Plant Training

[SmartWater]

Hi everyone! So far I had a hiccup in the seedling stage of this plant, and the lower growth is a bit behind. Now, I want you guys to add any opinions over the plant. Is it worthwhile to start training, or are the branches all ready even enough to have strong equal colas growing? Should I just defoliate and let it grow naturally? Or should I go all out and top her soon?

Thanks again, A.m.F

[MOgrows]

It looks nice and healthy now. If you haven't already you should clean up those leaves that you trimmed off. The dead leaves invite fungus.

As far as training, have you looked into lst? If you're worried about stress from topping, you can always try lst and/or supercropping. Not trying to talk you out of topping if that's the way you want to go, just giving another option. Nice looking plant 😊

[SmartWater]

MOgrows Thanks a lot, I'm really proud considering its my second baby girl. I'm leaning towards HST tho bc last time LST took a long time. On top of the fact that Iwas way to nervous to try that on my first plant, LOL

[MOgrows]

I think it's healthy enough to train however you want. You have enough side branching to end up with a nice bushy plant if you decide to top.

I've only topped once, and my plant was nowhere near as healthy as yours and it didn't slow down one bit

[alltatup]

She does look very healthy. If she's growing nice and strong, she can handle some training fine.

[SmartWater]

alltatup I think your right. But do you think cutting it, basically in half, to top it will be the best way to go for a better yeild in less time?

[alltatup]

Smart, I always make sure a plant is growing strong before I do anything to her--putting out lots of roots, strong leaf growth.

Cutting her in half? You wouldn't be doing that if you top her now. I would if she were with me, to break that apical dominance. You've got great bud sites below emerging, they will be nice and strong and really take off after you top her.

I always top my plants when they have 5 nodes, they always recover really quickly, and the bud sites start growing. If the bottom bud sites aren't going to catch up to nodes 2, 3, and 4, I'll pinch them off. That's when I start LST to set up the bud sites. I don't defoliate at the same time. It all depends on how she's growing; you have a sense of what she can handle.

[SmartWater]

[alltatup]

I count 8 strong bud sites.

[SmartWater]

So after getting a little bit ahead of myself and topping a little too much imo I decided to focus on these 12 bud sites. It's about 6 weeks into veg stage and am finally using a pH indicator before watering.

[SmartWater]

I tried already but I'm thinking about trying again with some super cropping. The problem is it getting in the way of the other bud sites

[alltatup]

Yeah, I hear ya. Well, as they stretch, I hope you can train her out of the way of the other colas. Plant looks great, though.

[SmartWater]

Thanks imma really let it grow b4 switching it to flowering stage.