Lollipopping Cannabis Plants: How to Maximize Light and Bud Development

You might know the challenge of dealing with those tiny, airy buds that grow low on your cannabis plants. These small flowers, often called “popcorn buds,” just don’t get enough light to grow big and strong.

We’re going to talk about lollipopping today, which is a high-impact pruning technique that fixes this exact problem.

What does lollipopping mean

Lollipopping is the process of stripping all growth from the lower portion of the cannabis plant. This stripping removes small leaves, weak suckers, and potential bud sites that won’t get enough light anyway. 

The name is easy to remember because the finished plant looks just like a lollipop, with a bare stem leading up to a bushy top of healthy growth.

What are the benefits of lollipopping

There is one common question that always comes up, does lollipopping make bigger buds? The answer is a resounding YES.

1. This technique is simply about energy efficiency, making sure your plant stops wasting effort on low-quality “popcorn buds.” It helps maximize bud density and potency because all the energy is focused only on the primary colas.
2. Removing bottom growth enhances light penetration to the remaining canopy
3. The training also improves air circulation, reducing risks from high humidity, pests, and mould.

When should lollipopping be done?

Just like every other cannabis training technique, timing is completely critical for successful lollipopping. You want to hit the critical window right between the late vegetative stage and the first two to three weeks of flower.

Lollipopping in veg

It’s wise to avoid lollipopping too early because the plant needs all its leaves to build its structure through photosynthesis. The best time to complete this pruning job is just right before switching your lights to the 12/12 light cycle.

When to lollipop in flower

The plant goes through a major growth spurt, known as the stretch phase, during weeks 1-3 of 12/12. This is your final opportunity to lollipop before the plant uses all its energy for flower development.

Pro Grow Tip : Good time to Lollipop is when your cannabis plant has 5 to 7 nodes.

This window is perfect because the plant has stretched and clearly revealed which areas will be perpetually shaded.

When is it too late to lollipop?

Never attempt lollipopping after Week 3 of flowering. Pruning past this point causes undue stress and will divert critical energy away from the actual bud production. Severe late-stage stress may also cause your female plant to produce male parts, known as “herming.”

How to Lollipop Cannabis Plants (Step-by-Step Guide)

Get ready to work with this simple step-by-step guide for lollipopping.

1. Use a sharp and sterilized pair of scissors or shears to avoid introducing any disease to the plant.
2. You must identify the portion of the plant that needs to be removed depending on your light source’s power.
   1. Powerful lighting systems like LEDs, HPS, or CMH can penetrate deeply into the plant canopy. This allows for the removal of as little as 33% of the plant’s height while still achieving optimal results.
   2. A more aggressive approach is needed if you are using weaker lights such as T5 and fluorescent. Consider removing up to 50% of the lower growth.
   3. For SCROG growers, everything below the top screen of the ScroG netting must be removed.
3. Start at the bottom of the plant and work your way up to the line of scrimmage. Make clean cuts as close to the main stem as you safely can, and angle the cuts at 45 degrees to prevent moisture buildup and infection.
4. If you do this while the plant is still in veg, make sure to allow a few days of recovery before you flip your lights to flower.

How many nodes do you leave when lollipopping?

This answer really depends on two factors: your light intensity and your desired structure. Simply keep the top 3-6 nodes on each branch that you can access. Use this simple guidance: Everything below the line where you know sufficient light penetration is guaranteed should be removed.

Lollipopping autoflowers

You should know that autoflowers require extra care since they are highly sensitive to stress due to their fixed lifecycle. The best recommendation is that only light lollipopping should be attempted on these plants.

The timing for autos should be done when pre-flowers first appear, which is just before the main flowering stretch truly begins.

Lollipopping vs. Defoliation

Many new growers mix up lollipopping and defoliation, but they are actually two distinct techniques. Defoliation involves strategically removing fan leaves throughout the entire canopy (top, middle, and bottom) to achieve better air flow to secondary bud sites.

In contrast, lollipopping is a highly specialized form of defoliation that focuses only on removing low-producing growth from the bottom of the plant. These techniques are often used together in synergy but they have completely distinct goals.

What is the difference between schwazzing and lollipopping?

Lollipopping is considered a one-time or single-stage heavy prune that is focused only on the bottom of the plant to optimize light. 

Schwazzing, however, is a much more intense defoliation process that involves two stages of pruning. The first stage happens once before flipping your lights, and the second happens once at Week 3 of flower. This procedure is mainly for removing the majority of fan leaves across the whole plant to maximize light exposure to all bud sites.

Bruno Eastman Cannabis Specialist / Content Writer

Bruno Eastman is a seasoned cannabis cultivation expert with over fifteen years of experience in the Cannabis Seed industry. Throughout his career, Bruno has managed some of North America's top cannabis growing facilities, earning recognition as an authority in the field. His expertise lies in understanding the intricate dynamics of cannabis plants and making the small adjustments that drive successful yields.

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