Whether you’re new to growing and looking for your first cultivation technique or a veteran cultivator, Low-Stress Training (LST) can significantly improve your yields while benefiting your plants in many ways, such as optimizing your lighting, getting the most out of your grow space and controlling the height of your plants. With LST, plants are not exposed to the levels of stress that can come from topping and other High-Stress Methods. The stress on you as the grower is also lower because you don’t have to intentionally damage the plant. In this article, we’ll break it down so you can use this method immediately.
TL/DR | Key Takeaways:
LST improves harvest yields by 20-50%.
It optimizes the light and space you have to grow.
It controls height and creates an even canopy of buds.
It’s the easiest training technique for beginners.
Table Of Contents
What is Low-Stress Training (LST) in Cannabis Cultivation?
When cannabis is left to grow alone, apical dominance creates a Christmas tree-like plant that reaches tall for the light. Shoots and branches in LST are gently bent and tied to encourage horizontal growth. As new branches and growth appear, you continue to tie them down. LST is not a new technique in horticulture; farmers started by training fruit trees to make the fruit easier to pick.
Low-stress training is a form of plant training. We cannot discuss it without mentioning High-Stress Training (HST). HST involves more intrusive methods of marijuana plant training, such as topping. As the name suggests, HST involves techniques that incur more stress on your cannabis plants. If done incorrectly, this can overstress plants and impact your grow. Most new growers also feel more anxious to try HST. Nobody wants to harm their lovely plants, after all. For that reason, Low-Stress Training allows cultivators to gently train their plants.
Does LST Improve Cannabis Yields?
Yes, as your cannabis plant grows, LST will allow more light to hit lateral branches that the top of the plant would normally shade. This increases the number of good-yielding bud sites, and there’s nothing wrong with more dense and beautiful buds, right? As an added benefit, LST brings the cultivator closer to the plants; you really get to shape them and see the results like a rapidly growing bonsai tree.Apical dominance is an evolutionary advantage for the cannabis plant: pollination success and dispersal, light intensity, and the ability to create more budding sites are all part of this survival strategy.
Low-stress training methods work to counter the apical dominance by tying down the main stem. Thus, the lateral branches that would be considered lower are now free to grow upward toward the light. Over time, you create a full canopy of bud sites ready to thrive because they’re getting the right intensity of light. Larger harvests are guaranteed when this method is done correctly. You can expect yield increases from 20 to 50%.
Apical Dominance Compared to Low-Stress Training (LST).
LST Enables Better Climate and Height Control in Your Grow Room
Think about those stretchy photoperiod sativas you’ve seen growing as outdoor cannabis plants. For indoor growers, vertical plant growth like that is problematic. Plant training methods let you tame them down and grow in smaller spaces. LST creates a plant structure that prevents microclimates from forming in your canopy. When foliage is too dense or not getting enough airflow, it can retain stagnant, warm air that creates moisture and leads to trouble with mold and bacteria thriving in those conditions.
Example of applying LST methods to autoflower cannabis plants using SOG methods.
Denser & Better Buds with LST
With more even light exposure and better airflow, all of the bud sites you expose using LST can produce solid nugs, and you can prune out anything that would create popcorn. Using any stressing techniques can also increase the terpene content of your harvest, leading to more buds that smell better, too.
How to LST: The Tie Down Method
LST is simple. You slowly bend and tie down the stems and branches of the plant over time to help the plant utilize space and direct light. With this method, you can direct a shoot towards an empty area and separate any branches that are growing too close together.
Materials and Tools Needed
Twisty Ties: These or other rubber-coated wires are preferable. You can buy reels, cut ties to any needed length, and secure them with a simple twist. Avoid using anything uncoated if you can; these will slowly cut into the plant as it grows. It’s also not the best idea to use string or anything fibrous as this can also cut into your plants, and its fibers can get embedded into them.
Scissors: Don’t use your pruning scissors for this; keep those nice and sharp.
Container: Depending on your pot type, you may need a drill to put holes along the pot’s rim. These holes give you anchor points to tie down to. If you, like me, use fabric bags, you can use a hole puncher to put anchor points anywhere needed on the bag.
Heavy-duty coated wire may be needed if you’re growing big plants.
Stakes could also be useful if you need to anchor anything to the center of the pot instead of the edge. Some growers also hang weight over branches they are training to keep them down.
Necessary equipment for low stress training.
When to Start Low-Stress Training Your Plants
Like many questions in cultivation, the answers are dynamic based on your needs, the cultivation space’s needs, and the needs of the cultivar.
You want to start training in early/mid vegetative stage and should keep training your plants until they start their flowering stage. It makes little sense to keep training afterward, as you want all the energy to produce big, juicy, sticky buds!
Two rules of thumb can help you start training at the right time. Both provide ample time for the plant to establish a root structure to support LST:
Age: Start at around week 3 of veg for photoperiods and week 3 of growth for autos.
Node count: Wait until the plant has 3-5 nodes growing. This method is a little more specific to the plant and allows for any variations in their growth.
