaving only a single node on when the plant has about 4-6 nodes.

Story time!

I started mainlining autos after seeing green75's thread on how to do it. He also has YouTube videos on how he does it, so if a video helps you get the idea better than pics, then YouTube green75 and I'm sure you'll find what you need for mainlining an auto.

My yields slightly improved using this technique. I was ranging anywhere from 2 to 5 oz per plant, and was pretty happy with it.

The reason I bring up mainlining an auto is because it is what brought me to quadlining an auto. On a previous grow I decided to leave an extra node on to see how the plant would grow. I ended up with 9.8 oz off one auto, and I was ecstatic.

I couldn't be sure if it was the strain, the seed, or the quadline that got me those results, so the next grow I did an experiment. My experiment seemed to agree with my guesstimate that quadlining indeed gave better yields than mainlining.

So far I have quadlined 3 plants. My yields have been 9.8 oz, 4 oz, and 24.78 oz (this last one was a freak of nature. I wouldn't expect a 1.5 lbs per plant every time lol).

It just so happens that I'm starting training for 2 of my plants, so what a good time to show everyone the process step by step.

I have already removed the first node (coytledons do not count as a node), and I took the coytledons off too. I have heard that you aren't supposed to take off the coytledons, but I have done it on every single plant and have never had anything bad happen to the plant because of it.

Today, I took the top node off of the White widow CBD. She's a bit bigger than the bubba cheese, and the timing seemed right to take the top node off. Once the 3rd nodes branches get a little bigger, I will start training them down. So all that's left on the White widow CBD is the 2nd and 3rd nodes. Eventually, a birds eye view of the plant will look like an x.



I use 14 gauge electrical wire to stake the branches down. Make sure they are long enough to grab hold of the coco, or soil if thats what you're using. Sometimes I hear them ripping through roots as they are going in, but it doesn't seem to affect the plants overall health.

I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH TO BE GENTLE WHEN BENDING AND STAKING DOWN BRANCHES. Otherwise you might end up with a triline lol. Just lightly bend them back and forth until they feel more pliable. Then gently stake them down.

Here is where I am currently with these 2 plants. I'll update through the whole training period so people can see how it turns out.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!


This is before any cutting on the White Widow CBD


After taking the coytledons and the first node


Before taking the 4th node


After taking the 4th node


Now it's a waiting game for a bit.

Thank you for the information. It is difficult to answer your questions, I am not an expert. I also want to start a plant. Is it profitable? .... I usually buy them. We have a problem with my wife, she has an illness, it is associated with chronic pain and something psychological. The doctor said it would be for life.. it is terrible, now it is impossible to treat this, but he advised marijuana and various weeds. This is very annoying and I also started smoking with her. Now we know a lot of services and stores. I started thinking about plant it at home. With time, we chose one store where we buy marijuana and weed also I like that they respect privacy and have free shipping . Seriously, marijuana is the only way we can live. As I said, I want to plant, what do you say?

[Doubledealing72]

In the sense that I save so much money because I don't have to buy. I've saved thousands not buying from a guy lol

[JohnEmad]

Quadlining for better production and knowing what you are smoking cuz you grew it are hard to beat. If done right it can be much lower than the cost of store bought or black market.
I will not stop growing my own after growing for almost 2 years now. And I suddenly have friends and family interested in my grows. lol. good to share.
good luck.

[SoOrbudgal]

Redy321 WTF how about posting elsewhere if you want to make a profit go to some commercial grow site. Yes it's a great hobby but not for quick profits

[UberMensch]

Thanks for sharing this...great info!