So what are the different types of pruning to increase yield?

Stem Tip Removal (meristem pruning)

Object: Shorter, bushier plant

Technique: Pinching out the Main Stem tip encourages those growing tips below the removal point to branch out. Use secateurs or sharp knife to avoid bruising

Timing: When the main stem has reached optimum height (20-30cm).

Disadvantages: Pruning the main stem late in plant development inhibits flowering  because it removes the meristemic tissues that sense light changes. Therefore unless there is a specific reason for delaying flowering, avoid in mature plants. Often combined with LST technique(see below)

Useful for:  Outdoor growing – makes a more discreet plant

Trellising

Object: Limits height of plants without pruning main stem

Technique:  Similar to growing grapes along a trellis. Insert posts into ground 1m – 3m apart, with horizontal support wires at 30cm intervals. Marijuana seedlings are planted between the posts and as they grow are gently bent and attached to the supports with garden twine, training the limbs to grow horizontally. When flowers begin, these are allowed to grow upwards for maximum light.

Disadvantages: Need to have secure grow area – puts a number of plants in one place

Useful for: Outdoor growing

 Screen of green: SCROG

Object: Similar to a “Sea of Green” effect using training instead of multiple small plants. Planting

Technique: When plants are 15cm tall,  pinch out to encourage short bushy growth (see meristem pruning above). A slightly slanted or horizontal framework of chicken wire is placed over the plants 30-60cm above growing medium. As plants grow during vegetative stage, they are trained horizontally underneath the framework and held in place with twine. As the marijuana plants are put into flower, the floral clusters are encouraged to grow upwards through the netting

Disadvantages: It is important to be observant. If the plants are left without training, the area becomes out of control and messy. Possibility of damage to the plant when bending stems – it can be fiddly.

Useful for:  Indoor grows with limited vertical space and lighting with limited penetration. Works best used with marijuana clones for uniformity of mature plant size and flowering time.

Low Stress Training Technique  (LST)

Object: Increases light penetration to a bushy plant

Technique: Place a framework around the plant and gently bend stems outwards and tie to frame. An alternative method is to weight the outer stems by tying weighted strings (ie with rocks) to pull the branches down and outwards.

Disadvantages: The weighted strings method makes the plant vulnerable in strong winds as the plant loses flexibility. This can lead to main stem splits

Useful for: Any bushy plant, indoor or outdoors

Limbing

This marijuana pruning technique removes the often unproductive lower shoots which never receive much light or develop anything but tiny buds, thus allowing the plant to concentrate its energy on the major flowers. Shock is minimized by removing the whole stem.

Supercropping: what is it and how does it work?

So what are the different types of pruning to increase yield?

Stem Tip Removal (meristem pruning)

Object: Shorter, bushier plant

Technique: Pinching out the main stem tip encourages those growing tips below the removal point to branch out. Use secateurs or sharp knife to avoid bruising

Timing: When the main stem has reached optimum height (20-30cm).

Disadvantages: Pruning the main stem late in plant development inhibits flowering  because it removes the meristemic tissues that sense light changes. Therefore unless there is a specific reason for delaying flowering, avoid in mature plants. Often combined with LST technique(see below)

Useful for:  Outdoor growing – makes a more discreet plant

Trellising

Object: Limits height of plants without pruning main stem

Technique:  Similar to growing grapes along a trellis. Insert posts into ground 1m – 3m apart, with horizontal support wires at 30cm intervals. Marijuana seedlings are planted between the posts and as they grow are gently bent and attached to the supports with garden twine, training the limbs to grow horizontally. When flowers begin, these are allowed to grow upwards for maximum light.

Disadvantages: Need to have secure grow area – puts a number of plants in one place

Useful for: Outdoor growing

 Screen of green: SCROG

Object: Similar to a “Sea of Green” effect using training instead of multiple small plants. Planting

Technique: When plants are 15cm tall,  pinch out to encourage short bushy growth (see meristem pruning above). A slightly slanted or horizontal framework of chicken wire is placed over the plants 30-60cm above growing medium. As plants grow during vegetative stage, they are trained horizontally underneath the framework and held in place with twine. As the marijuana plants are put into flower, the floral clusters are encouraged to grow upwards through the netting

Disadvantages: It is important to be observant. If the plants are left without training, the area becomes out of control and messy. Possibility of damage to the plant when bending stems – it can be fiddly.

Useful for:  Indoor grows with limited vertical space and lighting with limited penetration. Works best used with marijuana clones for uniformity of mature plant size and flowering time.

Low Stress Training Technique  (LST)

Object: Increases light penetration to a bushy plant

Technique: Place a framework around the plant and gently bend stems outwards and tie to frame. An alternative method is to weight the outer stems by tying weighted strings (ie with rocks) to pull the branches down and outwards.

Disadvantages: The weighted strings method makes the plant vulnerable in strong winds as the plant loses flexibility. This can lead to main stem splits

Useful for: Any bushy plant, indoor or outdoors

Limbing

This marijuana pruning technique removes the often unproductive lower shoots which never receive much light or develop anything but tiny buds, thus allowing the plant to concentrate its energy on the major flowers. Shock is minimized by removing the whole stem.

Supercropping: what is it and how does it work?

Supercropping means combining a number of pruning and training techniques to get the best out of your marijuana plant. It can include the techniques listed above, but also less common practices such as crimping and knuckling.  We’ve coined the phrase “extreme stress training” to describe some of these, and you can read all about them here Now read about supercropping and advanced pruning techniques Pages: 1 2