What is the best training?
- Thread starter Virandell
- Start date
I'm not sure how you want to grow, SCRoG or a more vertical grow. If you are going for a more vertical grow, have a look at Quadlining, and NugBuckets' Mainline/Manifold method. They both use topping and LST to shape your plant.
Topping shifts the growth from what was the main stem to the main branches, while LST is used to guide the branches, and main stem if you haven't topped, where you want them in your grow area.
Topping shifts the growth from what was the main stem to the main branches, while LST is used to guide the branches, and main stem if you haven't topped, where you want them in your grow area.
Can be dependent on your space/footprint/height limits you are working with, along with how long you are vegging and probably a bunch of other variables. I've even seen Breeder list different things in their notes at a Seedbank that it can also vary by Strain, as they can all have different likes and dislikes to a point, so they will say "top eary" or "she likes to do her own thing" etc..... IMHO it more of a personal preference kind of thing, and not sure there is "only one correct way to do it", so experiment a bit and find what works best for you and your growing area.
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- #4
HugePeckerhead
Well-Known Member
I have 3 different strains right now in flower and I sure wish I did better research on the way the plant grows naturally without any kind of modification to the plant. I've noticed some plants have more side branching while others grew a completely different way. With your grow space being a factor it's best to see what training method is best for each plant as well. Topping and applying LST might be good for one strain, while it may be better to use a different method on another strain.
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- #6
Righty thanks alot buddy
The best one will be the one that you are the most comfortable doing.
I think it will depend a great deal on how much room you have and how you want to use that space. And a lot will depend on how comfortable you are with cutting off stems and leaves when the time comes. Or how comfortable you are with bending and twisting stems to change the way or direction that they will be growing.
Just yesterday I used the thumb and first finger on both hands to grip a stem firmly, almost tightly. Then I slowly twisted that stem until I felt it break on the inside. Then I started to twist it the other direction until it was almost 360 degrees around from the way it had been before I started. I let it relax back to as close to the original position as it would do on its own. Next step was to slowly bend the stem until it was at right angles to when I started. A couple of small binder clips around the stem were all it took to hold it parallel to the table top.
Same thing with topping. You have to be comfortable with getting out a pair of small pruners and cutting off the growing tip of the plant or several inches worth of the growing top.
Below are two pictures of the bending and twisting I did last week and then yesterday.
This is a bit more than low stress training since it often results in a cracking of both the inside of the stem and the surface itself.
I think it will depend a great deal on how much room you have and how you want to use that space. And a lot will depend on how comfortable you are with cutting off stems and leaves when the time comes. Or how comfortable you are with bending and twisting stems to change the way or direction that they will be growing.
Just yesterday I used the thumb and first finger on both hands to grip a stem firmly, almost tightly. Then I slowly twisted that stem until I felt it break on the inside. Then I started to twist it the other direction until it was almost 360 degrees around from the way it had been before I started. I let it relax back to as close to the original position as it would do on its own. Next step was to slowly bend the stem until it was at right angles to when I started. A couple of small binder clips around the stem were all it took to hold it parallel to the table top.
Same thing with topping. You have to be comfortable with getting out a pair of small pruners and cutting off the growing tip of the plant or several inches worth of the growing top.
Below are two pictures of the bending and twisting I did last week and then yesterday.
This is a bit more than low stress training since it often results in a cracking of both the inside of the stem and the surface itself.
I have 2x2 tent 4 plants in it 3 gallon pots I am planing 21-30 day veg and not alot of high length becouse of cob light that why I am thinking should I do only lst or maybe do lst + topping ? What will give better yield topping + lst or just let in this case ?
What methods have you tried that you didn't like results? Can always just try something a bit different and see, as like I said so many variables a bit hard to say "this is always the best" as can vary on Strain or other things.
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- #9
First grow just topping on second one I made topping + abit of lst and suppercroopig on bigger branches when I flipped them to flower usually I am topping on day 13 5th node waiting 7-8 days and flipping to flower maybe I should top 5th node and wait like 2 weeks instead of 7~days ? I also thought of doing topping at 5th node-lst-and topping again on each branch
I understand the height problem. Hard to say which one is going to result in a larger harvest. You will have to do several grows with one method and then several with the other.I have 2x2 tent 4 plants in it 3 gallon pots I am planing 21-30 day veg and not alot of high length becouse of cob light that why I am thinking should I do only lst or maybe do lst + topping ? What will give better yield topping + lst or just let in this case ?
Couple of things that are mentioned here and on other msg boards and blogs is the amount of recovery time the plant goes through when any sort of training and/or topping is done.
With four plants in that small a footprint you will have to keep a close eye in them to prevent overcrowding. I try keep it to one cola for each 6" (15cm) square. You'll need to guide the branches to that spacing.
I'm not sure I actually do the same thing every time to be honest, kind of depends on what the plant is doing as to what I think will work best. As usually I Top but sometimes I will FIM. I usually Veg a lot longer personally, and you can flip whenever you want but if the plant not ready to Flower yet it won't start until it is old enough (there isn't a specific number as it seems to be all over the place when I see pre-flowers). Sometimes I will do more of an LST other times more on the HST or oh crap too much method 
and as said by someone else it can depend on what you are comfortable with and also how coordinated you are (as bull in a china shop and HST are an "oh crap" waiting to happen 
).
and as said by someone else it can depend on what you are comfortable with and also how coordinated you are (as bull in a china shop and HST are an "oh crap" waiting to happen ).
Low stress training doesn't take much if any recovery time. High stress training such as supercropping can take more than a week, and topping takes about two weeks. Topping, if your plants can take it, lets you grow the branches all to the same height.
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- #14
I start when the branches are about 2" (5cm) long, and train them horizontally until they get to where I want them.
