Trimming vs. Topping of budheads

[DGBAMA]

Anyone tried keeping budheads trimmed down to just 4-5 buds to induce leaf growth without inducing suckering? I have seen Bob's suggestion of bending/breaking the budhead and leaving it attached to the plant to "fool it" into not suckering. Was thinking just trimming to only allow a few flowers might be better since the plant would not be wasting energy trying to "heal" the bent over seedhead. My havannah will be getting topped or trimmed this weekend so looking for input. If no-one has tried this, I may do some each way and see if there is any difference.

 

[deluxestogie]

I have seen Bob's suggestion of bending/breaking the budhead and leaving it attached to the plant to "fool it" into not suckering.

I actually have not recommended that. I did post it as a quote from an old book. I remove suckers and bud heads completely.

I believe that the auxin (plant hormone) response to the presence of budding is dose related, so that trimming to a few buds may increase suckers to produce more buds. I don't know. It would be interesting to see a comparison.

Bob

 

[ChuckP]

Howdy,

I was talking to two old baccy farmers today, both are retired. Rawhide was asking me about how I deal with suckers and I told him I pop them off. They both had a good laugh and said you pour used motor oil on them. I'm not sure if I'd use that technique or not. They both had a good ol' time at my expense and my 100+ plants, how I use towels and colour cure my leaves, etc. If someone tries this method, let us know how it works.

One thing they both said was that sand lugs are worth the effort, they're sweeter.

My .02 cents worth.

 

[DonH]

Motor oil? Yikes! I've heard of vegetable oil being used but motor oil... Can't be healthy.

 

[johnlee1933]

Motor oil? Yikes! I've heard of vegetable oil being used but motor oil... Can't be healthy.

I don't know. Think about it. You are applying a little oil at the base of the rib next to the stalk. [For this discussion let's assume it does retard suckers.] The joint between the main rib and the stalk is saturated. Perhaps a little runs down the stalk to other ribs. The key word here is ribs. The affected ribs will be discarded. Only the lamina will be used. So what's the big thing about a few drops of used motor oil?

 

[DGBAMA]

So here we go then. 4 side by side plants of even growth to this point. Left to right....bagged, bent, trimmed, and topped. Will observe for differences in leaf growth and suckering.

 

[Knucklehead]

A worthy experiment. This will be interesting.

 

[DGBAMA]

A worthy experiment. This will be interesting.

At this point I have four more varieties yet to bloom where growth will be consistent enough in neighboring plants to try this with each of them. Who knows.......one technique may not be best for every variety.

 

[Fisherman]

I remember when we washed our tools and hands in benzene.. Motor oil has carcinagens in it now they say.
Mr FMGrowit said to use mineral or vegetable oil if I remeber right and keep in mind how a tobacco plant channels liquids down it's stalk towards the bottom of the plant. I think he said just pour on crown or terminal bud and it will go downwards and hit most sucker growing regions along the way.

Myself I tryed the bending the sucker and I think it is working towards stopping sucker growth. IMO

 

[DGBAMA]

A worthy experiment. This will be interesting.

Double post.

 

[Rickey60]

DG, how did this experiment work out?

 

[gargynko]

I was aking on HGTG and here I am doing the same:

I am still wondering about buds (flowers)...my plants are 3 to 5 feet high but I am afraid they wont grow anymore after me topping them. I ve read at HTGT that after topping plants wont grow anymore so where is the truth? I plan keeping just a few plants for seeds, every other plant will be used for making cigarettes, so my target is the biggest yeld possible and the best quality possible for sure. Will they grow after topping or not? Or when I should top them? What height??

 

[DGBAMA]

They will continue growing after topping, just no new leaves. Leaves will get larger and heavier. Once buds appear, untopped plants don't grow any new leaves either.

 

[Knucklehead]

I was aking on HGTG and here I am doing the same:

I am still wondering about buds (flowers)...my plants are 3 to 5 feet high but I am afraid they wont grow anymore after me topping them. I ve read at HTGT that after topping plants wont grow anymore so where is the truth? I plan keeping just a few plants for seeds, every other plant will be used for making cigarettes, so my target is the biggest yeld possible and the best quality possible for sure. Will they grow after topping or not? Or when I should top them? What height??

A lot of members, including myself, are seeing early budding this year. It is what it is. There's not much you can do about it without degrading your most prized leaf. Just take what you can get. Topping induces the roots to put nicotine into the leaves and puts the energy that was going into flower production into leaf production. Just take good care of the nice big leaves that you do have.

Commercial growers top the whole field when about 50% of the plants are showing at least one open flower. A hobby grower can top each plant as the flowers open without creating a lot of extra work like it would for a commercial grower.

 

[gargynko]

So the best advice is to top the plant when first flower appears??

 

[Jitterbugdude]

That's about what I do. When I go out to bag the plants for seeds I top the remaining plants.

 

[DGBAMA]

I top when the first flower in the bud head shows color.