How do you support your plants?

Hey all, I'm a semi-advanced grower that's always looking to help others learn, and learn more myself.

I'm starting an article series, and I'm wondering how you all support your plants after you've trained them to be big and wide, but now they are heading in or in flower and need support.

I personally dig trellising, because I have seen the difference in bud size if I'm able to trellis early enough and support those branches as they grow. It seems if I reduce the energy needed to hold the bud up, the energy goes into the buds. However, I hate trellising because now the plant won't be moving, and if something goes wrong I dont' like not being able to get to the center of my room.
I'm also a faithful bamboo staker and yo-yo user, but am always looking for that next best thing.

Are you using anything that I'm not? I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice on the subject. Thanks!
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Bamboo stakes as needed and soft flexible tie to attach.

I think about tomato cages put on the pots as they go into flower. 2 rings would do it for my 30" plants. And still use the soft tie wire.

But I have tons of stakes.
 

Boatguy

Well-Known Member
bonsai training wire works well. Comes in multiple gauges.

built my scrog screen with the heavy stuff, train with the smaller gauges. I am in a very micro setup.
 

Tupapa

Well-Known Member
Hey all, I'm a semi-advanced grower that's always looking to help others learn, and learn more myself.

I'm starting an article series, and I'm wondering how you all support your plants after you've trained them to be big and wide, but now they are heading in or in flower and need support.

I personally dig trellising, because I have seen the difference in bud size if I'm able to trellis early enough and support those branches as they grow. It seems if I reduce the energy needed to hold the bud up, the energy goes into the buds. However, I hate trellising because now the plant won't be moving, and if something goes wrong I dont' like not being able to get to the center of my room.
I'm also a faithful bamboo staker and yo-yo user, but am always looking for that next best thing.

Are you using anything that I'm not? I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice on the subject. Thanks!
Bamboo stakes or tomato cages
 

mjinc

Well-Known Member
When I grew less but bigger plants I used tomato cages. Now I Use trellis that I can adjust the height on. Because my tables are on caster wheels I can wheel them out and still get to all the plants
 

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
when they tip I stab a fiberglass stick into the dirt and roughly tie the plant to the stick with string. works every time indoors for me
 

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
when they tip I stab a fiberglass stick into the dirt and roughly tie the plant to the stick with string. works every time indoors for me
When staking my indoor trees that are in pots of soilless or soil, i stake each plant right at two weeks into flower. Every plant. 4 stakes per pot(5&7gals)and twist tie them up. I also clean up the bottoms at this same time and throw them into their spots, and that's that. No branches flopping around down the road :-)
I drop the trellis down on my shorter plants in hydro at the very same time(2 weeks in). I supercrop everything to the height I want, I'll usually clean up the bottoms a bit, and slam the trellis on the canopy. Done fucking with them for the rest of the crop.
 

Cletus clem

Well-Known Member
Currently using scrog. A pvc frame, corners drilled out to slip over the tent poles. Socket head self tapping flange screws. 2” apart all the way around. Im able to use these to adjust tension so my trellis is just right all the way around. I restring each harvest using masonry line. In an open room you could do a modular scrog04CBAF8D-D2CF-4C16-AD9E-449732217036.jpegabout $20 to make. 1/2” pvc, 21 fittings and 2, 10’ lengths. Make it to fit any size bucket. This is a 24”x24” top. If i do any low stress training, i use binder clips. If your pot has a lip, you put the clip on that and flip the lever up. Nice little loop to tie to. 7BC7592B-D97F-46B4-A42B-B312876E75BF.jpeg
 

oilfield bud

Well-Known Member
Wooden hotdog sticks sold in like a 10 pack in the camping section at Wal-Mart for $1. Bout 3 feet long and work great
 

BigHornBuds

Well-Known Member
I just started using tomato cages in flower because I don’t care for stakes .
I got 3 ring 42”, cut them down so they fit under the net with the pots
I take flaggers tape n tie it at the base, then start wrapping around the bottom of the plant n working my way up, like how they make Xmas trees smaller for transport.
Then put the cage on, then start moving n tying branches to get the spread I want then into flower.
So far I’m very happy with the results
 

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
I just started using tomato cages in flower because I don’t care for stakes .
I got 3 ring 42”, cut them down so they fit under the net with the pots
I take flaggers tape n tie it at the base, then start wrapping around the bottom of the plant n working my way up, like how they make Xmas trees smaller for transport.
Then put the cage on, then start moving n tying branches to get the spread I want then into flower.
So far I’m very happy with the results

I have considered using 2 rings for my 30” plants rather than bamboo stakes. Looks easy and clean.
 

BigHornBuds

Well-Known Member
I have considered using 2 rings for my 30” plants rather than bamboo stakes. Looks easy and clean.
My plants are usually about 30ish inches when going into flower.
The cage fills the canopy faster because I can really open up the plant , i tried to put everything on the outside of the cage, and even up the tops by the way I weaved the branches in the cage & all the little shit in the center fill the space in a couple days , lots of those would have been chopped but they stretched up with the canopy.
The bottom ring isn’t needed, but it keeps the cage more rigid with the short legs .
I think this will help with a longer life.
 
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