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Low stress training or LST is used by growers to obtain a desired structure and shape to a grow. Its a great way to maximise your yield from your grow area. I will explain how I like to train my plants using this method.
Why is LST and other training methods important?
Training your plants to maximise your yield from a grow area is the main reason, but there are others. The main objective of this type of training is to obtain a flat even canopy. This will ensure that as many bud sites and therefore buds/flowers will receive as much light as possible, this will in turn allow even growth and your buds to mature at the same time. An even canopy will also make keeping air flow/circulation easier.
There are several ways to achieve the desired effect, I will talk about how I get mine into shape and the things I use. Other training techniques can also be used alongside LST to improve the end result and shape of your plants, topping of plants works beautifully with this training method but ill do a separate guide on topping.
How to train your plants using LST
To get the desired effect from LST I start the process very early. The idea is to manipulate the plant into a shape that allows all growth to grow at the same rate. If left unchecked a plant will focus on the main growth at the top of the plant, normally the growth with the most light. When I train using this method it allows all growth to get a equal amount of light and this promotes all growth to push up.
Tying the plant flat is the best way to do this as in the picture. I find pipe cleaners a brilliant tool soft enough to not damage the plant and easily readjusted. Securing the pipe cleaner to the side of the pot you can then use this a a anchor to tie the plant down. I carefully bent the branches of the cannabis plant, some stems may need pinching to weaken them to be bent. Instead of just bending them straight into shape I find bending the point n the branch back and forth gently will allow the branches to bend easier. Sometimes accident s happen while training, a branch will split or bend to much, don't worry, tape up the branch and support it, within a week she will be all healed and ready for round 2.
Its important to take the time to make sure the the plant is evenly flat, now all growth will start to grow towards the light. Normally 4-7 days I will have my plants out again and continue this process, flatten all growth. Continue this through the veg period.
As the plants continue to grow lower growth and side shoots will keep growing up because they are level with other growth. This will give you a lot more tops which will turn into cannabis bus/flowers in the flowering cycle. As I am now creating a level canopy leaves that are getting less light will start to die off. These will need removing.
Air flow is important in any style of training/growing. I am trying to create a even canopy of buds, lower buds will not be getting light so will not grow as much or mature like the top buds. For this reason I remove them. As mentioned above the lower leaves will be dying off, dead plant matter is a big no when growing. Keep it clean and tidy as you go.
I will continue to flatten my plants into flower, readjusting the pipe cleaners. Once in flower the plants will go through a stretch period, this will normally last the first 2-4 weeks of the flowering cycle. As the buds start to form and gain weight the plants themselves will need supporting. Plant canes are fine, please wash them off if purchased from a garden store, you don't want pests to find your groom their new home. I now use a support net instead of canes, but both work well.
Once I am past the stretch period of early flower my training is done and its time to let them do their thing. As already mentioned airflow when creating a even canopy like this is very important, remove all dead and lower growth.
The strain in this guide is the Original Luton Exodus Cheese. 1.2 x 1.2 x 2.2 grow tent, 600w Sunmaster dual spectrum hps.
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