There are a variety of methods than can be employed with your autos to get the most out of them. Such as:
LEAF TUCKING
This is the least invasive method of training and is
very L.S.T (low stress straining). When the plant is in the seedling
stage and progressing to stretch, it will pay dividends to tuck the
big fan leaves (where possible) underneath the emerging
branches and encourage them to grow up at out.
L.S.T (LOW STRESS TRAINING)
Plants can be tied over using a number
of ties and at various stages in order to promote all lower
branches to become main tops. Personally we would begin this
method from week 3, but people do start it earlier with good
results. There is a key stage where the plant and stem is still
flexible and won’t snap when maneuvered.
SUPERCROPPING
Or pinch bending, as opposed to L.S.T methods
this is high in stress, but can also give good results when
employed correctly. We ourselves do a very ‘late’ super-cropping. If
we have one plant vastly outgrowing the rest in height, we will
bend the main stem over to even the canopy. It’s best when the
plants are not in full flower mode.
TOPPING
Another high stress method, and somewhat of a black
art of autos to get the best result. It depends both on strain and
timing. A small strain with limited veg time, Wouldn’t be an ideal
candidate to top, and with a bigger strain for us in the past the
5th node was a good place to top, that enabled us to basically
dictate how many main colas we’d end up with.
SCROGGING
This is a nice method if you’re intending to grow a few
plants that are big. Place a net over, use the screen to bend the
plants and encourage branching, then divert the branches
through the net holes.
A net is also very useful to support these bigger strains that can
get overloaded with flowers, and have floppy branches in late
flower.
This is the least invasive method of training and is
very L.S.T (low stress straining). When the plant is in the seedling
stage and progressing to stretch, it will pay dividends to tuck the
big fan leaves (where possible) underneath the emerging
branches and encourage them to grow up at out.
L.S.T (LOW STRESS TRAINING)
Plants can be tied over using a number
of ties and at various stages in order to promote all lower
branches to become main tops. Personally we would begin this
method from week 3, but people do start it earlier with good
results. There is a key stage where the plant and stem is still
flexible and won’t snap when maneuvered.
SUPERCROPPING
Or pinch bending, as opposed to L.S.T methods
this is high in stress, but can also give good results when
employed correctly. We ourselves do a very ‘late’ super-cropping. If
we have one plant vastly outgrowing the rest in height, we will
bend the main stem over to even the canopy. It’s best when the
plants are not in full flower mode.
TOPPING
Another high stress method, and somewhat of a black
art of autos to get the best result. It depends both on strain and
timing. A small strain with limited veg time, Wouldn’t be an ideal
candidate to top, and with a bigger strain for us in the past the
5th node was a good place to top, that enabled us to basically
dictate how many main colas we’d end up with.
SCROGGING
This is a nice method if you’re intending to grow a few
plants that are big. Place a net over, use the screen to bend the
plants and encourage branching, then divert the branches
through the net holes.
A net is also very useful to support these bigger strains that can
get overloaded with flowers, and have floppy branches in late
flower.