smokinrav

Actually this was pioneered in the pot growing message board world (as far as I know) by a grower going by Delta 9420 at the old Hempcultivatiion in 1999, who definatley named it LST or Low Stress Training. But I've tweaked it enough in the last ten years that I'll call it my own even if the principle is the same.

FWIW, I absolutely loath the supercropping thread of mine from the Overgrow FAQ that has spread all over the net like a plague. I do not hurt my plants any longer! If Yahooka has that one archived, please replace it with this or at least link to this thread so people can see how I now recommend LST Supercropping. I wrote that old supercropping thread in 2000 when i was just a newb at this.

Below is a female clone about three weeks old. She is tied over so her top is below a 90 degree angle, lower than the nodes on her main stem. The stem is not split or cracked, though you can see some slight stress where she is most bent over.

Tieing her over like this will begin a process that will spread a hormone called auxins to all the branching on the plant. Normally auxins accumulate in the very top of the plant, and are responsible for directing cannabis into the tall conical shape she grows into in nature. This shape isn't great for us indoor growers who use pathetically small horticultural lights (compared to the sun) and need to keep the plants green and photosynthesizing leaves in the relatively small sweet spot our lights provide us for maxium growth.

This technique is ideal for growers using 400 watt HIDs and under and fluoros, though will do just wonderful with any sized light.

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smokinrav

On the right side of the first pic, you can see the top is already trying to resume its dominant growth pattern, but we'll defeat that in a little over a week.

The tie on the top will be moved up slightly so the plant can be bent down to its below 90 degree angle. The base tie will pretty much stay where it is during the entire plants lifetime, but it does need to have tension adjusted occasionally to manipulate the top, as you'll see.

In the bottom pic the planter has been reversed for better viewing. The top has been pulled more horizontal to continue our LST

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smokinrav

A day or two later the top has grown over her nodes and must be readjusted. Once again, remove the top tie, pull the base tie tighter so the top stands up (second pic) and then tie the top back down below its nodes. You'll have to move the top tie up a node or two every pulldown.

Notice in pic 2 the branch coming nearly out of the soil and how fast it's caught up to the other growth on the plant? That is a reaction to the LST and it will easily be able to be kept to harvest.

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smokinrav

Same as before when the top grows over her nodes, which you can see are now all being affected by the LST. Very easy to tie her top down now.

Untie. Pull. Retie.

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smokinrav

And finally training nears the end. In the top pic a few days later, the branching has clearly outpaced the top at vertical growth.

The bottom pic is maybe a week after that and all branches are growing uniformly now and will until harvest, with minor training tweaks to keep the tops even along the way.

Good luck Yahookans, hope this helps someone.

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Cerebro

thanks so much smokinrav
that's a great guide
could you please explain a bit about the history of supercropping?
it gets asked about from time to time

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smokinrav

Well, I only know how it applies to LST and regular supercropping. There are a ton of variations out there, mostly varied in the way people tie the plants down. The principle of the auxins at work never changes: force the plant to think the top has been damaged (or intentionally damage it) while keeping the top, the most mature growing tip on the plant, intact for harvest.

I learned of the technique in the late 90's when High Times did an feature article by a grower named NYPD who used the 'breaking the hurd' technique, the one that is what my OG FAQ was based on. I'll never understand why my LST FAQ didn't make it out. Anyway, so that (High Times) is probably where a lot of the lore springs from. I started doing NYPD Supercropping in 1999 and learned about LST from Delta in 2000 or 2001

Let me see if I can find the threads over at Gardens Cure. I'm pretty sure they still exist with our original discussions still intact. No laughing at how dumb I was!

I believe this is Delta's first big how to thread on the technique

http://www.gardenscure.com/420/train...t-example.html

fenderbender

have you sexed that plant yet?

most lst jobs i keep reading about end up going male... too much stress?

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farmergiles

Marvellous thread smokinrav. Lurvely pics.

@ Fenderbender- you can train the living daylights out of a plant without risk, sex is determined before you`d be training a plant.

Stress may cause hermaphrodism, but I`ve never heard of LST being the cause (hence the name low stress training).

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smokinrav

Thanks Farmergiles


The plant pictured was female clone.

No training technique will affect sexing as far as I've ever seen, including topping, which is about as stressful as you can get.

stoneric

I use LST all the time. The curvature of your stem is very familiar looking. I have screws drilled all around my pots also. I use coated wire to tie down my plant. I just make loops, easier removal imo.

seaflo

VELCRO PLANT TIES - VEL594
I use velcro garden ties and they are used for a 1000 different things. I remember the OG post; glad to see this one here. I wish I had enough time and space to do LST with every plant. Thanks Smokin.

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Pharm Girl

smokin......there seems to be a snag in the system that prevents you from posting!

maybe it's fixed.....rest assured it has been reported and the dieties are working on fixing it~

keep on posting............. ..

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smokinrav

Testing.....

I'm here

I've been using pipe cleaners for the last few years and really like them. You can get 100 12"ers at the dollar store.

José

I've had two out of two LST's female now.

smokinrav

Your sig cracked me up. Normally I am easily amused, but that was pretty funny.

Thanks for both