Essential Cannabis Trimming techniques for your cannabis plants

These methods of Cannabis Trimming allow you to control cannabis plant growth, improve yield and get a consistent harvest when growing different strains in the same growing area.

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Most cannabis growers will ask themselves this question at some point, especially if they want to control the growth of a given variety, maximise the yield of their favourite seeds in a small area or ensure an even yield when growing different strains together. The pruning technique you choose will ultimately depend on the variety you are growing and the results you expect to achieve.

Not all techniques are suitable for all varieties of cannabis, so you should choose genetics not only according to your preferences but also according to the actual dimensions of the growing area. Pruning works well for both indoor and outdoor growing, but remember that safety and privacy must also be considered for outdoor setups. Here you will learn how to use different pruning techniques: bottom leaf pruning, topping, FIM and “super cannabis trimming”.

These methods work well for feminised and regular varieties, but not for autoflowering varieties, whose life cycle is not long enough for the plant to regenerate and produce results. Pruning is also not recommended if you cultivated feminised or conventional cannabis seeds later in the season, as the hemp plants will not have enough time to develop fully.

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Trimming the lower branches of cannabis

Pruning the lower branches of plants is very popular among cannabis growers. This technique allows energy to be redirected to the top of the plant to maximise yield. Because light has better access to the bottom of the plant, the flowers are more evenly distributed across the branches, contributing to more even production.

The tops of cannabis plants

Doing canopying topping (trimming cannabis tops) is another of the most commonly used plant (plants training) cannabis trimming techniques among growers. It is suitable for both indoor and outdoor growing and allows you to effectively control the size of your plants and manage the space in your grow area correctly – it can also be useful if you want to keep a low profile outside. “topping” technique involves removing the growing tip of the plant, usually with clean sterilised scissors or a pruner, to avoid signs of stress and pests.

Use common sense when using this technique and always respect the growth cycle of the plant. The best time to do this is when the plant is well formed but still has plenty of time to redirect energy to the desired area, approximately 5 to 10 days before switching the photoperiod to 12/12 – just before stretching. This will ensure that there is enough time to change the structure of the cannabis plant.

With this (training) technique, plant auxins will be evenly distributed to secondary branches along with flowers production, increasing growth and yield. Cannabis Topping is also used by many growers for mother plant care.

FIM (fuck I missed)

FIM stands for “fuck I missed” and is a technique that evolved from growers’ mistakes when topping. Like topping, “fimming” encourages lush growth and increased lateral and top branching.

This pruning technique involves cutting the head and tops instead of the whole branch. You should cut back about 2/3 of the new branches so that the remaining part regenerates and sprouts new heads that will eventually turn into flowers. This will result in at worst one pair of new shoots, at best five new pairs. And don’t worry if the plant doesn’t produce any new shoots, because that will simply turn your offshoot into a leaf. As you can see, this is a perfectly safe technique and also a great option for mother plant care.

Super trimming of cannabis plants

“Super trimming” is becoming increasingly popular among cannabis growers. It involves lightly breaking the inner fibres of the tips of the main branches without completely severing them. You have to be particularly careful not to damage the outer tissue as this could weaken the plant. Larger breaks due to excessive bending could lead to the loss of the treated area, so arm yourself with common sense and a good deal of patience. The aim of this method is to limit the vertical growth of the upper tips by forcing them to grow horizontally – once you bend them, you will need to tie them off – while encouraging vertical growth of the lower branches. When used correctly, super pruning will result in an even distribution of marijuana flowers, thus significantly increasing yields.

You can use this cannabis trimming technique to maximise yields and to deal with tricky situations, such as limiting the growth of a plant that is too close to the lamp and in danger of burning.

The key is, however, to have a good base in the form of quality hemp seeds, from our range of hemp seeds you will surely choose