Pruning techniques for marijuana

Pruning marijuana crops has a very specific function, which is maximize performance in the growing space by cutting or diverting of the main branches. This enables the internal transfer of growth hormones (auxins) through the entire structure. This makes it easy to create a more robust and compact growth that allows you to get thicker flowers and high yielding marijuana plants.

Thanks to these methods you can grow a strain that is large in size in a small space indoors, or obtain a good marijuana crop outdoors on a balcony or terrace. In this way, you’ll get a great yield for each Philosopher Seeds variety through methods such as FIM pruning, LST (Low Stress Training), the well-known Super Cropping, and including a new shaping technique known as Wesley Cross Branch.

FIM pruning in Philosopher Seeds plants

FIM pruning consists of making a small cut in the apical tip of the plant, so that the auxiliary branches multiply, and you can get up to 5-7 small apical tips, obtaining a round structure and losing its natural shape with a large central tip.
With this method you can get better results because all the plant’s main tips are the same height and light is distributed equally in all areas of the plant. It is important to be familiar with the inverse-square law so you know how the light reflects on objects with the distance and how it affects cannabis plants.

It is worth mentioning that this technique is best suited for seedling plants, rather than cuttings from a selected parent plant. Plants from cuttings have a longer biological age and the production of stem cells is very low, which hinders the chances of success with this technique.

You can use this technique with the following Philosopher Seeds strains:

• Amnesika 2.0: You will be able to double the weight of secondary buds.
• K13 Haze: You will be able to reduce its height in bloom and grow it in small spaces.
• Gokunk: The varieties with Skunk features respond very well to this technique.
• Jack el Frutero: It is necessary to use this technique outdoors in order to reduce its size.
• Sweet Love: With this method, Sweet Love easily increases its yield.
• SuperJuani: Its slender growth will benefit from FIM pruning.

This short tutorial explains how to do the process safely and successfully.

LST technique (Low Stress Training) in Philosopher Seeds plants

There are several shaping techniques or LST (Low Stress Training). All of them consist of diverting the cannabis plants horizontally when growing by holding the branches using wire or rope. The branches are held down in order to get a uniform growth for all branches and inner parts of the plant.

For the most common LST technique you will need to grow the plant to the 4th or 5th node and cut the apical tip. Once it’s cut, you will be able to attach the stem to a rope which will be tightened on the edge of the pot, or with a weight placed on the ground. As the plant grows, this will have to be tightened again, so all branches grow at the same height.

If you are very familiar with the method, you can grow it in spiral, where the main stem of the plant whirls on itself in the shape of a spiral and takes full advantage of the light received.

The results can be surprising, the marijuana plant performance can increase by 20%. Sativa large varieties can be grown in smaller spaces if this technique is used.

It is worth saying that varieties with higher percentages of Sativa are ideal for these methods. In Indica varieties you only need a longer period of growth, but they will continue to benefit from horizontal growth, which will cause that side branches grow equally in search of light, receiving the same light intensity in all points of growth.

You can use this technique with the following Philosopher Seeds strains:

• Guayita: You will be able to control its spine growth and increase yield.
• Black Bomb: With this technique there are no secondary branches, all flowers are big and compact.
• Sugar Pop: Its rapid growth makes it ideal for this technique.

In future posts we'll talk about other techniques such as SOG, LST and the American famous super cropping technique, applied to Philosopher Seeds strains. Do not miss it!