Anybody tried the FIM technique instead of topping

Hi all i've just read about a different technique of topping your plant called FIM and was wondering if anybody has tried this with success?
Here's how you are supposed to do it.

Make the cut below the center of the node, leaving about 10% intact. This is the key, because the vegetation left behind has cells that are rapidly dividing in many different directions. This can lead to as many as EIGHT tops from a single pruning.


The link below explains in more depth and shows a diagram of how to do this

http://www.overgrow.com/faq/browse.php?qa=727

Does this work??

Supercropping...

Hey Roachie,
That technique is also called 'supercropping' and yeah, it does work. I did it to one of my plants and he grew 6 new tops!!
I didnt take him to maturity, and because it was a male I dont know how the colas would look at maturity.
I think that if you did that technique when the plant was small (2 - 8" or so) and then let her veg for a long time you'd have quite an impressive looking plant. Plus, the extra branches you'd get from Supercropping would make it great for a Scrog setup.

_Awake204

Super Cropping and FIM are not the same thing.

Just to clarify ...... check out the search button here in the upper right hand corner

LB

Thanks for your reply Awake204 sorry to hear it was a male, I think i've left it a bit to late this time round, I plan to start 12/12 in the next couple of weeks they are approx 10 inches in height but i will try this technique next time.
Hey lilbuddie i tried a search on FIM technique but it did'nt come up with anything, I will have another look and see what i can find.

Thanks for your replies
Roachie

Whoops!

Sorry about the misinfo!
Lilbuddie's right, the two refer to two different things! I was thinking of FIM when I labeled it as supercropping though
FIM is when you do as you describe, and get multiple new stems. Supercropping is when you just 'top' the plant, and re-orient the plant's hormone's by selective pruning and bending. (Im pretty sure that's right)
Check out these links:

http://www.hempcultivation.com/420/showthread.php?threadid=3082&pagenumber=4

http://www.overgrow.com/edge/showthread.php?threadid=9976

http://grower.cz/forum/printthread.php?threadid=634


And then just go to any web search engine and type FIM and supercropping in, youll get plenty of hits!!

_Awake204

I just posted a link to a pic that depictsa a successful FIM cut. Its over in Theories, with FIM in the title

Smokin

Thanks Awake204 & smokinrav this technique seems to work well, how come everybody isn't doing it, the only disadvantage that i can see is that the flowering cycle would be knocked back a couple of week.

But woud'nt that be worth while (higher yield ect)??

hmmm....

I dont know if it would work to increase yield all that much. Instead of one (or two, if you topped it 'normally')large main colas, you'd have 3 to 8 smaller ones. From all the reading I've done, techniques like supercropping and FIM may increase yield, but their main purpose seems to be either keeping the plant short and bushy, or filling up a Scrog screen. Which, incedently, would definately increase yield if growing under a smaller light.
I did manage to 'supercrop' the one girl I had, I bent her main stem down nearly parallel with the ground, so that all of the branch tops were nearly level. My biggest cola weighed 96 grams wet (thats the whole branch with a pretty thick stem in there, too), and the 9 others were pretty close!! With my 250W HPS, I can pretty much say that I wouldnt have had close to this yield if I had let the plant grow normally.
I think it was smokinrav (I think, it was a while ago) that said his best yield for a single plant was on a plant that had just been allowed to mature normally.
But hey - if you're growing in a small space and dont have a 1000W HID, then keeping your ladies short, wide, and level is definately the way to go!
Try it on one of your plants and then compare with the ones you left 'normal'!

_Awake204

The thing about FIM is it may or may not work...stress the may not. Ive tried it a dozen times with no success, save once, and then it was debateable if I got the extra top from FIM or topping. IMO, FIM is cool if you can get it to work. So is Supercropping, Scrog and SOG. Six of one, half dozen of the other if you can get any of them to work for you.

I doubt a topped plant yields more than an untopped one outdoors or under a big light, like 1000 watts. Smaller lights, there is no doubt you will yield more with heavy, bushy growth constricted in a small area.

Smokin

Well i certainly hope i works, cos i just tried it on one of mine, if it doesnt theres gonna be hell to pay!
what does FIM stand for anyway?