Pruning cultivation techniques involve cutting certain parts of the plant to force it to focus its energy in concrete points that have a greater bud production capacity. There are plenty of pruning styles, such as apical, FIM or lollipop, which is very popular and easy to carry out, hugely boosting the yield.
The idea of lollipopping is for the plant to focus its energy on the top part. Its name is due to the fact that the lower branches end up naked, which makes the plant look like a lollipop. The basic procedure consists of removing the lower branches and leaves of the cannabis plants, as that part doesn’t receive enough light anyway, thus the buds in that area are smaller but use some of the energy of the plant.
Pruning the plant with the lollipop technique promotes the energy of the plant to centers on the top, absorbing all the light efficiently. This process improves airflow, increases the yield and prevents plagues, as infection prone areas are removed.
When is the right moment to perform a lollipop prune?
There are a lot of theories regarding the right moment to do a lollipop prune. Some growers say that this technique should take place two weeks before the plant starts the flowering period, while others prefer to wait until the first pistils are out.
The truth is that, just like all cannabis procedures, the best moment depends on the strain and in the cultivation area. In sativa dominant strains, which grow a lot once they enter the 12/12 period, it is best to wait until they are developed and act accordingly.
On the other hand, indica genetics, which don’t grow as much, will do well with a lollipop prune a few days before starting the flowering period. That way, plants can put all of their energy into growing buds from the very start, increasing the final size of the buds a fair bit.
Therefore, taking into account that each plant has its own needs, it can be concluded that lollipopping must be done between 15 days before the start of the flowering period and 15 days after entering the 12/12 photoperiod.
It’s quite common for lollipop pruning and SCROG (Screen of Green) to go hand in hand as the two techniques complement each other perfectly. By removing the lower branches and using the SCROG technique, you widen the horizontal composition of the grow, increasing the yield significantly.
How to do the lollipop pruning technique
Lollipopping is mainly used indoors, where airflow isn’t even and lighting comes only from the top of the grow tent, which limits its expansion.
Indoor lollipopping
In order to apply the lollipop pruning technique correctly, you must follow these steps:
- Get yourself a good pair of pruning shears. Some growers prefer to use one with a hard tip for the tougher branches and a thin tip scissor for the weaker branches.
- Calculate five nodes from the top part of the plant (on average, you can start lower, depending on your needs or goals).
- Remove the foliage from the chosen nodes and up to the substrate. Be very careful not to damage other parts of the plant, like the stem.
This last step is very controversial as some growers decide to cut the entire branch, leaving the stem naked. This method, although popular and used often, can cause infections and stress the plant too much, which puts the plant at risk of hermaphroditism.
To avoid such a situation from happening, some experts reckon it is best to leave 1/3 of the naked branches. Either way, the benefits will be the same, as the part that absorbs energy is the leaves, not the branches.
Outdoor lollipopping
The lollipop pruning technique isn’t usually necessary on outdoor grows because the sun moves in different directions and air reaches all the parts of the plant. Besides, the leaves provide shade, therefore, most growers prefer to keep them.
The best shears to do lollipop pruning
Samurai Warrior Pruning Shears
These Samurai Warrior Pruning Shears are perfect for lollipopping due to its non-slip handle and stainless steel blades. These pruning shears can cut branches and stems of up to 2.54 cm diameter and are also suitable for manicuring the plant afterwards.
V-Cut Pruning Shears
Thinner branches require a more delicate tool, such as the V-Cut pruning shears. Its straight tip provides easy access to deeper and lower branches, which are often hard to reach.
