Today we explore one of the most popular pruning techniques in marijuana growing both indoors and outdoors, which is known as Lollipop pruning or lollipops. Although you may have heard of it or even used it without knowing its name.

Pruning and support techniques are very effective in cannabis cultivation, as they manage to increase production and maximize the use of space, whether in indoor or outdoor growing rooms. Let’s find out more!

Lollipop pruning, marijuana pruning

It has been proven that pruning marijuana can have a positive impact on the production and overall weight of the buds. There are several pruning techniques, such as SoG, SCRoG, and FIM pruning, each with a different technique and results.

In this case, we discuss the lollipop pruning technique, an additional way of pruning cannabis plants for better results.

By following a few simple steps at the right time, you can increase the production of your marijuana crop thanks to lollipopping. Moreover, this marijuana pruning technique is easy to perform and, with just a few notions, one can master the lollipop technique on their marijuana plants like an expert.

First of all, what is it?

Lollipop pruning is a pruning technique that involves the removal of branches and buds from the lower part of the marijuana plant. This technique is carried out during the growth of the plant or, at the latest, in the first 15 days of the flowering phase.

The objective of this pruning is to clear the plant of small buds, which allows the plant’s energy to be focused on the larger buds and avoids wasting energy on small buds. This translates into higher yields at harvest time.

As you may know, the lower parts of the marijuana plant produce small buds. By using the lollipop pruning technique, these buds are removed to allow the plant to concentrate its energy on the larger branches and buds.

The name Lollipop comes from the shape the plants take on after the technique is applied, similar to the famous Chupa Chups candy.

This pruning technique is widely used in indoor crops, where the light from the bulbs does not penetrate as much as the sun. By pruning in this way, the plant’s energy is maximized in the light-efficient zone of the bulb. Although LED grows lighting is very similar to the sun, it does not reach the same power and radius of action.

When is it done?

The best time to perform this pruning technique is during the growth of the plant, although it is also possible to do it in the first 15 days of the flowering stage (pre-flowering). 

However, it’s important to note that the best results are obtained by performing lollipop pruning during the growth phase of the plant, since during flowering any action that may interfere with the activity of the plant and affect the quality of the harvest, such as pruning, should be avoided.

How is it done?

To perform lollipop pruning, it is first necessary to carefully inspect the plants to identify the shady areas that are covered by the highest branches. In general, these are the first shoots of the lower branches that are hidden by the upper foliage and do not receive enough sunlight.

It’s also advisable to select and remove the smallest and weakest branches from the lower part of the plant, usually between the first 2 and 4 pairs of branches in indoor crops and one more pair in outdoor crops.

Cannabis: indica vs sativa: their differences!

In the lollipop pruning technique, approximately one-third of the plant is usually cut, always focusing on the lower part. It’s important to keep in mind that you should never cut more than 50% of the total foliage of the plant and that the percentage may vary according to the specific characteristics of the crop. In indoor crops, pruning tends to be more aggressive because the power, penetration, and angle of action of the lighting kits are different from those of the sun.

Lollipop Pruning: Step by Step

To perform lollipop pruning, the first thing we must do is select the branches and shoots that we want to prune, that is, those that are in the lower part of the plant and that receive little light. To do this, we can look for shady areas and thinner branches at the bottom. Once selected, we need sharp pruning shears to proceed with the cut.

As for the pruning process, we must first remove the selected lower branches, making the cut at the base of the branch and avoiding damaging other parts of the plant. Subsequently, we will proceed to remove the shoots that receive little light, paying special attention to the first ones we find in the direction from the stem to the tip of the branch, and using the fingertips if necessary to do it carefully.

Top Tips

• The use of proper pruning tools, such as clean, sharp shears, is essential to do a precise job without damaging the plant.
• It’s important to cut carefully so as not to damage the structure of the plant that you do not want to remove and to avoid making too many cuts at once so as not to stress the plant.
• Although it’s recommended to prune in the lower third of the plant, the percentage may vary depending on the type and conditions of the crop, so it’s important to check the plants and decide how far you want to cut.
• It’s advisable to start removing shoots from the top down so that you can see and prune the shoots that are below others that will be left without light.

With all this information and a little experience, a professional result can be achieved!