Trim back and prune any leaves or smaller undeveloped branches to redirect energy into flower production. Low stress training can begin once the plant is big enough to allow you to do so, and is most effective when the plant is young. I just finished a Mephisto Genetics Sour Livers that responded as well to LST as any plant I've grown. Low-stress training enables growers to fully exploit the available space and light by manipulating the growth pattern of plants. Make sure you use stretchy plant tape, pipe cleaners, or rubber-coated wire as they are more gentle on shoots and stems. This is a complete guide on how to apply low-stress techniques to boost weed yields. Alternatively, a piece of heated steel wire does the trick; just be careful. However, if we had to recommend at least one HST technique to pair with LST, it would be topping. Also known as Kronic from The Cannabis Kronicles, Derek LaRose is a young ambitious cultivator and a staple educator for indoor cultivation. Analytical cookies give us insight into how our website is used. A community connecting cannabis consumers, patients, retailers, doctors, and brands since 2008. This isn't recommended for autos as they simply don't have enough time to recover. It requires more maintenance and upkeep than the other methods but produces impressive results, especially in larger setups. I started LST right around week 3 and continue to tie these girls back and defoliate as needed to open up the inner part of the plant. For growers looking to redistribute the plant's energy from many growth sites to a few, the first couple of weeks of flowering can be a good time for low stress training. By exposing more of your canopy to light, there is only one outcomemore buds. Tie or clamp the highest branch so that the former top is suddenly at a lower level than the rest of the plant. Some autoflowers start flowering as soon as the fourth week, so get started as soon as possible. Mind Blowing Money-Makers, The Most Productive Autos in the Game! Supercropping or topping autoflowers to increase yields usually ends in disappointment. By purchasing, you are indicating that you have reached the age of majority where you live, and are aware of your local laws. While you can gently bend and tie down long branches, there are other methods of carrying out low-stress training. To keep them in shape you tie them down, clip them or use a mesh . Youll find a basic, intermediate, and advanced method for low-stress training your autoflowers. While we think the results are more than worth the extra time invested, we know some people use autoflowers for their low-maintenance qualities. They much prefer to let their plants grow into their natural state and develop a massive central cola flanked by smaller buds. Plants will develop a bushy and wide profile once L.S.T is performed. What Does THC Do To The Brain And The Body? You can start to perform LST when the first true fan leafs appear by supporting the steam to one side and gently bending the tip to the other side. are registered trademarks of Ghost Management Group, LLC. You can leave the pegs in place, as long as they aren't too tight and digging into the stems as they get wider. That doesn't mean that they're indestructible. Low stress training can begin once the plant is big enough to allow you to do so, and is most effective when the plant is young. Around a month into your plants' flowering season, autoflower low stress training often ends. Once you see signs of pre-flowering, its time to relax. To force a cannabis plant to develop several impressive colas, you'll need to top plants during step 2 of our LST guide. By clicking Cookie settings, you can read more about the cookies we use and you can save preferences. Instead of one giant main bud, how about twenty large ones? Pull each branch out and away from the central stem to expand its canopy laterally. You will need to tend, monitor, and maintain cannabis plants throughout their development. Unlike regular strains, autoflower marijuana doesnt give you much time to play around with. Watkins . After topping, as the two main branches begin to develop, secure them like you would have done the main stem. Loop the string over and around the branch to fix it in place. 2023 Updated Guide, Can You Overdose On Weed? If you suspect it might snap, it's not suitable. Is There a Perfect Autoflower Light Schedule? Should the worst happen and one of your beloved stems/branches snapdon't panic! When the shoots and main stem reach a length where they can be bent and fixed, LST can be easily carried out and will yield the best results. Therefore, high-stress training techniques leave these varieties very little time to recover and increase the odds of reduced yields. Once you see the monster yields LST provides, you'll never go back! The leaves get pruned a little later as the flowers are bursting. These may cut into your plants, causing damage and stunting their growth. Top 4 Training Techniques to Maximize Autoflowering Cannabis Yields. Top tips on low stress training autoflowering plants, Low Stress Training (LST) Autoflowering Guide, The Lifecycle of the Autoflowering Cannabis Plant, Fast Buds Wins the American Autoflower Cup 2023. This will give you the upper hand and allow you to control your plant height and growth structure with the intended results. However, it does not mean that short and stocky Indica-dominant varieties wont benefit from receiving more direct light. Regular wire or string should be avoided as it may cut into the stems as they grow, causing damage. Low-stress training (LST) is a method used by growers to control the height and shape of cannabis plants. