Question on SCROG placement and how often to top the plants

Hi, I have question that i posted in the newbie section and no one has givin me an answer yet so i thought I'd try in section. My question is about SCROG, i know what it stands for and that it trains the plant into a bush which is what I'd like to do because of limited space, but HOW does it actually achieve this? Is there a certain height you have to put the screen at? Also, what type of screen? Will Chicken Wire do or will it need something with bigger holes? Another question I have is on the subject of topping. If you're using the SCROG method, do you still need to top the plants? If so, how far along must the plants be before you begin to top, and how often can you top them? If there is anyone out there with any information that would help me out I'd appreciate it veryy much!! Happy growing and smoking to all!!

I'm not sure what SCROG stands for but if you're talking about topping, and using a trullis(?spelling?) then chicken wire is too small for what you're doing. There are lots of ways to train a plant to bush out. "Topping" splits the apex branch in a way that two apex branches will grow off that. You can then "top" these two apex branches then to have four equally main "kola" branches. Topping is pretty easy and there are a lot of ways to do it, depending mostly on the characteristics of the strain you're growing. Indicas that grow short and bushy are good to top but they take a lot of time to grow out of them and a lot longer to veg up.

Some people I've heard suggest "topping" at every fourth node, but don't go chopping back your plants too much.

ONLY take off the first couple leaves of new growth, you can do it with a razor blade, scissors or even just pinch it off with your finger. If you look down the stem, you can kind of guess where the next apex stem will emerge. I only top on a case by case basis if i'm trying to keep the plants all at an even height and some are growing faster than others or if I'm training up a mother plant.

What does SCROG stand for?

screen of green is what it means . This is a system that after you induce flowering about half way through the stretch you put a screen over top of your plants.
you train them as much as possible to fill in the screen. this makes it so only the larger colas make it through the screen and you trim off most of the growth below the screen.

bleedintears said:

screen of green is what it means . This is a system that after you induce flowering about half way through the stretch you put a screen over top of your plants.
you train them as much as possible to fill in the screen. this makes it so only the larger colas make it through the screen and you trim off most of the growth below the screen.

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Right on, for that, you should buy a trellis net, I would think.

that would work
but if you have the time and patience it is cheader to make your own.
have a good friday

bleedintears said:

that would work
but if you have the time and patience it is cheader to make your own.
have a good friday

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correct me if im wrong.. but every scrog grow journal i have seen they veg and weave the entire canopy through the screen then flower, at this poin all the bud sites are even with the screen making for all uniform nugs... you dont need a ton of plants for a screen either, just try to weave the whole screen and remove undergrowth then flower

MRsteverson said:

correct me if im wrong.. but every scrog grow journal i have seen they veg and weave the entire canopy through the screen then flower, at this poin all the bud sites are even with the screen making for all uniform nugs... you dont need a ton of plants for a screen either, just try to weave the whole screen and remove undergrowth then flower

Click to expand...

Correct-o-mundo! There is no advantage in waiting untill the plant is ready to flower before adding the screen because the plant will just grow "Straight up" through the screen. The whole idea is to get the growth "Caught up" in the screen and spread it out as much as possible. You are, basically, training the plant to grow "Sideways" instead of upward. "Weaving" the branches gives the plant something to "cling to" and support itself, so that when the heavy buds come along, they don't just sink back down through the wire and collapse. Some people don't "weave", they just keep all the new growth tucked under the screen then let the colas flower straight up, without any support (this usually causes collapse).


Chicken wire works just fine, although some find that 2" square netting is easier to work with. If you start weaving before the leaves get too big, or the branches get to stiff, it doesn't really make any difference.

SCROG is essentially the same as LST (Low Stress Training) - you are taking a plant that "wants" to grow upright and forcing the limbs to grow outward ,to the side, and stay low.

I used to have a really good article about scrog growing but I cant find it now.
(Try googling SCROG for many hours and you will probably find it)
If I remember right, basically you want about a foot of room between the surface of the dirt and the screen and then another foot of room between the screen and the lights (depending on your type of light. HPS will probably need more room than CFL).
Use a screen with 2 inch square holes.
Weave the plant in the screen while in VEG. During FLOWERING the plant will grow up towards the light (which is why you need the extra foot of room above the screen.
From my understanding, you dont need to continue weaving the plant while in FLOWERING, unless the growing gets a little out of control.
Also the screen should be at least one square foot for each plant. Try growing one bud per hole. Trim the unneeded growths below the screen once the screen is filled (It will be kind of like lollipopping).
Google images or youtube "SCROG" for visuals.