Monster Cropping: Maximize Yields with Advanced Training

Plant training techniques can maximize yields, promoting vigorous growth, and shaping plant structure. Monster cropping is a high-stress technique favored by experienced growers who know what to expect from different cannabis strains. Our guide details this method, covering its basics, benefits, and steps for monster cropping your own cannabis plants. Whether you’re a seasoned grower or just starting, mastering the art of monster cropping can significantly improve your results. 

What is Monster Cropping?

Monster cropping is a growing technique in cannabis that involves taking clones from flowering cannabis plants, typically two to three weeks into bloom, and reverting them back to the vegetative stage. This method aims to promote vigorous, bushy growth and the development of multiple shoots and branches. It works well indoors, outdoors, or in a greenhouse, enabling growers to maintain a perpetual harvest cycle.

Benefits of Monster Cropping

Monster Cropping is an advanced cannabis cultivation technique that offers three main benefits for growers. Let’s explore each of these benefits in detail for a clearer understanding.

1. Cannabis that has been re-vegged, either as a plant or a cutting, will exhibit more bushy growth with additional bud sites and lateral or side branches. This bushier growth structure contributes to a fuller canopy and more abundant harvest, making monster cropping a valuable technique for optimizing plant productivity.
2. By taking clones from flowering plants and propagating them repeatedly, growers can perpetuate a consistent harvest throughout the year. This approach ensures you can take new cuttings in the subsequent flowering phases, removing the need for a dedicated grow room to maintain a mother plant and making the process more efficient.
3. Monster cropping combines well with training techniques such as low-stress training, SOG, topping, and super cropping. Growers can customize their approach to optimize cannabis plants, effectively managing plant height, improving light penetration, and achieving uniform flowering.

Equipment Needed for Monster Cropping

To successfully perform monster cropping, you will need the following equipment:

1. Pruning shears
2. Rooting hormone
3. Growing medium
4. Cloning containers
5. Grow lights
6. Isopropyl alcohol
7. Humidity dome
8. Spray bottle
9. Timer

Step-by-Step Guide to Monster Cropping

Whether you’re new to growing cannabis or an experienced expert, this step-by-step guide provides the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully monster crop your plants.

1.   Selecting the right plant

After your plants have been in the flowering stage for two to three weeks, you should begin carefully inspecting your plants and select a healthy mother plant with desirable traits from which to take cuttings. The best approach is to look for more established lower branches, especially those between five and eight inches long. With more vigor, these lower branches have a higher success rate in developing into healthy, monster-cropped, cannabis plants.

2.   Taking your clones

Before making each cut, it’s crucial to sterilize all pruning equipment thoroughly to prevent the spread of bacteria and disease. When using pruning shears, make precise 45-degree diagonal cuts approximately a quarter inch below the node.

Clones cutting

This cutting technique helps maximize the surface area for efficient water uptake and nutrient absorption. Always take a few extra cuttings, as around 75% may not survive the propagation process.

3.   Rooting the cuttings

After taking your cuttings, submerge them in water to prevent air from entering the stem, which could lead to an air embolism blocking water uptake. Placing the cuttings in water keeps them hydrated and initiates root development. This step increases the chances of successful transplantation and helps maintain the cutting’s health until it’s ready to move to a growing medium.

Cannabis clones

Once you’re ready to root the cuttings, use rooting gel or powder and gently dip the cut end of the clone’s stem around a half-inch into the rooting gel or powder. Then, make a small hole in the cloning medium and carefully place the clone’s stem into the hole. Gently press the medium around the stem to secure it in place. Finally, water the cloning medium lightly and cover the clones with a humidity dome for optimal growing conditions.

4.   Re-vegging the clones

To transition from flowering to vegetative growth, many growers choose an 18-hour and 6-hour darkness schedule to promote vegetative growth and aid in re-vegging. However, a 20-hour light and 4-hour darkness cycle can also allow clones to absorb more light. Because the root system is still developing, they will need low-wattage lights with humidity levels around 60%. Over the next three to four weeks, they will grow into robust, healthy plants.

5.   Training the re-vegged plants

To encourage horizontal growth and maximize the number of bud sites, use training techniques such as topping and super cropping to keep the plants short and manageable. These methods can help promote even more lateral growth, resulting in a more productive harvest. When the plant reaches around half the desired height, it’s time to transition to a 12-hour, 12-hour light schedule and proceed with the flowering stage as usual.

Post-Monster Cropping Care

To ensure optimal growth and development of your cannabis plants after monster cropping, we have provided five essential tips to help you provide the appropriate care needed.

1. Cannabis clones require a consistent environment to thrive, so maintain temperatures between 68 and 78°F (20–25°C) with high humidity levels around 75 to 90%.
2. Supplement your plant with a balanced nutrient mix with adequate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium proportions to support new growth and establish a healthy root zone.
3. Pruning can encourage bushier growth and maximize light penetration. This can help promote new growth and increase yields during the recovery phase.
4. Monitor for any signs of wilting, color changes, or nutrient deficiencies and address any issues promptly to prevent further stress throughout the growing cycle.
5. Provide adequate support for the plants as they recover. Using stakes or trellis netting can help support the new growth and prevent the plants from bending.

Combining Monster Cropping with Other Training Techniques

You can combine monster cropping with various other training techniques to maximize plant productivity. For example, topping, which involves removing the top of the plant to encourage the growth of more apical colas, can work well with monster cropping. Additionally, lollipopping, a method that redirects the plant’s energy towards the upper main cola by pruning lower growth, complements monster cropping well.

Implementing low-stress training techniques, such as gently bending and securing stems, can effectively encourage lateral branching and promote growth in re-vegetated clones. This method increases the number of potential budding sites, ultimately leading to a higher yield. Additionally, creating a uniform canopy, particularly in a Screen of Green setup, involves meticulous pruning and training to ensure even light distribution, which is crucial for maximizing health and productivity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Monster Cropping

Monster cropping takes a while to perfect, and of course, it’s normal for growers to make mistakes, so let’s go over the top three:

• Taking clones too late in the flowering stage can lead to poor re-vegging and reduced yields. To avoid this, take cuttings when the plant is around three to four weeks into flowering, allowing the clones enough time to vegetate more successfully. 
• A continuous light schedule can cause your buds to flower prematurely. Ensure there are no light interruptions or changes during the 12/12 light cycle to prevent quality degradation and yield loss.
• Many growers make the mistake of not giving the plants enough time to revegetate. Remember to be patient and allow the clones the time they need, as rushing this process can lead to stunted growth and decreased yields.

Advanced Tips for Maximizing Monster Cropping Results

Here are four advanced tips for maximizing monster cropping:

1. Choose a healthy mother plant with desirable traits like high yields, unique terpene profiles, high cannabinoid content, and stress resilience. Ultimately, the quality of the mother plant directly affects the quality of the clones produced.
2. Throughout the growth cycle, supplement with a nutrient-rich feeding program that supports enhanced root development during the re-vegetation phase. Consider using rooting hormones or additives to boost the cloning success rate and increase root development. 
3. Remember to use high-quality, full-spectrum LED lights with the correct intensity to promote strong vegetative growth in your plants. For the best options, consider checking out our article on the best grow lights for 2024.
4. When taking cuttings, it’s crucial to cut at a 45-degree angle and use sterile equipment to prevent pathogens from infecting the young, fragile cuttings. This helps promote successful rooting and overall clone health. 

We’d love to see photos of your monster cropping results, so please feel free to share them with us on social media.

Photos courtesy of Kandid Kush