How many times can i top an auto flower?


i am new to growing, i already topped my small plant and i want to top it again but idk where it is an autoflower. @hobbyist

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I guess very few people have success with topping autoflowers and not losing their yield. I wouldnt recommend but thats just me.

Edit: welcome to the forum!

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Totally agree with @zeus! But the guy to ask might be @deusoboy420, I’m sure he grows auto…

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Yes what kapouic said ^ :smiley:

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I wouldn’t top it anymore. That girl is in full on flower.
And with an auto you’re on the clock so to speak. The plant won’t have time to recover before it finishes and yields will suffer.
You don’t have the option to extend the veg time with an auto like you do with a photo period plant. :v:

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Well explained sir, thanks!

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Listen to @oldguy

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Absolutely brotha i dont top my autos unless its a strain that i know for sure has a longer veg period for an auto like @oldguy said your on the clock with autos if they dont have proper time to recover yields are greatly reduced a lesson i learned first hand when o ran my first autoflowers ever back a few years ago lol it was pretty pitiful haha i gave up on autos for a few years my first time ever running them again was the ones at the beginning of my thread

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credit goes to Screwauger

LIFECYCLE OF AN AUTO

[quote]

Weeks 1 - 3. Once you’ve started your seeds and they break the surface of the soil, they are in their seedling stage. The first set of leaves to appear will usually single fingered, followed by a second set that may still be single fingered or perhaps 3 fingered. Once that second set appears growth will start to accelerate as the new leaves provide more photosynthesis. This process will continue, more new leaves, faster growth. Depending on the type of soil in use, mild vegetative nutes can be introduced at week 2. By week 3 most plants will start to show their sex. Males will start to produce pollen sacks and females will display pistils.

Weeks 4 - 6. The plants are now entering a pre flowering stage. During this time the plants should exhibit explosive growth, often as much as a new set of nodes and 1" vertical growth a day. This is the time when they will gain most of their vertical height. Many people make the mistake of switching from vegetative to flowering nutrients at this point, assuming that since they see flowers it must be the proper time. This is incorrect. If the switch to flowering nutes is made at this time the vertical growth will stop and the plant will put it’s energy into producing buds. If you need to keep your plants small, or want them to finish earlier, they by all means switch nutes at this point. But if you want to get the most out of your plants continue feeding vegetative nutes until you see the vertical growth slow and stop. Depending on the strain that will usually be sometime during week 5 or 6.

Weeks 7 - 9. By now vertical growth has stopped and the switch to flowering nutrients has been made. The buds will start to fill out and put on weight, becoming hard and tight. Pistols will start to change from white to brown, orange, red, etc. By now the plants will also have developed a strong smell. Toward the end of this phase the large primary and smaller secondary fan leaves will begin to turn yellow. This is an indication that the plant is moving toward the end of it’s life.

Weeks 10 - 11. At this time flowering nutes should be discontinued and only plain pHed water fed to flush the remaining nutrients from the soil and improve the taste. Yellowing of the fan leaves will continue as the plant draws the stored energy from them. Eventually they will die and fall off. By the time that the smaller leaves that come from out of the buds will also start to turn yellow. Then it’s time to harvest.

I know that many of you are thinking that the seed bank said the plants will finish in 8-9 weeks, so why are you saying they take 10-11? The claims made by the seed banks are somewhat deceptive. If you switch to flowering nutes at week 3 or 4 the plants can finish in the times the seed banks say but they will remain small and not reach their full potential yield. Years of growing by myself and others has shown that autos do best if you follow this time line.

Of course, there will always be variations depending on the strain, the environment, nutrients, etc. This information is meant to only serve as a general guideline. [/code]

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I would have posted a link, but I don’t have one, can’t remember where I got it from and was in my notes

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I topped this auto yesterday (brides cake regular)

I always now try to keep 3-5 autos around, good quick smoke (depends on strain)

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I top once nowadays, I have topped more than once before and worked well, but, you have to know that strain pretty good.

Northern lights and Critical+ auto are usually spot on, they start throwing pistols on day 22-23, thats 4 times in a row for those two strains. Other strains take longer, some don’t auto flower and then forced to do 12/12

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I do like auto’s though, I don’t care how big they get its’ fun and you grew it :wink:

my last auto harvest, this one I did not top

Not much, a few bubblers

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Best use for a keyboard tray ever!!! :star_struck::rofl::nerd_face:

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yeah 204 grams wet, I can’t remember what the dry weight was but that one was my first auto, I was happy with the results, I will grow it again and top and get more weight :slight_smile:

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Fantastic post. Very helpful I reall appreciate it

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Awesome pics dude

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Love those pics. I’m a total newbie to this. I grew my first plant last summer, a Banana Sorbet clone that was gifted to me, and I was pleased with the results. I am an avid gardener, but have no experience growing cannabis. I’ve just ordered some seeds and will be experimenting more this summer. I’m curious though, if/when I pinch back the plants should I try rooting the cuttings? Is this how it’s done? Rooting cuttings, creating clones, increasing yields? Or are there specific criteria for creating clones? I hadn’t considered that auto genetics predispose them to a shorter, more defined life cycle. Still learning.
Thanks, Laura

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High @lbostick1 and Welcome to the network!

Yes, you can root the cuttings, I do it like this when I top (photo’s only).

You let her go to 6-7 nodes
Top her back down to 3-4
Train outwards for a week you should get a pretty good clone from the top

You can top/clone an autoflower, if you have spare time for some fun and not expect a lot of weed and have a sense of adventure, otherwise don’t bother, it’s not worth it. (recommended)

Had to say this because this is a autoflower thread and I am heavily medicated

EDIT: Warning, not all posted on this reply is for auto’s, sorry, I’m stoned

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Yeah down in the mancave (basement) :slight_smile:

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