New to LST. Maybe a dumb question...

[Deftone]

I never really engaged in LST for autoflowers, but I am wanting to give it a try...
My question is.... Once I bend certain main stems down, how long do you keep them anchored down? Until new sites have grown in? Or for the duration of the grow?

 

[Skellycrew]

Permanently, for the most part. You can add more ties if you want to extend a branch out further before you let it grow upward.

You can adjust them if you want, but it's usually best to just add more as needed.

 

[Arthur]

I keep moving them out towards the tips every couple days until I want them to go up and then leave them alone. Easier with photo plants. As you can do it all in veg... Autos need to be done with lst at just the right time, early flower. All timing. Start, it'll take a round or 2 to get a "feel" for it. Have 3 photo girls running now, 1 mainlined, 1 quad lined and 1 just topped and spread out a little.

 

[Deftone]

Good info there.
So Aurther, you're saying don't start until just before flowering?
I'm pumped to try this, since most have my grows have been massive colas, and not a lot of sizeable buds on the rest of the branches.

 

[Arthur]

If, your just spreading things out, as soon as you feel you won't break thin branches. I've bent seedlings over had they did good. If your going to top and spread, the topping I try and have done around day 20. This is pre sex for the majority of strains. Once they're showing their sexy bits, your just moving ties every few days. Trick is stopping going out at the time everything reaches the same height. Too early and it looks like a bowl, down in the center, to late and it's to high in the center. Object is to finish with all flowers getting maximum lighting. So... it's kinda a feel thing with autos. You can top an auto when it's well into flower, don't know why you would... but it seems if you cut it as the hormones are changing, it can do wonky things.

 

[Lady Lollipops]

I have limited height space in my tent. I started lst at about 2.5 weeks in this grow (second time growing). I move them out every couple days until I get them spread out how I want. Then I just leave them in and let them grow. I was afraid to start too early with the first grow and I ended up wishing I had started sooner.
I'm learning to " read" each plant. I waited about an extra 5 days to start one of my two plants. She's just a bit behind the other on growth. I'll continue to adjust them until almost flowering time then I'll only defoliate large leaves that are blocking light.
I don't know if I'm doing it right but they seem happy.
Good luck!

 

[WildBill]

I started LST on day 21 for my Gelato33(Upper right) and day 18 for GG#4 (Upper left) the same day in 7gal pots
The GG#4 (youngest)in the 15gal pot (front) was a couple days later.
Anchored the plant at the base with soft wire formed to a hook and attached it to the fabric pot with safety pins. Made another hook and slipped it under the upper most strong leaves and gently pulled over a little and attached to the bag with another safety pin. Just pull and bend over more each day a little bit at a time. New stem will come up and just do the same bending over. It's really easy to get a grasp of what you need to do. Getting an even canopy is the objective.
The way I was doing it kept the plant pretty low. Past Tues. I pulled off all the soft wires(about 50 between the three) to let the stems lift up a little. About 6hrs late they had raised up enough for me to defoliate the bottom to clean up and give better air flow between the soil and plant.
One day later I had to add most of the soft wires back to even things back up.

This is a current pic(4X4 tent) and for the most part the LST is over. They are about as wide as the tent will allow. It's all upwards until harvest for the most part.
I think I did a pretty good job on my first time trying LST and first grow. It was quite fun to see how the plants respond to my manipulations.

Day 39 for the Gelato33
Day 36 for the GG#4 5gal pot
Day 34 for the GG#4 15 gal pot

 

[hope2grow]

I started LST on day 21 for my Gelato33(Upper right) and day 18 for GG#4 (Upper left) the same day in 7gal pots
The GG#4 (youngest)in the 15gal pot (front) was a couple days later.
Anchored the plant at the base with soft wire formed to a hook and attached it to the fabric pot with safety pins. Made another hook and slipped it under the upper most strong leaves and gently pulled over a little and attached to the bag with another safety pin. Just pull and bend over more each day a little bit at a time. New stem will come up and just do the same bending over. It's really easy to get a grasp of what you need to do. Getting an even canopy is the objective.
The way I was doing it kept the plant pretty low. Past Tues. I pulled off all the soft wires(about 50 between the three) to let the stems lift up a little. About 6hrs late they had raised up enough for me to defoliate the bottom to clean up and give better air flow between the soil and plant.
One day later I had to add most of the soft wires back to even things back up.

This is a current pic(4X4 tent) and for the most part the LST is over. They are about as wide as the tent will allow. It's all upwards until harvest for the most part.
I think I did a pretty good job on my first time trying LST and first grow. It was quite fun to see how the plants respond to my manipulations.

Day 39 for the Gelato33
Day 36 for the GG#4 5gal pot
Day 34 for the GG#4 15 gal pot

View attachment 1230032

Beautiful work @WildBill

 

[Deftone]

Great looking plants Bill. I also have a 4x4. I am thinking 4 plants may be too many if I plan on LST. Can run out of room fast.

 

[Lady Lollipops]

Gorgeous!