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. The LST technique can be used to reduce the height of marijuana plants that are getting too tall for your setup, or are growing taller than your other cannabis plants. Using twine or thin metal wire works best and can be removed in an emergency. Don't worry if you're not using plastic pots; you can still LST your cannabis plants! Tomato rings can be useful if the plant becomes significantly larger as it grows. As you can probably guess, this inflicts a lot of stress on plants, which temporarily places them into a period of stress defined by slowed reduced growth. They are not legal to germinate in most countries. Unlike HST, low-stress training for autoflowers wont stress your plants or stunt their growth. LST, despite being labour intensive, is still perfectly suitable for outdoor cannabis plants. Most growers start early on during vegetative growth. When you consider most plants need adjusting several times a week, that's an incredible degree of manual labour for a moderately sized outdoor grow. Once all the branches are evenly spread out and poking through the holes of your screen, secure it in place. Low-stress training autoflowers isnt a one-and-done process. This page was last updated on September 8, 2020. This one is less of an issue for autoflowers, as youre not dealing with the most towering types of plants available. The first step is to create several small holes around the rim of the plant container. While cannabis plants do just fine with minimal intervention, applying training techniques comes with many benefits that make them a worthwhile skill to master. While its not rocket science, its best to take some time to examine your plants before diving in blind. On the other hand, autoflowering cannabis plants can be topped but depending on how healthy your plant is, the stress caused by topping could stunt it or slow down growth for several days and some autoflowers take as little as 8 weeks from seed to harvest, so yes, you can top your plants but it can end up causing the opposite effect and stunt your plants, resulting in a smaller harvest so make sure to only top your plants if theyre 100% healthy! You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. So, as one branch stretches out above the others, adjust your plant ties to bring it back in line. LST or low stress training (sometimes also called light stress training) is a way to grow your autoflower plants and maximize their output yield while simultaneously maximizing light usage and decreasing the vertical space required to grow autoflowers. To allow more light to penetrate to the new growing bud sites, growers apply LST, Another reason why growers of weed are keen to embrace LST is the fact that it is an effective way of keeping the plants to a manageable and discreet height where they are less likely to be noticed by curious neighbors or passers-by. Low-stress training your autoflowers means saying goodbye to that beautiful, enormous central cola we love to show off. Sativa dominant cultivars will be the most challenging to control height wise, . All these LST autoflower techniques require is a small time investment and some household objects. Its not a bad idea to have some bamboo or stakes handy when low-stress training your autoflowers. Low stress training is a simple, low-impact approach to improving yields in virtually all types of cannabis plants. I LST my plants up to the last few days. Autoflower Guides & Tutorials: How to Grow. LST allows you to keep an even canopy and get as much bud as possible from your light. You don't need to plan anything and can just pull down the top that is getting the most light and see other branches stepping in! The art of low stress training (LST for short) is a straightforward concept. New York Marijuana Laws [2023], Is Weed Legal In Maryland? In this case, install the screen a few inches above the current tops of the plants. High-stress training (HST) methods like topping cannabis or supercropping entail removing parts of your plants to direct their growth. Vyberte jazyk, kter bude odpovdat vaemu online obsahu a produktm podle va polohy. While the thought of LST your autoflowers every day might seem like a chore, its not so bad. Once youve got a rough idea of what youre going to do, its time to begin. The technique only needs to be applied once to be performed successfully. Once they are, then you can start to push their potential via LSTor any training method for that matter. & Regular and feminized plants have a long vegetative period. When to stop LST training. Soft plant ties are perfect for protecting vulnerable plant stems while also keeping them secure. For autoflower growers, its highly important to note that its a high-stress training technique and autoflowers have a limited life cycle, so its essential you do it correctly because any form of stress (including topping) can slow down growth for a week or more until your plant can recover and continue growing normally. Not bad for a few months' work! Be informed before you purchase. It is possible to tie to all of the side branches with some cultivars, allowing for a very bushy and dense-growing autoflower. 38 Continue LST until harvest. Low-stress training (LST) Instead of letting your plant go crazy growing vertically with no limits, low-stress training (LST) involves bending and tying down plant stems for maximum yield and light exposure for a chosen area on the cannabis plant. As you move toward the inner branches, youll start to see the results of your work. Gently bend the plant's main stem towards the edge of the pot (so the top of the plant is nearly parallel with your substrate). Further LST is not required, except for minimal upkeep. This is known as the flowering stretch. This apical dominance won't do your plants any harm, but if we manipulate the canopy, flattening it out, the rewards are significant. Although simple, this method helps to boost aeration around developing flowers, expose buds to an equal amount of light exposure, and boost yields. This means all plant parts receive equal light, eliminating the need for stretching. Get started early, and the reward is a motherload of buds! When to Stop Low Stress Training? That being said, low-stress training can also be used during the flowering phase. Fortunately, very few materials are needed, and those that are you'll easily find at local garden centres or online. The most convenient form of this LST autoflower method involves tying the plants to their own pots. LST causes so little stress that it can, in principle, be used throughout the culture. The tie-down method is the first and easiest to implement of our LST autoflower techniques. Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has admitted that he sometimes needs to stop Ollie Watkins from over-doing things in training. Thats why its important to remain consistent when low-stress training autoflowers; there isnt time to catch up if you slack off. When to start low stress training? And you can also top your photos more than once to encourage side branching. This is usually around 2-3 weeks after germination when the plants gain their first true leaves. Learn, share, and grow with our community, Hundreds of free guides, tutorials, and strain reviews, Culture, cultivation, and in-depth discussion, Join our highly active Social Media Community. If youre using regular pots, youll need something to make holes around the rim. more light to penetrate to the new growing bud sites, growers apply LST. By bending the tops, you open the lowers to more light. The best approach is to keep your plants anchored using the pots they are already in; then you're free to move plants about without disturbing the trained branches. Also, don't neglect to prune, giving priority to the areas around the buds. Cannabis Genotype Vs. Phenotype: Understand The Differences, Top Highest THC Percentage Flowers of 2023. When to stop LST training. 2. While this looks great, these big buds are more prone to mold because they are so large and dense. * Seeds are sold as souvenirs. Low-stress training methods, however, represent an ideal way to manipulate autoflowering plants and maximize their yield. LST requires constant revision and upkeep to maintain an even canopy. To make the most of LST, we want all buds sites to get as much light as possible. In this article we explain low-stress training, how it is performed, the benefits associated, and our top tips for L.S.T. Most browsers give you an explanation of how to do this in the so-called \help-function\. Should I Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Treat Cannabis Problems? Greetings. Other popular alternatives are, for example, thick wool, clothes hangers and pipe cleaners (the things you use to clean pipes). Youll likely find stray branches starting to grow past the others, so tie down any new growth to maintain an even canopy. This is usually around 23 weeks after germination when the plants gain their first true leaves. As long as you're willing to put in the time adjusting your canopy as you go, it couldn't be easier. Once your cannabis plants start to flower, they will grow incredibly quickly. Training your autoflowers will maximize the yields drastically. A short vegetative period with no means of extending it through lighting means autoflowers cant recover from the shock of HST. Continue by organizing your canopy by bending everything to the right places, especially the small new side branches that are now going to grow vertically. That being said, HST will push the potential of your plants to the limit, producing yields beyond that of LST. Plants grow through the screen, facing the light to create a tube-like setup with little light loss. A quick graft in this manner won't cause any lasting damage to the health of your cannabis plant, and it should heal quickly. Breaking the apical dominance of cannabis causes it to lose much of its signature shape and symmetry. How Often Should Indoor Cannabis Plants Be Watered? As the secondary branches start to receive more light and grow up, you may need to LST them too. LST autoflower plants produce more buds of higher quality than untrained specimens. Other growers choose to bend the shoots outwards away from the stem, securing the shoots to the holes in the container with ties. The aim of LST is to gently bend the branches of your cannabis plant as it grows causing very little stress to it. The main point is to use tying material that wont cut into or cause abrasions in your plants. grow rapidly as they do not require a change in light to commence flowering. Allow the main stem and branches to grow vertically from now until the end of the grow. Another variant on the vertical ScrOG creates a cylindrical screen placed around a light. Look carefully to see if the stem bends smoothly and do not try to bend it. Before touching your cannabis plants, the first step is preparing your pot/container. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. No yellowing of the leaves no sign of nutrient burneverything looks great to me! LST can be used on both indoor and outdoor plants, optimizing space and maximizing bud output. If you notice a lot of stretching taking place regardless, its a sign your plants need more light. [Updated 2023], Is Weed Legal In New York? ), Duct tape - this is invaluable in securing ties or canes or repairing accidentally snapped branches. The difference is youre creating a vertical screen of growth instead of a horizontal one. However, if you block the cookies, you may not be able to enjoy all the technical features our website has to offer and this may negatively impact your user experience. The cookies also ensure that we can see how our website is used and how we can improve it. You can use anything that is not too "sharp" because thin iron wire can easily cut through a plant. If you have fabric or smart-style pots, just use a safety pin instead. Preference cookies allow a website to remember information that influence on the behavior and design of the website. Low-stress training your autoflowers reduces stretching to a minimum by creating a flat growth canopy without dominant stems. LST involves gently bending and tying strategic branches and stems. terms of use. The latter will damage plants as they grow. In return, you get healthy, flourishing plants that deliver bumper harvests of dense, resinous buds. Good luck practicing L.S.T on your autos and reaping the rewards. Once you unlock the full potential of your cannabis with this simple LST autoflower technique, youll never go back. Whatever your LST does exactly, you always have to attach the other side to something, usually the pot. Learn how to use this simple low stress training technique with our step-by-step guide. Sour Crack