pruning advice for coliseum needed (sorry if its already been covered...)

[maccapacca]

Hi, just read some of nuggs posts on colis, great info there.
As I grow in the coli i can see the importance of uniformaty in my clones but still after trying to keep things 'uniform' Im ending up with some slow starters or some fast growers. this gives me a slightly vairied height in my plants before flowering which Im sure is damaging my yield. I have a good idea of how to prune side branches and fan leaves to maximise light but can someone tell me if its ok to 'top' the plants that are too tall, so as to bring some equilibrium to the plants and get a better spead of light, more consistancy between plant yeilds etc?

thanks in advance,

Mac

[nuggdigger]

high, i don't recommend topping your sog single stem plant especially in bloom. That is the terminal bud, and the focus of your attention. instead remove the bottom foliage to maintain a plant that wont block out the other plants/rows.
here are some ideas from the past...

Yes taking on shade leaves do effect growth, but overcrowding and shading effect growth more. When pruning, at any one time don't take to much off. Always take the bottom off first when there is more then 12 inches of plant. When the plant is maintained at 12 inches and the shade leaves start shading the buds behind them start pruning them off slowly. Experiment with each half of the coliseum. A little extra pruning on one side and a little less on the other. The side that gives the best yield after the trim gives you a good idea how your strain likes to be pruned.
Ddoc on 5-16-03 from DDoc.net thread New Coli grower

and from the Coliseum pdf.
When plants get 12 inches tall take off foliage to maintain 12 inches height from top to bottom of foliage. Try to maintain one flowering stalk.



These quotes would be most relevant to a 10 row full height coliseum with 300 plants, all the holes full. The coliseums goal always was to use all the light the first pass, so if your growing with less rows;or fewer/bigger plants per row, the foliage height may vary, and the amount of lead branches, but the same keys principles work. Work your plants to use all the light.
and on leaf removal, once you've removed the bottoms to the place you want to maintain the canopy height to, prune the extra shade leaves off gradually starting after about the end of the fourth week of bloom, and slowly continue, choosing the leaves that are shading the buds. This is the front side..and some of the side leaves with petioles. I find those stem fan petiole leafs to be the real shaders. When pruning, always chose the damaged, older, sick leaves first as they are less efficient and/or past their peak. Also, if you can tuck a leaf behind another, you can open up a light spot without sacrificing the leaf.
This sort of makes it easy to see another benefit of the light ladder, so much better light penetration through the canopy as its hitting it from so many directions/elevations. But muti-lighting arrays..now im just rambling..lol

peace :pipe:

[Lundin]

thank you nug:thumbsup:

you make everything sound so obvious

[kindlydank]

As far as keeping the clones uniform, I've had WAY better luck starting with the smallest possible clones... just a shoot and leaf, basically. And since you can get so many more tiny cuts from a mom than you can get big branch-end cuts, you can take many more than you need and toss the ones that lag behind.

Just my $.02

kindlydank :bongin:

[maccapacca]

Nugg thanks very much for this advice, my problem understanding canopy height has been cleared up! I now have the confidence to trim and prune etc too. Its a very daunting thought cutting back such strong healthy growth! sometimes you need a little back up with these things.

Kindly, yeah I have seen good results with little cuts, they tend to be VERY stong and quick to root too. Im coming round to taking way too many and weening out, my prob is the space to look after so many...im on it though!

thanks people

Mac

[outdoordreams]

Also supercropping the faster plants may work perfectly.
Ive never grown vertically, but the idea sounds good.

Simply remove one leaf off the top of your (fast plants), unlike topping this simply slows the top growth and promotes side branching. You can prune off all extra side branches as desired. Continue taking one leaf off for ever node of new growth, until the rest of plants catch up and you should have an even canopy.

Happy gardening!

[maccapacca]

good idea outdoor, will try that out

Mac