Cannabis growers are constantly looking for new, amazing ways to increase their yields. There are various techniques to do so, and while some are new, some have been used for centuries.
Super cropping is one such training technique that can elevate the quality of your harvests to the next level. Many growers practice it to enhance the yield and potency of their plants. It’s a high-stress method that involves stressing the plants deliberately to stimulate growth. By bending and gently injuring the stems, super cropping triggers a healing process, and the plant becomes sturdier and stronger, eventually producing more yields.
Although it’s very intimidating for beginners (you need to bend the stem and hurt it, OMG!), you can try it if you’re comfortable with other low-stress training techniques and now want to try other methods.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about this wonderful technique, and hopefully, you’ll be able to enjoy more yields.
Image Credit - MrJoint
If you’re interested in super cropping, you’ll have to pinch, bend, and slightly damage the stems of your beloved cannabis plants without allowing them to break completely. The objective is to induce just enough stress that encourages the plant to fortify its structure and channel its energy toward producing flowers. This approach can be highly effective when paired with training techniques such as Topping or Low-stress training (LST).
By increasing light exposure and airflow, super cropping ensures that every part of the plant receives resources for flourishing, ultimately leading to higher yields and superior harvest quality.
While the term “super cropping” is relatively new, the technique is not new by any means. For centuries, farmers have deliberately stressed their plants to improve resilience and enhance yields. Indigenous farmers and early horticulturists discovered that controlled stress could boost plant productivity. Later, cannabis growers refined this method as they explored new approaches to maximize their yields. With time, super cropping became a tool for cannabis cultivators, especially those aiming to push their plants to achieve the highest yields and potency possible.
Any training technique works well only if you consider how the plants grow in the wild. With super cropping, the reason behind stressing the plants by pinching, bending, or gently compressing the stems is to stimulate stress the plants may face outdoors. Whether it's heavy rainfall or strong gusts of wind, the plants will encounter several stressors and the plants respond by fortifying and repairing the damaged areas.
So, by super cropping, you're essentially mimicking this stress. With the right amount of pressure to cause bruising or minor damage to the stem without causing it to break completely, you're promoting the plant to trigger its defense mechanism.
As the plant heals, a knuckle-like protrusion forms at the injured site, reinforcing the stem and enhancing its resilience.
This training technique not only helps the stems bear heavy buds as they mature but also promotes the redistribution of nutrients and hormones to various parts of the plant.
So, what's the importance of stress in all of this? Well, stress helps you provide a better shape to the plant and also improves growth. While excessive stress can be detrimental, controlled stress, such as that induced by super cropping can be advantageous. When a plant experiences stress, it shifts into survival mode concentrating on fortifying itself to confront challenges. As a result, it may also produce more cannabinoids and terpenes which contribute to the potency and fragrance of cannabis.
Moreover, the stress from super cropping encourages the plant to produce even more bud sites, ultimately leading to a richer harvest.
Apart from this, there are several hormonal reactions within the plant as well. Out of these, the ones you'd be particularly interested in are auxins as they control plant growth. When a stem is bent or damaged during super cropping, the auxins are redirected to those parts, encouraging new growth.
Apart from auxins, cytokinins are another group of hormones that come into play during the healing process. Cytokinins support cell division and are crucial for generating shoots and leaves. As the plant regenerates damaged areas, these hormones kickstart the growth of branches and buds contributing to an overall yield increase.
The combined effect of these responses produces many more bud sites, which is the crux of super cropping. As energy and nutrients are redirected, it ensures that the lower branches which may not have received light or resources are now more capable of producing potent buds. This enhanced distribution is a factor in why super cropping can result in higher yields compared to plants not trained using this technique.
In essence, the science behind cropping revolves around using stress strategically to induce growth responses in cannabis plants. By understanding this logic, you'll be able to stress the plants in a controlled manner to produce more yields.
Super cropping is a cool method, but you need to understand a few factors to implement it correctly. Here's what you should keep in mind:
The best time to start cropping your cannabis plants is during the growing or vegetative phase once they have developed sturdy stems and are around 3-4 weeks old. During this period, the plants can handle the stress and benefit from it to encourage robust growth.
Basically, you'll have to start super cropping when the stems are still pliable and easier to work with. However, do not super-crop the plants during the flowering stage as the plants will be focusing on producing buds and may not recover in time before harvest. Some growers do light super cropping during this stage, but it's not going to do anything more as the plants are already in the flowering stage. Remember, do not super-crop even during the early flowering stage as you won’t get the rewards you expect.
