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. 4. In the absence of these, something like pipe cleaners or shoelaces work as an acceptable substitute. Also known as Kronic from The Cannabis Kronicles, Derek LaRose is a young ambitious cultivator and a staple educator for indoor cultivation. If you want copious amounts of extra-resinous, extra-dense buds on the other hand, LST and autoflowers are the perfect match. If youre looking for a quick breakdown of the pros and cons of LST for autoflowers, check out this table. This means all plant parts receive equal light, eliminating the need for stretching. When to Start Low-Stress Training Generally, LST can be done throughout your marijuana plant's life cycle. Northern Lights Automatic (Zamnesia Seeds) feminized. Picking the Right Strain for Low Stress Training, How to Maximise Yields With Autoflowering Cannabis, How And When To Low Stress Train Cannabis Plants, Customer Service Monday - Friday 8:00 - 16:00, Free Giftbag with every order above 75,-. Burger continues to hit early on in spring training, which again doesn't mean a lot, but if he keeps on . Provided plants have comfortably reached the vegetative stage (roughly 56 nodes), you can begin tying down the relevant stems and branches. Loop the string over and around the branch to fix it in place. Learn Now How to Deal with Grey Mold, How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats In Cannabis Plants, How To Get Rid of Spider Mites on Weed Plants, Discover How to Get Rid of Thrips Naturally, How to Fix Calcium Deficiency In Weed Plants, Preventing & Fixing Magnesium Deficiency in Cannabis Plants, Potassium Deficiency in Weed: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments, How To Fix Phosphorus Deficiency In Weed Plants, Best Water For Cannabis Plants: Ideal PPM, pH & Temperature. By topping plants once they reach 56 nodes, you'll encourage growth hormone into the top branches, not just the main stem. You could also tie the next highest branches down to enhance the LST effect. Before touching your cannabis plants, the first step is preparing your pot/container. If the thought of topping your plants is too much to bear, LST is the technique for you. Tighten the string enough to hold the branch in place firmly. Fast Buds take 1st place home at the very first edition of the American Autoflower Cup in California! Some growers highly value the trait of apical dominance. 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. Most Potent Autos with Insane Levels of THC and Knock Out Effects. However, youll be happy to know that the pros vastly outweigh the cons. Theres a lot of upkeep required, meaning this is an LST autoflower method best suited to enthusiastic and experienced cultivators. Tip: try adding a bit of aloe vera to the interior plant to improve the chances of healing even further. . Use the small hand drill to make several evenly spaced holes around the rim of your pot. But what does training a plant actually entail? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. Hybrid and Sativa-dominant cultivars that can grow as tall as 150cm are the best candidates for tying down, like Orange Sherbet Auto. 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. As long as the branch is still attached, you can repair it using duct tape and a small splint. JavaScript is disabled. LST (low-stress training) offers a host of benefits. The initials in LST autoflower stand for low-stress training. Make evenly spaced holes around the rims, or attach safety pins in the case of fabric pots. So, you want to continually bend the tallest stems down to the same level as the others, and use a twisty tie to secure it gently but firmly in position. LST is a process. You are essentially bending and manipulating the stems. Manipulating Timelines to Get Faster Yields 12-12 From Seed Its important to stop at this point, as further stress, no matter how little, may negatively impact your yields. While its not rocket science, its best to take some time to examine your plants before diving in blind. If you are unsure about when to stop LST, it is best to err on the side of caution and stop training within a month of beginning. Have a play with tying down one plant and leaving another to grow normally, so you can see how the plants change in structure. The leaves get pruned a little later as the flowers are bursting. You must log in or register to reply here. By bending the tops, you open the lowers to more light. By flattening out the canopy, the entire plant also receives more light, promoting the growth of more buds and larger yields. With the basics of low stress training covered, it's time to point out some essential final tips. Start low-stress training auto flower plants around the 2nd or 3rd week of sprouting, once they are tall enough. When to stop LST training. Autoflowers only have a few weeks to develop buds, and any time spent recovering from the stress of topping will significantly impact yields. Link to post. 