Topping Cannabis: When and How to Cut the Main Stem
Topping removes the growing tip so the two shoots below become co-dominant. Done at the right time it builds a bushy, even plant. Done late it wastes a week.
When
Top above the third to fifth node, once the plant has at least four or five healthy nodes and is growing vigorously. A struggling plant should never be topped.
How
With clean, sharp snips, cut the new growth tip cleanly just above a node, leaving the two side shoots intact. Do not tear it. Expect a 2-4 day pause before those two shoots surge.
How many times
Each topping doubles your tops: one, two, four, eight. Most home growers top once or twice and use LST to spread the results. Beyond that, veg time and light intensity, not top count, limit your yield.
Autoflowers
Autos run on a fixed clock, so a recovery pause is permanent lost yield. If you top an auto at all, do it once, early, around node three, on a plant that is clearly thriving.
Frequently asked questions
- Topping vs fimming?
- Fimming is a partial cut that can produce four tops but is less predictable. Topping is cleaner and easier to get right.