How To LST (Low Stress Training)

TillthedayiDIE420

Well-Known Member
<< Reprinted from indoormarijuanaseeds.com >>


How-to : LST (Low Stress Training)
Well here we go, LST (Low Stress Training) the ultimate way to maximize your yield.

Before we begin lets get some knowledge on what you will be looking at.

Light Brown : Pot Outline
Green thick Lines : Main Stem
Small Thin Lines with Green Balls on top : Fan leafs
Yellow Lines : Side Branches
Red : Tiedown Metal Hooks (or thread whichever item you use, i use Hooks its easier)

The Text in the box : First digit is Step No. and Second Digit is Pot Size, below the numbers is the type of view your looking at (either from the SIDE or from the TOP)


Now that thats out of the way lets get it on..

Please note, you dont have to do it this way, its just the idea of how to do LST, this is the way i did it and you can see the end result of 4 weeks of growth this way in my signature picture where it says FIM/LST. Some may opt to use the eggcrate method where you utilize an eggcrate around the pot and tie it down to that with zipties instead of using string or hooks running from the pot itself... this way you can cover more square footage and maximize your yield even more.

Ok heres the STEPS PICTURE for you to follow along with



STEP 1 : Grow your plant from Seed or Clone to 3 or 4 leaf sets, some use 5 but i always use 3 because after 3rd leaf set the main stem starts to harden and it will be harder to bend over your plant properly without breaking the main stem.

STEP 2 : Using a metal hook (i cut small sections of cloths hanger and bend a U shape at the end as a hook) bend over your plant with metal hook at the last internode (space between the last set of fanleafs and the next to last) and stick the metal hook into your dirt to hold down the stem.

STEP 3 : This is really not a step, just waiting time... Take note of how the top of the plant that was bent down will bend back upwards towards the light, this could take anywhere from 3 hours to 1 day. Under my 1000 Watt Metal Halide light it does it in under 3 hours.

STEP 4 : Veg and dont tie down until you have a new leaf set. You will notice Side branching has started already because good light is getting to the main stem areas next to each fanleaf stem intersection with the main stem.

STEP 5 : Depending on your starting pot size you may have to transplant. If you started out with a large pot, repeat step 2 over and over again holding the main stem down with hooks until you reach the end of the pot. In this illustration to save time and drawings, i started out with a small pot and it reached the end of the pot after the first tiedown. I repotted it into a 10 inch pot which will be my final pot size for this plant in order for me to continue the LST Bends around the inside edge of the pot.

STEP 6 : Now that your new leaf set has formed you have enough length in growth since the first bend(s) to allow you to start bending the stem horizontally around the inside edge of the pot. Use metal hooks again to keep this bend in place. Side branches should be coming along very nicely.

STEP 7 : Continue repeating steps 4 and 6, allowing the plant to grow and then keep tieing it down along the inside edge of pot using metal hooks (or whatever your using) Side branches should be forming and growing up towards the light.

STEP 8 : Continue to repeat step 7 until you are all the way around the pot... when you reach the point where your plant first met the edge of the plant Top the plant (cut off the very top of the plant ) and hold it down horizontally with a metal hook.... During all this time of repeating step 7 you should also be tieing down horizontally the new branches that have formed from the main stem as much as possible until you use up as much space as possible inside the pot as well , the outter branches growing over the outside edge of the pot you can hold down as well with string to keep those tops even with the inner branches.

STEP 9 : After you have used up all possible space inside the pot (or your eggcrate) its time to just let it flower.. This is a side view of how it will and should look by that time with all the side branches growing upwards towards the light.... these will all become Collas unlike a non LST plant will only have one colla.

During flowering and even before due to lack of light on the main stem fan leafs which is all the way to the bottom almost against the soil those fanleafs will die off anyways, i usually cut these off the main stem right after the branch has grown out in that area, keeps things neat down below where you will need good airflow during flowering.. so go ahead and take off any fanleafs coming off the main stem that is going around the inside edge of the pot.

Set you timer to 12/12 and watch it bloom.

STEP 10 :Two days before we harvest, Leave the lights OFF. dont let light touch them. When you do this, the female plants think there dieing(winter is comming) and extract all the Resin (THC) out of there system, thus making stronger more potent buds with the same tast.

STEP 11: HARVEST!! if you followed step 10 the buds will be covered in THC crystals. they will be beautiful, have a NICE SMOKE:joint:

Make sure you have just watered your plants, they bend easier and tend not to snap.

<< Reprinted from indoormarijuanaseeds.com >>

! hope i help some people on the method of LST and its benefits.

:bigjoint:ttdid420:wall:
 

311grower

Well-Known Member
AWESOME POST MAN!!! I've Printed these Instructions for LST, and will be doing this! I thought about a scrog, but this seems easier! Thanks TTDID420!
 

GraF

Well-Known Member
Good post man ++rep.

Ive been wanting to do a LST tutorial, but you beat me to it!!!

Anyways, tomorrow, I will post some pictures of what LST can do for you, once again great post buddy
 

btt

Well-Known Member
Good job copying and pasting. Maybe you should give credit to where you got this from.... Just a thought.
 

ngtybear

Well-Known Member
Great post TTDID420. One question please. If I have already switched to flowering can I still use the LST method you mention above or will I damage the plant?

Thanks,

ngtybear
 

GraF

Well-Known Member
I actually was prcticing this throughout my veg stage and after I let them off of their strings for a week and a half, they shot straight up!!! so now im almost 2 wks into 12's and I have reapplied my strings because they are like over 3 ft. tall now.... Buds are still coming in w/ no issues

except I snapped one of by shoots.... ouch, I made a band-aid for her though:mrgreen: hope it works
 

ngtybear

Well-Known Member
Cool... Once I can get them to sex and than replant them I will start LST.

I burnt the shit out my plants when I switched to flowering. To much butes and too much heat in the little box I was using for veg. I will keep the little green growning machine, but only for veg. I built a new box for fowering. ;)
 

GraF

Well-Known Member
Post a new thread on the new fruiting box, Im sure the smaller growers would love to see it
 

GraF

Well-Known Member
hey black, doesnt topping actually slow the whole process down???? thats the only reason I would lean more towards bending.... seems a little more natural
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
hey black, doesnt topping actually slow the whole process down???? thats the only reason I would lean more towards bending.... seems a little more natural

you are correct. i often forget everyone isn't me. i'm on cruising speed so i can veg for a week or a month. having 3 rooms to play with. i incorperate both topping and training. it may slow growth but i feel in the end you gain a little yeild and you end up with nice uniform nuggies. no fluffy popcorn buds at the bottom.

IM000858.jpg
 

TillthedayiDIE420

Well-Known Member
I agree with fdd, it does slow it down a bit, but i can wait an extra week or two in veg state.... because when you flower, you get a higher yeild. imagine, SOG with this except, grow the plant to the full potental. 1plant per square foot. have them all growing upwords... you could have a BIG yeild.
 
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