While specialized tools aren't necessary for super cropping, having the right equipment can make the process more efficient. You'll mostly be using your hands to pinch and bend the stems, but other than that, here are a few things you'll need:
Super cropping is slightly more challenging than other easier techniques like Topping and LST that can be employed even by beginners. So, if you're a beginner, you might want to look at other techniques, perfect them, and then try super cropping.
That said, here's a step-by-step guide to super-crop your cannabis plants.
1. Identify the stems you want to super-crop
First, determine which stems are strong enough to be stressed. Or, find out what stems will benefit the most from super cropping on your plant.
To do this, find tall stems that are strong enough and receive more light than other stems. As they overshadow others and prevent light from reaching the lower stems, they are perfect for super cropping.
Or, identify stems that are more vigorous than the others as it means that they will respond better than the others when you super-crop them.
In essence, the goal is to select stems and branches in such a way that it creates an even canopy while ensuring that all parts of the plant receive enough light to grow and produce loads of buds. As light is distributed uniformly, you'll also see an even distribution of bud sites rather than lots of buds in one stem and popcorn buds in another.
2. Pinch the Stem
After identifying the stems that you will super-crop, it is time to take action. With your thumb and forefinger, position your fingers around the stem at the place where you want the bend to be created. It’s usually just below the top of the stem where you want the plant to grow upward on the branch after pruning.
Next, pinch the stem and apply sufficient pressure and you'll feel the pith or the internal tissues begin to soften. Essentially, this means that the fibers are breaking slightly, which should happen if you want to bend it.
Don't push too hard or the stem will break. Instead, strike a balance where the stalk gives away slightly but doesn’t break off entirely.
Note that this trick comes with experience — you have to feel the stem and do it according to its thickness. Also, every plant will differ in terms of stem thickness, so you'll be a better judge to figure out how much pressure you need to apply.
Whatever the case, take it real slow. If you speed up the process due to your nervousness, you will mess it up!
The objective is to soften the stem slightly without causing major injury.
3. Bend the Stem
After softening the stem, now you'll have to bend it. Gently bend it in the direction you prefer. Make sure you're smooth and slow and in control of your actions so it doesn't snap suddenly. You can bend it to any angle, but a 90-degree bend is easier for the plant to adapt to.
When you bend the stem, it will crumble a bit but don't panic as long as it doesn't break off completely. And, that's about it. You're done with your super cropping.
You should also be able to notice a crease where you've bent the stem. This helps the plant focus its efforts on damage repair, which toughens up the stem and redirects energy toward other areas for growth.
You can pinch the stem more if it does not bend or feels stiff. Again, take it slow and do it confidently.
4. Secure the stem
Once you've super-cropped the stem, you should ensure it stays in place and heals. For this, you might have to secure the bent stem. Use plant ties, garden wire, or soft string to secure the bent stem in its new position if it doesn’t stay in place on its own.
To support the stem as it heals, attach the tie above and below the bend. Don't make the ties or wire too tight as constricting the plant with too much force will damage the plant further. Basically, your goal is to give the stem support without blocking water and nutrient transportation.
Use stakes for extra support if necessary for bigger or older plants. It becomes particularly important as the plant enters the flowering stage where the buds become heavier and may further strain the super-cropped branches.
5. Keep an eye on the plant
After super cropping, you should frequently monitor the plant. Observe the next few days to monitor the bent areas for healing. In case of any stress or damage, you should treat the plant. You'll notice a knuckle-shaped bulge on the bend, which is a sign of healing and strengthening of the stem. This bulge means the plant is happy with the stress and is making itself tougher.
Wait for the plant to recover. If there are other areas that need to be trained, you can do it but wait for one area to recover before supercropping another.
Typically, it takes at least a week for the area to recover. However, it can take more at times. As long as the plant or the area where it's super cropped doesn't start wilting, everything is fine. Sometimes, the leaves around the area may wilt, but they should recover within a day or two. If they don't, then you need to fix the plant. We will discuss this in the next few sections.
You can perform super cropping at least 2-3 times during the vegetative phase to improve the growth of the plant. In other words, the plant is the star here, so do it according to its requirements.
Finally, you can combine super cropping with other techniques like topping or LST that can provide more promising results. But, again, wait until the stem recovers before you do anything. This approach will help the plant grow more and produce more yield.
If you follow these steps closely and pay close attention to your plants, implementing super cropping techniques effectively can improve cannabis yield. This technique will become an essential tool for your cultivation with practice and patience.
As you can imagine by now, super cropping has a lot of benefits. If implemented correctly, this technique can greatly enhance the general health, yield, and quality of the plants.