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. LST is most commonly performed during the vegetative period when the shoots are pliable and the plant's growth can be more easily directed. Once you unlock the full potential of your cannabis with this simple LST autoflower technique, youll never go back. The culmination of all these benefits of low-stress training autoflowers is vastly increased productivity. Mind Blowing Money-Makers, The Most Productive Autos in the Game! While we think the results are more than worth the extra time invested, we know some people use autoflowers for their low-maintenance qualities. Now, this is not a worry with photoperiodic cannabis seeds as you can control a photos vegetative and flowering stage, allowing them to remain in the vegetative stage indefinitely until they recover. Working with several cannabinoid-centric publications, he publishes a variety of digital content, supported by strong technical knowledge and thorough research. Even if you never top the plant, you can simply bend it in the direction you want it to go. Here's how to do it. The reduction in stretching achieved by low-stress training autoflowers leads to a flourishing plant with no branches competing for the light. While you can gently bend and tie down long branches, there are other methods of carrying out low-stress training. Tying down autoflowering plants controls the final height and structure. All cannabis cultivars display a quality known as apical dominance regardless of individual strain characteristics. Another simple way to create a screen for LST autoflowers is to use plant trellis netting attached to posts. Using twine or thin metal wire works best and can be removed in an emergency. You could use bamboo canes or drill small holes near the rim of the pots. By flattening out the canopy, the entire plant also receives more light, promoting the growth of more buds and larger yields. Once the canopy is established, you'll want to maintain it all the way to harvest. Around a month into your plants' flowering season, autoflower low stress training often ends. While cannabis plants do just fine with minimal intervention, applying training techniques comes with many benefits that make them a worthwhile skill to master. more light to penetrate to the new growing bud sites, growers apply LST. Unlike regular strains, autoflower marijuana doesn't give you much time to play around with. Spend some time assessing your crops from all angles and decide where you will make changes. When cannabis starts to flower, it exhibits an initial burst of growth which lasts for several weeks. Tip: The aim is to ensure an even and flat canopy. Luke Sholl has been writing about cannabis, the wellness potential of cannabinoids, and the positive influence of nature for over a decade. Once youve constructed your screen for LST your autoflowers, its time to install it. Be gentle and start low stress training early for best results. And you can also top your photos more than once to encourage side branching. If youre late starting low-stress training your autoflowers, lower the screen down onto the plants. New York Marijuana Laws [2023], Is Weed Legal In Maryland? Shaping the rest of your plant isn't an exact science as there's no telling how fast a strain will grow and how it'll develop. Once they are, then you can start to push their potential via LSTor any training method for that matter. Thus, you can continue LST in this short period to slightly manipulate the growth. Analytical cookies give us insight into how our website is used. Alternatively, a piece of heated steel wire does the trick; just be careful. The ScrOG low-stress method encourages horizontal growth as it forces plants to grow through a suspended screen. Younger annabis greenies typically have more pliable stems that are easier to bend, while older plants may be stiff and frangible. Among them, low-stress training produces amazing results without taking too much of a toll on plants. However, if we had to recommend at least one HST technique to pair with LST, it would be topping. Like low-stress training, ScrOG helps optimize 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. Flushing Cannabis: When, Why, And How To Flush Your Plants, Cannabis Nutrients: Everything You Should Know About Fertilizers, The Best Hydroponic Nutrient Solution Recipe For Weed, How To Make A Mix Of Marijuana Nutrients In 6 Easy Steps, Topping Cannabis: Complete Guide to Increase Yields. These may cut into your plants, causing damage and stunting their growth. Information collected through cookies and similar technologies may include the date and time of the visit and how you use a particular website or mobile application. Maryland Marijuana Laws [2023], LED Lights for Cannabis: 3 Types & 4 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Using LEDs. Waiting until later in the vegetative or flowering cycle can become problematic as the stems and shoots can become too rigid to bend. With only a handful of materials needed to implement LST, it really is as simple as it sounds. Cannabis plants are incredibly versatile, and by all accounts can take a fair amount of abuse. Once youve got what you need, its time to prepare your pots. What Is The Ideal Cannabis Feeding Schedule? If you suspect it might snap, it's not suitable. Remember to share this with your friends and check out our store for a range of high-quality cannabis seeds. Take Zkittlez Auto, for example, her rapid flowering time, huge yields, and a complex terp profile make Zkittlez Auto a must-have. The main idea is to keep all the stems about the same distance from the light. Remember, LST for autoflowers is a gradual process, so dont rush it and avoid any broken or snapped limbs. It is possible to tie to all of the side branches with some cultivars, allowing for a very bushy and dense-growing autoflower. LST stops around the same time as low stress flowering (LSF) - typically around the month of May. & Benefits of Low Stress Training Bigger yields from the exact same grow lights and setup 44 Stop LST 2-3 into flower. A short stake is all thats required; this helps the plant resist the pull of the ties. Should I Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Treat Cannabis Problems? Once the plants develop around 4-6 nodes, you can begin low stress training. Now that you know how far the branches bend, tie a string to a nearby hole, and attach it to the branch using a non-abrasive plant tie. Some autoflowers start flowering as soon as the fourth week, so get started as soon as possible. Fig trees were trained in this way to grow along walls in Ancient Egypt, and similar methods have been used in various types of horticulture for centuries.