The cannabis world is ever-changing, and it is growing. Cannabis connoisseurs have become very interested in the plant and have made major discoveries on how to use cannabis and have come up with different cannabis products. But the “green revolution” is not only about the uses of cannabis, but it is also about growing the plant commercially or in a designated space at your home.
If you are a beginner cannabis cultivator, did you know that there are ways to improve your yield, and the pruning cannabis plant is one effective way to maximize your yield? Though we all know that cannabis is a versatile plant, and most of them are easy to cultivate, there still ways to improve your harvest.
As a cannabis cultivator, whether you are an experienced one or not, there is no harm in looking and finding ways on how to improve the quality of your harvest. You may have a good quality harvest now, but who knows, it can be better, and pruning your cannabis plant can help you achieve that.
What is Pruning?
Pruning is a growing process when you selectively remove branches (specifically unwanted) of a plant to improve its health and improve the plant’s structure and allow it to grow healthily. Pruning is like grooming. It happens when you remove unwanted branches and leaves, which happens as the marijuana grows. The unwanted leave doesn’t die right away, so you have to remove them by clipping manually. Unwanted leaves and branches can take away the nutrition that is intended for the plant. Removing unwanted leaves also allows your plants to be exposed to sunlight, especially those parts that were covered by those unwanted branches and leaves.
Pruning cannabis plant: What are the basics?
So you have tried your green thumb in growing cannabis plants in your home garden, and it worked! Well, good for you. You can now grow your favorite bud, take care of them, and reward your self with a quality yield. If you had a good yield with your previous harvests, then perhaps you might be interested to know that it can be better, and pruning cannabis plants can maximize your yield.
So you want to know the basics of pruning cannabis plants? To start, you need to have a really sharp shears or scissors and clean gloves. We emphasize the sharp scissors for you to cut the parts easily and will not cause any stress to the plant. Make sure that the shears are also clean to prevent infection and keep the plant healthy. The glove will protect your hand from any dirt, and it will also keep the plant clean.
So here are the easy and safe ways to prune your cannabis plant:
- Look for the large branches first. If you see these branches, remove them first. With the use of your clean, sharp shears, carefully cut the branches off and separate them from the parent plant. By doing so, you will be able to clear out space. Start cutting off branches at the bottom of the plant. These are the branches that have received a minimal amount of sunlight; thus, they are not healthy.
- Also, look for the branches that are in the middle part of the plant. The ones just underneath the canopy are also receiving a minimal amount of light so you can cut them off. They are shaded out so they won’t be able to produce full and quality buds.
- Carefully look for other dying branches or leaves. Though most of the time, they are found in the middle or at the bottom, still there are circumstances that they are at some other parts of the plant.
Here are several pruning methods that you can try to maximize your yield:
Topping
This method will help you maximize your plant’s access to sunlight, especially if you are growing them indoors. In this method, you need to cut off the main shoot at the top. This part stimulates the growth of shoots and branches. A single growing shoot can produce a single cola, but topping it will give you four. Topping will give you bigger buds, bushier plants with plenty of branches, and more leaves.
Fimming
Another pruning cannabis method is fimming. In this method, you need to partially remove the latest shoot of a plant. You may think that this might cause stress to the plant, well yes, but it is manageable, and it is healthy stress, and the plant is sure to recover and make sure that you are using clean and sharp shears. Fimming your plants will allow them to grow wider and bushier but not taller. It will expose the leaves to the light. Fimming will allow your plants to grow more leaves, it will grow wider, and it has better light exposure and absorption.
Lollipop
This method will allow your plant to produce big colas. It is called lollipop because of the outcome of the shape after you are finished with it. You have to remove the lower growth, and what remains of the plant is a long bare stem with colas on top just like a lollipop. Removing the lower parts of the plant allows better air circulation, and it keeps the plant away from molds or fungi. According to experienced cannabis growers, it is best to do this method during the vegetative phase of the plant’s growth cycle. This method can improve air circulation, conserve plant energy, and produce larger colas.
Conclusion
Pruning cannabis may seem to be extra work, but the benefits are undoubtedly great. As a cannabis cultivator, you want to improve your crops, and you want to expand your ways so that you can harvest top quality yield. The little work you exert in pruning your plants will give you a much better harvest than what you had before.
As you become more knowledgeable with cannabis cultivation, you have to prepare yourself to do some extra works to provide your plant the tender loving care that they need. If you want a better yield, you don’t just sit there and wait for your cannabis plant to grow. Pruning cannabis can help maximize your yield.
You can always achieve your yield goals by acquiring top quality seeds at outdoor cannabis seeds.