Let's take a detailed look at them:
1. Increase in yield
It is pretty common for growers to use super cropping to increase the yield of plants. By bending the main stems, this technique causes energy to be distributed throughout the plant, which helps create more bud sites along the branches. All of this will cause a bigger bumper crop. Also, rather than focusing on one big main cola, the plant produces more colas, resulting in a bigger harvest.
Super cropping helps you mold and shape the plant to have a more uniform canopy. It helps in exposing all parts of the plant to light, which helps in bud development and increases the yield.
Also, the plant produces more growth hormones like auxins, cytokinins, etc., in reaction to the stress caused by super cropping. These hormones stimulate cell division and growth. As a result, they cause thicker stems, sturdier branches, and more yield.
2. Increase in resin production
Resin is important for the strength and flavor of cannabis. Super cropping can greatly enhance resin production. When you stress the plant, it produces more resin as a defense mechanism. This way, you get buds full of cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and fragrant terpenes. As a result, you’ll have potent cannabis, not to mention how wonderful it smells.
3. Better light penetration
The plants need lots of light to grow well. This is where super cropping comes into play. Since you bend and reshape the structure of the plant, it allows light to reach all parts of the plant. This uniform light distribution is the biggest advantage as it allows the plants to conduct photosynthesis and grow efficiently.
Thanks to this, you'll see that the plants don't produce too many popcorn buds either. These small buds are underdeveloped, discolored, and less potent as well. By super cropping, you'll reduce the likelihood of these inferior buds as all the buds get the right amount of light and develop fully.
Whether you are growing indoors with artificial lights or outdoors in the sun, super cropping will help you make the most of your light source. Moreover, when you increase the number of bud sites that are receiving direct light, you will be using your space efficiently.
4. Strong plant structure
A strong plant structure will be able to bear the weight of heavy buds and resist environmental stresses. Again, super cropping shines in this department.
For instance, after super cropping, the plant forms bulges on the site of the bends which look like knuckles. The knuckles occur when the plant reinforces its damaged tissues, ultimately making the stem thicker and stronger. This new structure will allow the plant to support bigger buds without snapping.
In addition, super cropping increases the strength of the plant and makes it resilient to the wind, rain, or the weight of the dense buds. Such resilience allows outdoor growers to hold up against bad weather. The best part is that the plant’s vascular system improves as well, enabling better water and nutrient flow throughout the plant.
Super cropping is pretty good for the plants as it does produce more yield with the stems fattening up and gearing for the flowering season. However, you need to do it right for it to work. Now, you may be a beginner with very little experience and might run into a few problems. Don't worry, though, because even experts have their own problems once in a while.
The key lies in learning and improving.
It may seem simple to grow plants but you have to avoid common mistakes if you want the best results. Here are a few mistakes you could make and how you can avoid them:
1. Applying excessive pressure
Many growers apply excessive pressure on the plant and pinch the stem way too hard when super cropping. As a result, the stem can snap into two and you'll end up with a plant with a broken stem.
To avoid this remember to pinch the stem just enough to apply slight pressure. You should only use a couple of fingers to press the stem slightly to soften the internal tissues and then bend it. The keyword is bend, not break!
If you find it hard to bend the stem when it’s tough, press it gradually until it becomes a bit more pliable.
If you are new to this technique, you should try it on the lower stems first to get a sense of how much pressure is required without causing a lot of damage to the main branches.
2. Super cropping too late
We have mentioned this earlier. Another mistake that growers make with their plants is super cropping too late in their life cycle. Do not super-crop during the flowering stage as the plant doesn't have enough time to recoup from the abuse.
High stress during this time will stunt the growth, reduce yield, and delay the harvest.
3. Ignoring plant recovery
After super cropping the plant, some growers continue to stress the plant with extra training or pruning before the plant has had a chance to recover. This strain can make the plant slow down its growth, lessen yields, and make it ill. To prevent this, allow some time for the plants to recover after you super-crop them.
Keep an eye on the bent stems, looking for signs of recovery in the form of a knuckle-like bulge behind the bend. This shows that the plant is strengthening its stem.
Wait a week or more between super cropping or other highly stressful events. A complete recovery of the plant before further stress is important if you want this technique to be successful.
In the recovery stage, make sure you water the plants well and provide enough nutrients to support them. This will help them bounce back faster and keep growing strong.
4. Ignoring hygiene
This seems like a no-brainer as it's obvious that the plants grow well in a clean, healthy environment. However, many growers disregard this and procrastinate so much that they clean the grow tent after harvest. Naturally, when growing plants, there will be an accumulation of dead leaves and other plant matter but you should clean them immediately to keep the area clean.