Signals to begin training the cannabis plant.
Step 1: Choose the Branches or Stems to Train
Always train the main stem first. This allows all of the young branches to start growing upward. As the plant grows, you’ll see these branches starting to crowd one another. These are up for training next. Each can be separated from the others and lowered to open the canopy and allow for even more growth.
Only bend the young growths of the cannabis plant using low-stress training techniques.
Step 2: Bend and Tie Down the Branch/Stem
To make the bend and start training your plant, push with even pressure on the stem or branch until you feel resistance. It’s important that you make sure you are gently bending stems. Do not push so much that you are snapping the plant. Cut a tie long enough to go around the branch at one of the nodes and reach an anchor point on your container.
Choose an anchor point wisely and make sure to separate trained branches from one another to give enough room for new growth. When tying branches, don’t go too tightly. Position the tie so it will not accidentally slip or slide along the plant. The twisty ties are great here because you can easily move them if you need to change an anchor point.
Now, you’ll see even more branches growing upwards. For photoperiods, keep training these down and outward. For autoflowers, continue as well, but watch for signs of flowering, as that’s your finish line.
The method of Low Stress Training for cannabis involves carefully bending the plant’s branches to optimize light absorption and encourage a balanced canopy.
Step 3: Monitor and Adjust
Now, the goal is to try to fill any gaps in the canopy and prevent any branch or stem from shading another to maximize growth during this stage. You’ll see the results of your efforts quickly and can learn more as you gain experience. Watch how the plant responds and recovers, and work with it.
Step 5: Repeat Until Early Flowering Stage
Repeat this process every few days throughout early mid-veg to continue opening space for new growth. As the plant fills the space, you must decide when to stop for photoperiods and flip it over to flower. For autos, it’s best to continue until you see early signs of flowers. You can LST in flower, but the benefits are not as significant, and it’s riskier for the plant. Avoid this unless necessary.
Example of Low Stress Training for autoflowering cannabis plant.
Advanced LST Methods for Your Cannabis Grow
Two methods exist to further your LST without introducing HST: the fabled SCROG and SOG. Let’s explore them both to understand their benefits and differences.
The Screen of Green (SCROG)
SCROG stands for Screen of Green. Netting in a frame is set over the canopy in the mid-to-late vegetative stage, providing a second level of anchor points above those around the soil line. This allows you to really weave the plant throughout the screen. The square grid also makes it easier to visualize any empty spaces.
Implementing the Screen of Green strategy with cannabis cultivation.
The Sea Of Green (SOG)
The Sea of Green or SOG method creates a similar effect to SCROG in that you get an even canopy, but the approach is much different. Instead of training fewer plants to maximize space like SCROG, you grow many small plants close together.
Using the Sea of Green technique for cannabis cultivation.
What is the Best LST Method for Autoflowering Cannabis?
Autoflowers are perfect for LST. The vigorous constant growth of an auto during its veg phase allows you to train regularly and see massive results quickly.
What are the Top 5 Autoflowering Strains to LST
If your space is small and you’re new to LST, go with an indica. If you have a larger grow space and are up for the challenge, try a sativa. Here are five selections that will respond well to LST. 1- Wedding Cake – An Indica leaning auto for those who prefer it. Great for smaller setups and LST. This one is very popular in the US market. 2- Do-Si-Dos – This is another Indica cultivar I’d recommend due to its popularity, smoke, and ability to thrive with LST in smaller spaces. 3- Bruce Banner – A Hybrid that rides the line and tastes delicious. BB is legendary and responds great to LST. 4- Super Lemon Haze – Sativa’s, in general, will give you a lot of growth to LST down, which can really show the power of LST. However, because of this, they can be a little more work than their Indica counterparts. For a Sativa, you cannot go wrong with Super Lemon Haze. The Terpenilene dominant Haze gamily produces a great high. 5- Durban Poison – This OG landrace cultivar has one of the most unique aromas. It’s another excellent Sativa entry to try your LST techniques on.
Top Tips for Beginner Growers to Get the Most Out of LST
Try LST on any cultivar; it can improve yields by up to 20% to 50%
Go slowly and keep it simple.
Wait to start LST until the plant has a solid root structure. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the plant has 3 to 5 nodes.
Focus on the main stem first, then tie down new growths.
Check on this regularly as you tend to the plants and add new tie-downs or adjust your current ties every 3-5 days to prevent stressing the plant out or missing any new growth.
If you do break a stem or branch, don’t panic. Use plant tape to put it back together and encourage healing.
Continue using LST throughout the veg stage and stop in the early flower stage or right when you notice flowering.
Conclusion
Low-stress training techniques create multiple bud sites on an even and short canopy that is ready to produce dense, perfect buds. It can improve harvest yields by 20-50% while optimizing the space you have to grow. It requires more hands-on experience, but doing so brings you closer to the plant and helps you learn from it! If you have any questions or if LST has worked well for you, please comment below. Keep on Growing!
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