as well. . Benefits of Low Stress Training Bigger yields from the exact same grow lights and setup In truth, any strain can benefit from LST. When the plant enters its flowering stage, healthy colas will sprout upwards from the sideways-growing plant. Although it may be tempting (and in some cases convenient) to tie your plants to objects around the grow room or tentdon't. The purpose of LST is to encourage the plant to flatten at the canopy, thus providing more even access to light, and multiple thriving bud sites. For LSVT BIG, research demonstrated improvements lasting at least 12 weeks beyond the end of the treatment. Low stress training, commonly abbreviated to LST is a plant training technique whereby you manipulate the growth pattern to optimize light absorption and space. . The side branches will be encouraged to grow alongside the main crown shoots. The rapid life cycle of autoflower cannabis means HST is a poor fit if youre trying to increase your yields. Low stress training, or LST, is a training method that involves bending and tying stems and branches to encourage more efficient and productive growth from cannabis plants. It improves plant structure, aeration, and yield, all while inflicting minimal stress. In the same way, topping certain autoflowering cultivars can affect the growth structure and final height of some strains in a negative sense, knowing which strains work best with L.S.T will save you time, space, and increase yields. There are just a few considerations you need to keep in mind: Some growers use LST and topping to maximise the development of several colas. Not every strain will react as well as others, however, if you do find the perfect cultivar, alongside other training techniques such as SCROG and pruning, it is possible to achieve enormous harvests. As new shoots appear, they will need to be bent and tied down. A sea of equally large peaks will emerge during flowering. By flattening out the canopy, the entire plant also receives more light, promoting the growth of more buds and larger yields. 24 Stop LST at first sign of flower. Unmanaged plants receiving inadequate light stretch to get the energy they need. The culmination of all these benefits of low-stress training autoflowers is vastly increased productivity. L.S.T only needs to be performed once during the first 4 weeks to obtain the desired outcome. Her sativa-dominant genetics encourage a surge in growth during flowering, so if space is tight, what better way to control this feisty cup winner than with plant ties and our dedicated guide? Take off doing the bottom two or three leaving the leaves on. No cutting off of the tips and no topping with scissors. When the branches begin to reach through the screen, they are simply tucked back underneath. Thicker types of wire often stick well into the ground like a tent herring, but you can also drill holes in the side of your pot or tie a band around your pot. The posts are placed at the corners of your grow room, with the trellis stretched between them. For newbie growers, it's a useful technique that can increase crop yields and round out cultivation skills. Once youve constructed your screen for LST your autoflowers, its time to install it. To get the best results, start as soon as possible and continue low-stress training your autoflowers until they start to flower. For those unwilling to try or unfamiliar with high-stress training techniques, low-stress training is a low-risk practice to which plants generally respond favorably. This gives them the necessary time to recover without affecting yield. LST is a bit like cultivating bonsai trees, as you are manipulating the shape of the plant to your will. With the advantages of low stress training clear to see, it's time to explain how and when you should start training your cannabis plants. Is There a Difference Between LST and HST? With some care and attention, its possible to double or even triple the number of buds your autoflower cannabis produces. Now that you know why and when to start low-stress training autoflowers, all thats left is how to LST your autoflowers. These won't change the fundamental process outlined above, but will offer additional insight if you get stuck. The plant then begins to take on a spider-like appearance. Autoflowers only have a few weeks to develop buds, and any time spent recovering from the stress of topping will significantly impact yields. If, however, you choose to start LST during flowering, know that plants aren't as receptive to manipulation. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about the technique, including a step-by-stepguide and which strains benefit the most from some gentle persuasion. Autoflower Plants just finishing week 7 (or) day 54. When you start from the seedling stage, you will have a greater control over your plant. Always use soft ties and avoid sharp, cutting wires or thin nylon material. 6. The practice as a whole sometimes seems odd to beginner growers. Get some help to spread out the branches and insert them into appropriately-spaced holes, being careful not to snap or break any limbs. If youve successfully implemented low-stress training for autoflowers, stretching shouldnt occur. When the branches begin to reach through the screen, they are simply tucked back underneath. The technique decreases the risk of over-stressing the plant, allowing it to adjust to the training measures and adapt more rapidly. Keep reading to learn the many benefits of LST for autoflowers and how to do it yourself. Read on to learn about low-stress training in autoflowers and how to use this easy technique to multiply your harvests. While unmanaged plants may be visually appealing, theyre not the most efficient bud producers. Growers use this low-stress training autoflower technique with vertically installed lighting for impressive results. So you can start with a small seedling as long as it has several leaves. The fact remains that this is a general rule, and some plants may take longer or shorter to reach LSF. Since flowering can begin in as few as two to four weeks in autoflowering cultivars, LST should begin earlier to reap the benefits.