This is especially important when you super-crop the plants as there's an open wound on the plant. It can introduce pathogens to the plant and the open wound can even start rotting. Eventually, the entire plant will succumb to the problem.
To prevent this, maintain proper hygiene before touching the plants. Wash your hands and wear clean gloves even if it doesn't seem necessary as it offers an extra layer of protection, specifically when working with multiple plants or working outdoors.
Before using any tools (like plant ties or scissors), remember to clean and sanitize them properly before coming into contact with your plants. This cuts down the risk of diseases.
5. Not providing enough support
After super cropping the plants, the bent stems may not stay in position by themselves, especially as the plant continues to grow, and the buds become heavier. If left unsupported, these stems can break under the weight of the buds, which loses yield.
To prevent this, use plant ties or stakes to hold the bent stems in place while they heal. You can also use garden wire or a soft string. Anything will work as long as they don't cut into the plant tissues and hurt the plant.
Once you do this, make sure you regularly check the super-cropped areas as they grow to ensure the stem is supported. Change the ties or add additional supports where necessary, especially during the flowering stage when the buds get heavier.
Be careful not to tie the ties too tightly or this will restrict the stem and the flow of nutrients. The ties need to be tight enough to hold the stem securely but not so tight they will interfere with growth.
If you are mindful of these mistakes and do not repeat them, you will ensure the success of super cropping.
Super cropping offers a number of benefits to growers that will help their plants grow better and produce more buds. You can achieve a more successful and better harvest while employing this technique.
Yes, it certainly has some perks, but it also has some downsides. This isn’t to say you should avoid super cropping; it just means that you should be aware of the potential risks so you can avoid them.
First off, super cropping is a high-stress technique. If it’s not done right, there can be problems with your plant. The main risk is snapping or breaking the stem completely when bent too hard. Unfortunately, this is all too common and your plant might get severely injured. Chances are that the broken stem may not recover, and that branch can be lost or yields may be reduced.
There's also a high risk of infection when a wounded area allows pathogens to attack the plant and spread diseases. For example, if this part gets affected by mold or other diseases, it can spread to the rest of the plant.
Also, if you super-crop a plant too late instead of doing it in the vegetative stage, it may not have sufficient time to recover, resulting in stunted growth. This is even more dangerous if you super-crop during the flowering stage because it can draw energy away from bud development.
Additionally, do not combine other techniques like defoliating along with super cropping as the combined effect will stress the plants more. If you really need to do it, wait for the plant to recover, and then do it.
Sometimes, a stem may get damaged despite your best efforts. It might break off or hang in a weird way. In such cases, it's hard for the plant to naturally heal. Thus, you should get some grafting or plant tape and attach the broken part to the branch. Gently wrap the tape around the break to hold the stem in place while it heals. You can also stick a splint, which is nothing but a small stick to give support to the stem while it recovers.
Remember to monitor this area closely as the plant does its best to heal. If everything goes well, you'll see a bulging knuckle-like formation occurring in that area, indicating that your technique was successful.
On the other hand, if the stem looks wilted or dead, it just might not make it and you will have to remove it.
Most importantly, keep an eye out for infection in the areas where you've super-cropped the plant. If you see discoloration, wilting, mold, or mildew, the plant is infected and you'll need to take action immediately.
First, trim off any diseased area. Use clean, sterilized tools to make a clean cut below the wounded site. Next, use a mild antifungal to treat the wound. This will help prevent further infection. Using neem oil or a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution can also do the trick.
To avoid mold and mildew, make sure your growing environment has an appropriate humidity level and proper airflow. Indoor growing operations make this even more important.
In a nutshell, super cropping cannabis can improve your yield. It’s a tried-and-true technique that can improve your plant’s health and coax it to produce high-quality buds.
You can use this method to maximize your plants’ potential by using this high-stress training method to achieve stronger plants. It offers a better plant structure, more resin, and more potent plants. Since it improves light penetration, you're unlikely to see many popcorn buds as well.
However, super cropping sometimes brings challenges with it as your plants may be at risk for stem breakage, infection, and over-stressing. So, be careful when handling them. To avoid these issues, adopt a patient, precise technique, and work off a solid understanding of plants when super cropping. To be successful using this technique, watch your plants closely, give them adequate recovery time, and create the right optimum growing conditions.
In the end, super cropping can easily turn a normal cannabis grow into an exceptional one. If you do this, you will make full use of what your plant can do naturally. No matter what your goals are, it's a great way to grow buds.
