The 6-Plant Limit Hack: Training, Topping & Maximizing Yield in Massachusetts

Massachusetts home growers know the drill: six cannabis plants per adult, max. But here’s the good news - six plants can deliver an incredible yield with the right techniques. Whether you’re growing in a closet, tent, basement, or backyard greenhouse, this guide will help you turn those six legally allowed plants into a stash that lasts all year. Let's break down the best hacks for training, topping, and boosting those buds - all while staying within the law.

1. Understand the Law, Then Max It Out

Massachusetts allows up to six plants per adult (12 per household). That means if you're growing alone, you have six plants to work with - so make them count. These six plants can include any stage of growth, so it’s smart to stagger seedlings and mature plants to keep things flowing.

Pro tip: Start your next round of seedlings a few weeks before harvest to keep your garden cycling.

2. Choose High-Yielding Genetics

Start with the right seeds. Some strains naturally produce more than others. Look for:

• Photoperiod strains (more training potential than autos)
• Sativa-dominant hybrids for tall, stretchy plants
• Indicas if you’re height-limited but want thick colas
• Genetics advertised as “high-yield” or “commercial-grade”

Bonus: Many Massachusetts growers report huge returns from strains like Blue Dream, Gorilla Glue #4, and Wedding Cake when properly trained.

3. Top Early, Top Often (But Not Too Often)

Topping is key to breaking apical dominance and creating bushier plants with multiple colas.

• When to top: Around the 4th–6th node (usually week 3–4 of veg)
• How often: Once for beginners, twice for intermediate growers
• Tools: Clean scissors, patience, and a day or two for recovery

Each top doubles the main colas. One plant with 8–10 strong tops can yield more than three smaller untrained plants.

4. Low-Stress Training (LST): Your Secret Weapon

This is where the yield magic happens. LST helps expose more bud sites to light, increases airflow, and flattens the canopy.

How to LST:

• Gently bend and tie down branches horizontally
• Use soft garden wire, plant clips, or twist ties
• Do it during veg - early is easier and safer
• Keep adjusting as new growth emerges

Combine LST with topping for a wide, bushy monster plant that fits in your space but acts like a mini tree.

5. ScrOG & Trellising for Massive Bud Density

The Screen of Green (ScrOG) technique lets you guide growth horizontally, maximizing light use.

• Stretch a mesh net above the plants
• Train each branch into its own square
• Aim for a flat, even canopy

This increases bud sites per square foot and prevents larfy lower nugs.

Trellis Tip: For outdoor grows, vertical trellising helps support branches as buds fatten - important for Massachusetts wind and rain.

6. Prune for Power

Strategic defoliation helps your plant focus energy where it matters.

• Remove lower growth and small inner leaves (aka “lollipopping”)
• Clear fan leaves blocking light from bud sites
• Don’t overdo it - always leave enough foliage for photosynthesis

A clean plant with good airflow reduces mold risk, especially during humid Massachusetts summers.

7. Feed Like You Mean It

To maximize six plants, you need dialed-in nutrition. Look for a feeding schedule specific to cannabis with balanced:

• Nitrogen (veg)
• Phosphorus & potassium (flower)
• Micronutrients like magnesium, sulfur, and calcium

Hack: Organic growers often use compost teas, worm castings, and top dressing to feed the soil instead of the plant directly.

8. Harvest Smart, Cure Right

Even one big plant can give you a disappointing stash if harvested early or dried poorly. Let trichomes turn mostly cloudy with some amber, and cure buds slowly in jars with humidity packs. Properly grown and cured, a well-trained plant can yield 4–10+ ounces or more. Multiply that by six plants, and you’ll see why this limit isn’t really limiting at all.

Massachusetts growers don’t need dozens of plants to get top-tier yields. With the right techniques - topping, training, and dialing in your grow - you can grow high-quality, heavy-hitting bud right at home while staying totally legal. So bend, snip, trellis, and thrive - because your six plants are capable of greatness.

From topping techniques to training tricks, we’ve done the trial-and-error so you don’t have to. Our guides are written by growers, for growers - with a focus on realistic setups, local laws, and the joy of harvesting your own stash.