Mar
When we’re talking about pruning indoor cannabis the pro way, we have to consider some basic factors. The cultivation of indoor cannabis is quite different from the cultivation of outdoor cannabis. The plant has to be tidy and trim from the beginning of cultivation down to the end. Many times, these plants get out of hand while growing and the pruning process helps keep them in check without harming them in the process. For indoor cannabis growing, tidying the plant and higher yields is the absolute top priority. Here are some of the best steps to successfully prune indoor marijuana throughout the life-cycle:
- Trim the lower and non-productive branches early
This is an effective tip when it comes to pruning indoor growing cannabis. At the time when the plant is small and in a vegetative state, you really need to take the time to trim the lower branches alongside the leaves. Leaving these leaves does not harm the growth or yield. However, when it gets to the flowering period, they do not produce much which makes them less consequential whether or not they are cut. In this case, you have to invest some of your time to take out the lower parts of your plant so you can leave room for the upper parts. This way, your plant will get more nutrients and grow faster.
- Take your time
When pruning indoor growing cannabis at a tender age, you must apply caution. Make sure you make use of extremely sharp scissors so you could cut whatever needs to be trimmed without shocking or even killing the plant. This should not be taken lightly because these plants should not feel threatened in any way. Once they do, this halts the growth process, and eventually causes the plant to die on some occasions.
- Trim all the dead leaves
As your plant ages, it comes to a relatively predictable increase in size. The leaves at the top will begin filling out, forming a covering shape above the lower leaves. Unfortunately for them, the lower leaves die as a result of poor lighting. Snipping the lower leaves would prevent them from turning a healthy green to a dying yellow or brown. However, at the same time, it would help the upper leaves get more light. Even though these leaves are dead, or dying, they still find a way to cut from the ration of light for the entire plant.
- Regulate the growth
When growing the cannabis plant indoors, you are bound to have limitations for growth in terms of space. Pruning helps you regulate the situation without causing any major damage to the pant. This makes smaller plants better for indoor growing and larger ones for outdoor growing. Pruning indoor cannabis requires that you cut the growth cycle earlier to manage the space more efficiently.
- Top the plants, or crimp the tops
For many people, the removal of the top layer for the bottom is not such a wise choice, but there are many reasons why this is a good idea. First, it helps to improve yield, as the lower parts can easily get bigger. Second, you have removed the chemicals at the top part which makes it difficult for the lower sections to grow. Another way is to crimp the top to allow it to grow sideways in what is called a “sea of green”, this type of growing promotes plants of similar height and it makes it easier to adjust the lamp proximity.
- Do not immediately flower
After pruning, give the plant some time to recover before trying to move it into the flowering stage. It would take about 5 days before you can start forcing the plant to flower.
- Avoid pruning the plant during flowering
It’s a bad idea to prune the cannabis plant while it is flowering. This is because it is growing rapidly and any pruning would destabilize the plant completely. You can remove unproductive parts but make sure that you do not do any major pruning. Flowering is a very delicate stage for the cannabis plant, its the make it or break it side of the growth stage. It would be wise to prune with caution at this stage or avoid it altogether.
Benefits of pruning the cannabis plant
Now that we know the tips on how to properly prune the cannabis plant, here are some of the benefits:
Improved airflow underneath the canopy as well as the base of the plant – when you carefully shed off all the unnecessary parts of the plant, you give the plant access to all the air as well as the necessary nutrients it requires to grow. Compared to outdoor growing, the growing of cannabis indoors needs more care as a result of constrained resources.
Uniform structured and sized buds – the uniformity that comes from pruning your cannabis plant is great as it allows you to see the full extent of the plant growth as well as other factors you need to take into consideration.
Time and cost-effective way of keeping your plant in check – for such an effective part of your routine it costs you practically nothing, and you have everything to gain from it, which is why it should be taken seriously.
Guaranteed maximum output when it is time to harvest the plant – you would enjoy your harvest simply because you have taken the time to make things right at the nick of time. Pruning simply guarantees maximum output.
Bottom Line
The process of pruning an indoor growing cannabis plant is a complicated piece of business and once you can follow these steps, you would be able to avoid major setbacks to your cannabis plant health. So far in this article, we have learned seven methods of pruning as well as the resulting consequences. As you know, the cannabis industry is vast and the plant is used in many ways. Your enjoyment of growing cannabis will surge as you get skilled at pruning and improve other aspects of cultivation. The care and attention to detail are what make the process more fruitful. Have fun with it and thrive!
