How early can you start Low Stress Training: LST?

[chronic213]

Just figured I'd start a new thread to see how early people start Low Stress Training (LST). I've got a Sage -n- Sour bagseed started and it's goin awesome so far (today's day 28 from seed). I've read this strain is naturally multi-branching and would love to sorta help her in that direction as much as possible and I've read that LST encourages branching/internode growth.

My intent with this plant is solely a mother for cuttings and obviously, the more branches/tops, the more cuttings I can take.

Thanks for any input on this, especially from anyone who has some experience in LST.

Oh yeah, Heres a couple of pics of my baby girl (hopefully)

 

[LighTer]

she is good to start!

however, i would suggest FIMMING first!

 

[chronic213]

Awesome, thanks again LighTer!

Ok, so I've never FIMMED before but just finished reading up on it from this thread:

Topping and FIMMING

That thread makes it seem incredibly simple, but just to be certain I have the right idea I can just use good, sharp, clean, small pair of scissors about where I have marked in this pic i just took? And thats IT??

And should I worry about stressing the plant into a male when doing this?

 

[eBUD]

No I wouldn't worrie about fimming it if your going to lst the plant. You want to fim a plant if your not lsting it and only when height may be a problem. You want the plant to keep growing from its apical meristem, the top of the plant, so you can lead it whith the LST method.

Start by getting some hemp or twine and a few small clamps. Pull the plant to one side of the pot with the string ever so slow and carfully doing a little movement day by day. Use the clamps to hold the string to the side of the pot to keep the plant leaning over. Make small adjustments daily and then add more string pulling the next tier of leaves in another direction.

Think of it this way. Pull the plant to 12 O'colck. Once you have it bent towards twelve as far as you want it then add the 2nd string and pull that towards 3 O'clock. The plant should show internodal growth immediately after the process begins.

Keep us posted please!

 

[chronic213]

Thanks eBUD. I am kinda weary about topping or fimming before the plant shows it's sex. I was thinking LST because it is exactly that: Low Stress. I'm gonna start LST tonight I think. I'll be posting before and after shots for sure so check back tomorrow and have a look.

 

[chronic213]

OK, so I had my camera left at a friends for a couple of nights, but started LSTing anyway. I basically use those spring paper clip things and a little scrap wire with soft insulation.

First I put an anchor at the 6:00 position on the edge of the pot and clamped the wire in so it was just barely pulling on the plant sorta straight across from the edge of the pot down low on the plant. Then I did the same at the 12:00 position, looping the wire just under the top internode. The first night I only pulled it down to say just less than a 45deg angle, then last night I adjusted the wire and pulled the plant to almost horizontal.

Before:

Here's how I attached to the edges of the pot:

Here are the anchors at 6 and 12:

In these 2 shots you can see the top is almost horizontal:

It took 2 nights of adjusting to get to this point. I wouldn't recommend going to 90deg in one bend. Do it slow!

 

[chronic213]

After the first night I noticed an immediate difference in the rate the internode tops are growing, and that was after just one night at about a 45 degree bend!

As the top of the plant keeps growing out towards the edge of the pot I'll keep pulling it horizontally, and eventually start following above the perimeter of the pot. Idealy I'll end up with sort of a cork-screw main stem with a bunch of tops growing straight up from it.

 

[LighTer]

sounds like a plan chronic. the only reason i suggested FIMMING before LST would be that it allows your main colas to generally be about the same size (except for the main 2 of course)

 

[chronic213]

I think once the plant shows it's sex I'll start FIMMING/pruining. For now I'm gonna play it safe and not introduce any unnecessary stress.

This is just a bagseed and I only had one, so I'm really hoping it's not male or hermie. Even if it is male/hermie, I'm gonna keep it going just for the learning experience till I buy some decent seed to start from.

If it does turn out female, I've got some big plans and some nice equipment to nourish her clones

 

[LighTer]

there is no need to FIM if you are starting out with LST, chronic213. And FIMMING doesn't really introduce "unnecessary stress", all it is, is cutting off the very top soon to be node, re-focusing the nutrients to the already there nodes, making them grow and become taller. (think of it more as an alternative to LST than a supplement)

On my girl, i FIM'd and then 2 weeks later started LST because i wanted all the bud sites to be on the same plane so that my lights (CFLs) would be better optimized.

FIMMING before LST allows for more control of the plant.

 

[chronic213]

Hey, just a quick update on how my baby is doing. Seems to be responding to the LSTing very well!

Heres a couple shots of the whole plant:

And this one, because sometimes the camera just cooperates

Thanks to everyone following and helping!!
More to come in the near future!

 

[chronic213]

Just a few more pics. The new growth doesn't seem to be turning red now! Man I hope this one's female!

 

[chronic213]

Here's a couple of pics of day 39 from seed.

This plant it growing LOTS of tops:

Preflowers have JUST started:

It's probably a little to early to say, but it looks more male than female to me. I hope not.

 

[darkpiece]

Ya that looks like a male

Give it 2-3 more days to confirm but that is my guess right now.

 

[LighTer]

i agree with darkpiece

 

[s1ingblade]

im guessing it was a male and thats why the thread stopped?

 

[Mastahkushy]

That's what I'm guessing!!

 

[instaGRAM]

Congrats!!!You musta had a BOY!!!

 

[bandai]

Lol

 

[Boblove]

o boy