How to Reduce Cannabis Plant Height for a Bushier Growth 🌱✂️Updated 2 hours ago

Tall, lanky cannabis plants can be tricky in indoor grows — especially in tents or greenhouses with limited headroom. Fortunately, there are proven training techniques to control height and encourage a bushier shape with more budding sites.

Techniques to Keep Plants Short and Bushy 🌿

Topping ✂️

• Cut the main stem above a node (usually the 4th or 5th).

• This stops vertical growth and forces the plant to develop two main colas instead of one.

• Great for creating a wider, bushier canopy.

FIM (“Fk I Missed”) Cut** 🌱

• Similar to topping, but instead of removing the entire growth tip, you trim about 75%.

• Results in 3–4 new growth shoots instead of 2.

• Excellent for maximizing bud sites in smaller spaces.

Low-Stress Training (LST) 🌿🔗

• Gently bend stems outward and tie them down.

• This spreads the canopy horizontally, letting more light reach lower branches.

• Works especially well for autoflowers since it avoids heavy stress.

Super Cropping (Advanced) 💪

• Slightly crush and bend taller stems to redirect growth.

• The plant heals with a strong knuckle and redirects energy into side branching.

• Best for experienced growers with photoperiod plants.

Environmental Tips for Controlling Height 🌡️💡

• Keep lights close enough to prevent stretching, but not so close that they burn the canopy.

• Maintain steady airflow so plants don’t elongate searching for fresh air.

• Choose indica or indica-dominant strains for naturally shorter, bushier growth.

✅ Bottom line: To reduce plant height and boost bud production, use topping, FIMing, or LST to train plants into a bushier shape. More horizontal growth means more light penetration — and ultimately, more buds.