The purpose of training your plants is to have more buds to harvest. If you allowed your cannabis plants to grow by themselves, you would be left with one main cola for each plant. Although the cola will most likely grow into a large and dense nug, it will not provide you with the best possible yield from the plant.
When you train your plants, you increase their growth potential. This will result in a lot more buds as opposed to only one big bud.
You can use different techniques to increase your yield. The number of plants you’re growing doesn’t make a difference. There are two basic categories for training methods for growing cannabis plants. This depends on whether you’re growing your plants inside or outside.
These methods are referred to as (HST) high-stress training and (LST) low-stress training. When you’re determining how to train cannabis plants, your first step is deciding which method you want to use.
The SCROG Method
SCROG is an abbreviation for Screen of Green. If you’ve ever wondered how to train cannabis plants, this is an excellent cultivation technique. This enables you to have numerous apex’s on the plants. This is a type of training technique optimizing the use of light. You place a screen over the canopy of the plants to provide a direct lighting source.
When the branches are able to access a source of direct light, more energy can be produced. The final result is much larger buds. When you first start using this technique, it’ll take you longer to produce.
Equipment Needed for SCROG Training Method:
• The Screen: The first thing you will need is a screen. The spacings should be square and approximately ten centimeters wide. You can purchase a screen at your local gardening center or make one yourself.
• Razor or Scissors: You’ll need to trim the branches and leaves fairly frequently. The best way to do this is with either a razor or scissors. Use whichever one you’re most comfortable with.
• Large Pots or Buckets: To be able to SCROG your cannabis plants, your root ecosystem must be strong when the plants are in the flowering phase. Your best option is a large bucket or pot with a minimum capacity of ten liters.
• String: The best way to guide your cannabis plant is by guiding the branches using the netting. A string is ideal for this purpose because it’s not overly aggressive for your plants. The flexibility of the string will enable you to pull the branches in any direction you need.
Low-Stress Training
Low-Stress training gives cannabis plants a bit of a break. This technique doesn’t place any stress on your plants or lead to damage from agitation. This is an excellent technique if you’re growing your plants indoors, and is frequently used by the most experienced growers. There are different kinds of low-stress training. This includes SCROG screen of green and sea of green (SOG).
The Process of LST
The process of training your cannabis plants begins as you bend the plants gently while they’re growing. You simply tie the branches down when they become too long. You’ll continue this process throughout your plant’s vegetative cycle. The reason you tie down your plants is to enable a more even distribution of auxin throughout your plants. Auxin is the hormone responsible for the growth of your plants.
The final result is a lot more buds on your plants. This is because you’ve trained their growth in a circular pattern as opposed to just up and down with a single big cola.
SOG
The SOG method of training your plants forces them to flower at a much younger age. In most cases, this will occur once your plants have been in the vegetative state for about two weeks. This means you will be able to harvest your plants a lot sooner than if you had used one of the traditional growing methods.
SOG is a good choice if the area in your grow room is limited. It allows you to harvest as much as possible in a shorter period of time. This a good training technique provided you have at least four plants. They should be within a radius of one square foot. The idea is to have a canopy covering all of your plants to ensure an even distribution of light.
Clones or seeds should be placed beneath the light for eighteen to 24 hours or until they are ten to twelve inches in height. Then you can force flowering by placing them on 12/12. This will ensure an even bud canopy.
SCROG
The SCROG method involves placing a screen over your growing cannabis plants. You simply wait until your plants are starting to grow through the screen. Once this happens, tuck the branches gently back into your screen. This is a straightforward and fairly easy method of maximizing your harvest. Your plants will grow through the screen in a canopy as opposed to straight up. The final result is a large bouquet of buds.
High-Stress Training
High-stress training is more frequently used for plants growing outside. This is a common technique for larger outdoor grows. It’s critical that you only use the high-stress method when your plants are in the vegetative state. If you use this technique while your plants are flowering, they will become stressed.
When used during the entire growth cycle of the plants, high-stress training is an excellent way to ensure your yields in the fall are huge.
All of these methods are excellent for growing cannabis plants. Before trying a new training method, be sure that it’s appropriate for your plant and grow space.