Autoflower plants are known to be sensitive plants. So, they need the necessary care for them to grow healthily and well. Another thing the autoflower plant is known for is the easy time frame for the plant’s growth. Since auto-flowering plants grow faster, they also grow small compared to other strains. A lot of growers tried experiencing methods on how to get the most out of the autoflower plant, and one of these is training them while growing. However, due to the sensitivity of the autoflower plants, knowing how to LST autoflower plants are essential.
LST or low-stress training is the opposite of high-stress training, such as pruning or topping the marijuana plants. LST allows the best growth for autoflowers by maximizing the plants’ yield carefully and safely through altering some components such as light and growing space. Since it only has a low level of stress, it is considered safe for autoflower plants. The main goal of LST is the plants’ yield. Compared to those plants that are not trained, autoflower plants with LST will give a noticeable increase in the amount of yield. It might be a little daunting, though, since any stress autoflowering plants have experienced could affect the plants’ growth immediately. That’s why, before doing the process, you must be fully aware of how to LST autoflowers correctly.
Low-Stress Training Benefits
Instead of producing only one cola and small flowers because of the inadequate light for the side branches, or producing only one big cola without the flowers and resin, Low-stress training will enable the autoflowering plants to have as many top buds as they can produce in all the same sizes and density, thus leading to greater yield grams per autoflower plant.
To explain why low-stress training works, it is important to know the nature of an autoflower plant. An autoflower plant is genetically set to grow one big bud with few smaller buds on the sides. Because of this plant’s physical attributes, only the main stem in the center gets the most warmth and light; thus, it produces several flowers that can grow into seeds, which can be used for future growth. This process is done through the help of auxins, a marijuana hormone.
Though auxins are present in all of the plant’s parts, the part with the highest number is the main shoot, which is located at the top of the plant and is the closest to the light. The part where the auxins are has the best active growth since auxins help well with the autoflowering maturity. Thus, when doing a low-stress training that allows the main stem to bow down and level with the other branches of the autoflowering plants, the auxins will spread in the direction where a stem or shoot is closest to the light. This will let other branches grow and mature.
This is simply tricking the marijuana plant that the main stem or shoot is terminated, so it can focus on other branches and parts, making them grow abundant and healthy too. Low-Stress training allows you to control the plant’s growth without causing much stress. Understanding the process allows you to know what happens to the plants and what to expect from them. Thus, before learning how to LST autoflower, you must be aware of how it works first and how it affects the plants.
Therefore, the benefits of learning how to LST autoflowers are bigger yields without changing the light set-up, production of big buds instead of one bud and a few smaller ones, and the control over the plant’s shape and sizes.
How to LST autoflower – When and Where?
Autoflowering plants do not necessarily need low-stress training. For beginner users who are afraid of hurting their plants, it is still all right not to do any training. But for those who are up for the challenge, there are some things to know first before learning how to LST autoflower.
First, whether you are growing autoflower plants indoors and outdoors, it works just fine. The growing environment isn’t a factor; however, doing low-stress training for indoor growth works better because it maximizes the plant’s growing space, while outdoors, there is more space.
Second, low-stress training is best done after the first weeks or a month of the flowering stage. Others tend to do it as early as the first week after flowering when the autoflower plants are already showing healthy and sturdy branches. Though some growers train their plants as early as the appearance of old, the second fully-grown leaf, however, can be quite dangerous for a beginner. The point of giving training as young as this stage helps the plant grow and gives you control over how it should grow.
How to LST autoflower
Tie-down style
This tie-down style and method is a simple and effective way of how to LST autoflower. It is also easy to do and doesn’t need much hassle. For starters, you just need to use strings that could help tie the branches down. It includes tying a string into the main branch, and bending them down and fastening the string on the sides of the pot. This lets the other branches get the same amount of light and help them catch up growing and developing.
This method can be done while the autoflower plant is still young or at any time when you feel like it’s time to train the plants.
To do it, you must be very gentle while gently and carefully bending the stems to avoid breaking them. Bend the main stem while it is still bendable and soft, or it might break when you try to do it at a more mature stage. Once they’re older, the branches are stiffer, and it would be harder to train them. One trick is to start low-stress training while the branches are still soft and bendable. It is better to start the low-stress training early to avoid breaking any thick branches and easily bend and even the new growing stems. Lastly, the string and ties should be properly secured and equally divided among the branches so it won’t be tougher for the plant to stay down without moving.
First, choose a stem that’s too tall, or the main stem and bend it over in a preferred way. Check it first if it’s bendable. Get a string and gently hook the tie around the shoot. Get the other end of the string and tie it to the container while adjusting the length and curve of the stem. Do this to all the other stems that need bending. The way you bend the branches will determine the overall shape of the plants after. Make sure the plant is checked and observed every day or after a few days.
Scrogging
Scrogging is also another way to LST autoflower. If you are not confident when using the string to tie the stems down for fear of breaking them, then this technique will be helpful. It includes using a net, a screen, or a wire to keep the branches in place. Once the net is secure, the stems of the plant will reach the net, and instead of growing taller, the net allows them to bend down, thus training them to turn back down. This can be done during the pre-flowering stage up until the first two or three weeks of the flowering stage. There are many variations to this low-stress training. This is easier since, unlike tying the stems down, the net or screens will do the trick. It is an effortless kind of training that only requires reusable nets for the next autoflower plants. However, it would be very hard sometimes to move the plants around because of the screen.
Conclusion
Learning the different ways on how to LST autoflower is simple and easy since they don’t hurt the autoflower that much. It is through these training you get the best out of their autoflower plants. Autoflowering plants may have smaller yields than the usual ones, but the low-stress training helps you make the most out of what they can offer. Aside from being safe and gentle to the plants, it also takes a little effort and easy steps. Thus, low-stress training is recommendable even for beginner growers. The main point of low-stress training is to give as little pain and stress to the plant as possible. So, when a stem gets broken, it is essential to know what steps to take after. Also, low-stress training, like high-stress training, is best done when the plant is healthy. Before thinking of the yield, it is important to put first the plant’s needs for healthier growth. Once it is done, you can now begin your experiment! Get premium autoflower seeds from Crop King and start training your autoflower plants.
