Grow & Tell
All guides
Grow Guide

Plant training

Topping, LST, and ScrOG: techniques for flatter, fuller plants and more even buds.

5 min read

Why train at all

Left alone, a plant grows one dominant central cola with smaller growth below. Training spreads the plant out so light reaches more bud sites evenly, turning a single large top into several. It also controls height, which matters in a tent.

Low-stress training (LST)

LST means gently bending and tying branches outward to open the plant up and level the canopy. It's a good place to start: no cutting, reversible, and low-risk. Soft plant ties or coated wire around the pot rim are all that's needed.

Topping and FIM

Topping is cutting the growing tip above a node, which turns one main cola into two. It's a high-stress technique, best done in veg when the plant has 4 to 6 nodes and is healthy, followed by recovery time. FIM is a less precise pinch that can produce more tops. Allow a few days of recovery before any further training.

ScrOG (screen of green)

ScrOG uses a horizontal net above the plant; you tuck growth into it to fill the screen with an even canopy. It's a logical step once LST feels familiar, and it works well with a single plant in a tent.

Do most training before or early in flower. Heavy stress late in flower tends to reduce yield rather than improve structure.

Keep reading

Put it into practice

Start a journal journal and log your progress week by week.

Start your journal

Still have questions? We're growers too, and we're happy to help. Email us at support@growandtell.net and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction.