Growing cannabis at home has become an increasingly popular pursuit for many enthusiasts. As cultivators search for ways to enhance their garden’s performance, several techniques have emerged to boost plant growth and increase overall yield. Super cropping, a High-Stress Training (HST) method, has proven particularly effective in helping gardeners achieve this goal by strategically damaging the plant’s branches in a way that encourages horizontal growth. The result? A higher-yielding crop due to optimized light exposure and an improved photosynthesis process.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the many advantages of super cropping and provide you with a step-by-step process to implement this technique successfully. Additionally, we’ll share tips on post-super cropping care and maintenance, ensuring your cannabis plants recover and thrive after the procedure. With the knowledge gained from this guide, you’ll be well-equipped to enhance your cannabis garden’s output through the super cropping technique. So let’s dive in and discover how super cropping can transform your cannabis cultivation journey, leading to healthier, more robust plants, and better yields than ever before.
What is Super Cropping?
Super cropping is a method used to alter the natural growth patterns of cannabis plants. The process involves intentionally damaging the plant’s branches in a controlled way, promoting the plant to grow more horizontally rather than vertically. As a result, this increased exposure to light aids in optimizing the photosynthesis process, often leading to a higher yield.
The super cropping technique works on the basis that plants can recover from specific types of damage and ultimately grow back stronger than before, much like weightlifting strengthens human muscles.
Advantages of Super Cropping
The super cropping technique provides several benefits to your cannabis plants, including:
Increased Yields
Super cropping allows for an increased flow of nutrients to the affected areas, promoting a surge in bud growth, leading to enhanced yields.
Enhanced Canopy Consistency
Super cropping encourages outward growth, resulting in a more consistent canopy. Even growth across all plant sections ensures they receive the same amount of light, further boosting yields.
Controlled Growth
Super cropping helps control the height of your cannabis plants, making it an ideal technique for those with limited growth spaces.
How to Super Crop Your Weed
Super cropping your cannabis plants requires precision and care. Following this step-by-step guide will ensure a successful super cropping process:
Step 1: Choosing the Branches
First, identify which branches to super crop. These branches should be the longest and most vigorous, as they can endure the stress induced by super cropping.
Step 2: Preparing the Branch
After choosing your branch, locate a spot about halfway up the stem for manipulation. The stem should be young and flexible but firm enough not to snap when bent.
Step 3: Create the ‘Knuckle’
Pinch the chosen location of the stem between your fingers, gently applying pressure until the inner cell walls give way. The branch should be soft and flexible, allowing you to bend it without breaking it off completely.
Step 4: Bend the Branch
Bend the damaged branch to a 90-degree angle. The objective is to stress the plant enough to stimulate healing and growth without inflicting lasting damage.
Step 5: Secure the Branch
Using a piece of string or garden tie, secure the bent branch in its new position. This ensures it remains in place as it heals and strengthens over time.
Step 6: Monitor Recovery
Keep a close watch on your super-cropped branches over the next several days, noting their recovery and growth rate.
Post Super Cropping Care and Maintenance
Super cropping can be an intense process for your cannabis plants, making proper post-super cropping care incredibly vital. Consider these tips:
Watering
Ensure you are watering the plant after super cropping, as the added hydration can help it recover and grow correctly.
Nutrient Balance
Maintaining balanced nutrient levels is crucial during the plant’s recovery period, as it ensures it receives the proper nutrients for healing and growth.
Pruning
Pruning unnecessary leaves and branches from the plant can help optimize light exposure in the growth area further, promoting additional growth.
Damage Control
In case you accidentally break any branches during the super cropping process, don’t worry! Apply duct tape or another form of bandage to the damaged area, and the plant should recover in due time.
Repeat as Needed
Depending on the size and growth rate of your cannabis plants, you might need to super crop once or several times during the vegetative stage.
Conclusion
Super cropping your cannabis plants might seem intimidating, but with careful execution and attention to detail, the process can yield fruitful results. It’s essential to understand that every plant is unique and may respond differently to super cropping. However, with patience, practice, and an open mind, this powerful technique can transform your cannabis garden’s output.
Embrace the world of super cropping and watch your plants develop into more robust, healthier, and higher-yielding cannabis plants than ever before. Happy growing!