Topping, LST, and Supercropping Throughout the Variety of Strains

[lightbox]

Well RIU im not sure if this is known info or not but i was having a though today after the bowl...it went something like this.

Sativas are naturally tall and skinny...
Indicas are naturally short and bushy....

would it make more sense to top and lst the sativa so it has less chutes to focus on? And does it make more sense to supercrop the indica strains? for some reason i feel that the sativas and indicas would do better under certain techniques due to the differences in genetics....no?

 

[Shabang]

Thats very possible...I would like to hear some thoughts on this

 

[lightbox]

Thats very possible...I would like to hear some thoughts on this

Any experienced growers ever try this?

 

[smokinrav]

While I've not done pure sativas with LST, I have done a couple of mostly sativas grows and they're difficult even well trained under a small light like my 400 HPS. Personally, I would train the sativa very early and then possibly top right before switching to flower, but I run the risk of pluralizing the yield between too many tops and a weak flowerlight. I'll probably just stick to indicas

 

[mccumcumber]

Training works great regardless of genetic dominance. It's really all about preference and size constraints. I don't think that one particular method is better than the other, they just produce different results.

 

[johny1212]

Also consider super cropping on sativas.

 

[smokinrav]

LST is supercropping, and growing sativas well under a 400 HPS is not easy, regardless of the training technique you use.

 

[whitey78]

LST is supercropping, and growing sativas well under a 400 HPS is not easy, regardless of the training technique you use.

Isnt supercropping when you ever so gently snap a branch and let it heal?

LST is "low stress training", snapping a branch is hardly low stress, although I'm sure it wouldnt be much of a stress event other than a few days max of droopy leaf..

Doing a combination of different types of training and pruning is the way in my opinion. I start by topping my plants after I get a few nodes, then I chop off remaining lower branches so I have 4 main branches to work with, from there either I go with LST and be done other than a little supercropping or then I go with scrog.

If I go with LST and no scrog and have time before switching to bloom, I'll do a light super cropping on the branches that are going to produce my main buds. Look up how kyle kushman does it, basically you kinda roll a branch back and forth between your fingers until you get a little crunch going on without doing a lot of damage. My current crop I tried different ways to train/top etc... and I did 2 or 3 branches on one plant that I LST'd into 4 main branches, the ones that did not get super cropped are smaller by quite a bit. In my very limited and inexperienced opinion, all of the training and super cropping should be done before switching to 12/12, I am pretty sure some people do more training in bloom and I'm not to sure about it. I dont like slowing my plants down with stress any other than a pruning that I do when the stretch stops.

Theres so many options as far as how to apply these training methods, its all about what works for you in your space. I've only done this stuff with hybrids so I'm not sure how any of it will work with specific strains, I'm sure theres some that may not like certain things and you'll know about it when it happens, but for the most part any kind of training/topping/pruning can be applied to any strain, how and when is more strain specific I think.

 

[smokinrav]

Just because the name has been shortened to LST, doesn't mean it wasn't originally named LST supercropping. It was, and still is, a form of supercropping. If I had known I would do LST supercropping for the rest of my life after learning the technique in 2001, I would have called my 2000 Overgrow FAQ on supercropping 'HST supercropping' (High Stress Training).

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/8734-smokinravs-supercropping-technique.html

 

[mccumcumber]

Super cropping broken down into steps.

Before:



Super cropped:



After:



I also topped and scrogged the bottom of that plant, but I trained it so it would grow out the way it did (the pic in my avatar is about a month later on this plant, chopped it before I had a chance to take a pic with buds on it. It kept the same shape, just had some buds.)

 

[mccumcumber]

Training isn't necessary on plants, and lots of growers don't even do it. I trained my plant so much b/c of height constraints, otherwise I would have just let that fucker grow giant. There isn't a best method to train your plants, it's merely what you prefer.

 

[whitey78]

In no way am I trying to argue with you but if you look up the definition (weed terminology definition):

LST - Meamns Low-Stress Training, the technique of manipulating the branches in order
to reduce plant height, expose certain branches to light, and/or distribute hormones to
lower branches of the plant to encourage larger buds.

supercropping = high stress training....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vacg2FZWtrk&feature=related

 

[smokinrav]

Training isn't necessary on plants, and lots of growers don't even do it. I trained my plant so much b/c of height constraints, otherwise I would have just let that fucker grow giant. There isn't a best method to train your plants, it's merely what you prefer.

Depending on what size and type of lights you're flowering with, training is absolutely necessary to maximize efficiency. Especially fluoros and HIDs under 400 watts. Supercropping, LST supercropping, topping, SOG and SCROG are what's used to battle the inverse square law, the enemy of indoor growing.

In no way am I trying to argue with you but if you look up the definition (weed terminology definition):

LST - Meamns Low-Stress Training, the technique of manipulating the branches in order
to reduce plant height, expose certain branches to light, and/or distribute hormones to
lower branches of the plant to encourage larger buds.

supercropping = high stress training....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vacg2FZWtrk&feature=related

Youtube didn't even exist when Delta at Hempcultivation inroduced the online growing world (and me) to LST supercropping.

 

[mccumcumber]

Hmm.. The only indoor ops I do are 1k+ so I guess I never thought of that. Good point.

 

[whitey78]

Depending on what size and type of lights you're flowering with, training is absolutely necessary to maximize efficiency. Especially fluoros and HIDs under 400 watts. Supercropping, LST supercropping, topping, SOG and SCROG are what's used to battle the inverse square law, the enemy of indoor growing.



Youtube didn't even exist when Delta at Hempcultivation inroduced the online growing world (and me) to LST supercropping.

Dude, all I was trying to explain is what it means to everyone else, obviously you have your own definition for it, its all good. Its just most people go by the ones I posted for those terms.

 

[mccumcumber]

His super cropping is different than the method I showed you were you pinch, not snap, the branch. Hence the term LST supercropping. It's a relative term, not universal.

 

[gbj]

I have, top a sativa the branches on the sids will grow out, let them grow out and top em when the grow out. Dont be afraid to top the branches it will bush out just fine. the produce more that way anyways

 

[bdonson]

Supercropping is fun but I find it takes a few days for my grow to recover as does lst. Topping however doesn't seem to slow the plant down at all. My only experience with a pure sativa in my space which has about 5.5' of usable plant space taking into consideration the height of the soil containers and room for lights as high as I can raise them taught me that the next time I grow a sativa that it will also be the first time I teach myself to clone. It is truly amazing however what you can do to a plant and not kill it ie supercropping. Iv'e got a couple of snow whites going now they are in the seedling stage, 2 weeks old, I plan to Uncle Ben top them for four colas and then supercrop the four stems just for the hell of it. They will be amazing bushes and I can't wait,, big fun cheers keep it fun always! keeping it real is too subjective

 

[smokinrav]

Topping is as high stress as it gets and absolutely slows the growth of the plant. Supercropping and LST redistribute auxins. Topping removes them entirely and they have to be replaced before lateral growth begins in earnest.

 

[bdonson]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree about topping creating stress. Fimming may be another story but my own experience with topping ie Uncle Ben has been vey positive. Cheers