basic lst tutorial

[mysticriver]

here is a method for training auto flowering plants

ive used it on auto's that go from seed to flower in 8, 9, 10 weeks

12L fabric pots and coco, if that matters.

its really easy - there's only 3 stages

and it works. massive growth, but everything keeps really low. its ideal for anyone struggling with height. how low? well most plants are in the 300-500mm (from top of pot) and ive had 1 that was 600mm but that was a big-genetic type

 

tools and stuff you'll need are some soft rubber w/wire. I use the thick soft stuff you see everywhere, make sure its got the wire in the core though

 

first stage, being stage 1, is at 10 days from when the seedling has come out of the coco and showed its first true leaves

get the main stem down/over only. nothing else

and 

 

most if not all of the time it just ends up being pulled to one side, but thats ok

a lot of people might say that 10 days is too young to be pulling on the stem, however I mean really gently. the reason that I do it now and not at 2 weeks/5 nodes is that even at 2 weeks ive found some stems to be too stiff and I end up manhandling them more than id like to bend them over. I just find its easier at 10 days when the stems are still bendable, and ive found no issues with doing it this way. at all.

 

next is step 2, done at 21 days/3 weeks

here is before

and again

get the main stem down again

then, working around the pot from one side of the main stem, bend 5 of the best branches spread out like fingers on a hand, spread out around the pot

you should have 6 now including the main

this is where you'll need some ties

and here's a different plant

 

also at this point ill remove most if not all of the leaves and other stems that are inside of the pot

all the leaves are growing into each other not to mention down into the coco

how to get the main stem down? slowly. and carefully, supporting all the bend point with as much fingers as you can 

then what I do is if you look at the tie on the main stem, I get most of the tension, as much as I dare so its nice and tight, in the first tie thats closest to the pot, get that secured, and newest growth is easier then to bend down and fix in place with the second tie

at this point, most of the branches may not reach the sides of the pot, but thats ok - we're just pointing them in the direction, and at the height, you want them to be

keep the middle well clear - you'll thank me later

6 stems including the main seems to be optimum - ive tried more but it gets packed enough as it is

 

last bit is step 3, at 28 days/4 weeks

before

 

get the main stem down again

going round the other branches, bend the ends down to make them longer. they should have reached the sides of the pot but even now dont worry if some haven't 

bend everything down and out again 

I trim up a couple of nodes again on each branch and the main stem

like so

here's another

 

and this is a shot of the next day, 4 ladies done. there nothing else you need to do now

 

like I said growth is massive. but managable

a bit like this

 

the reason ive put the tutorial up now instead of when the plants ive shown being trained are in full flower, is because im impatient. and someone asked for it.

ill be back in a couple of weeks to show you how they are in flower mode

 

 

mystic

[Should Know Betterer]

@mysticriverthanks man, you just simplified my next changes to the way I grow! Been looking into LST for a while, seen some amazing results from people on here using it and wanted a bit of that for myself, I've got brain farts and have trouble getting my head around stuff and retaining information regarding growing, pulling up a sofa and a cuppa with this thread  

[Darknight420710]

@mysticriverthats great. I dont do auto but I imagine similar method with photos. I like how you stripped practically all lower nodes and seeing the explosion 

[RUFUS HOUND]

nice LST guide, I like you showed the lolly-popping - its a big leap of faith for a beginner to remove all the lower leaves and helps to show how far you should / can go 

[mysticriver]

5 weeks in

I turned off the led for the pic this time - much better

 

it highlights an issue that can happen, not major, its the main stem pulling up higher than the others (looks worse in real life)

I thought there might have been some slack in the line or the tie slipped, but no, its pulling the tray up at that anchor point

still alright tho'

thats why its important to get the main stem reet reet down at stage 2 & 3

 

 

mystic

Edited May 8, 2022 by mysticriver

[RUFUS HOUND]

cheers for this guide mate - Ive got a couple of seedlings myself (1 week old) and will start bending the main stem next week as they arent quite as advanced as your yet - their main stems are a little too weak/thin currently but true leaves are developing, so wont be long before a can train.

[MindSoup]

Don't me wrong, its great a technique, but in what world is leaf stripping low stress? This is more like mainlining in my eyes, just without the topping.  

 

Oh I'm an argumentative prick

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by MindSoup

[mysticriver]

17 hours ago, MindSoup said:

but in what world is leaf stripping low stress?

thats a good observation

it doesn't seem to bother them much

 

 

mystic

[RUFUS HOUND]

Didn't seem to phase his girls, looking at the after photos. 

[mysticriver]

6 weeks in

ive lifted 3 of them onto some upturned trays, to lift them all to the same height

as the 1 front left is stretching more

then the light can be an equal distance from each's canopy

 

this is where I start running out of room, girth-wise (ive got the same on the other side a little younger)

needing more air movement with the big fan does not help - id like to be able to attach the fan to the tent pole, and reclaim the little bit of area the fan takes up

but I looked into mounts and things and it gets expensive for a blooming fan mount. im more ghetto these days

thank you all for the kind likes

 

 

mystic

[mysticriver]

on this 1 im not feeding every 12 hrs (I can do that quite comfortably in flower)

im feeding/watering every 24

trying to control the growth a bit

 

 

mystic

 

[RUFUS HOUND]

carefull that internal fan doesnt exceed your extraction rate or youll have positive pressure and stink the place out 

[mysticriver]

16 hours ago, RUFUS HOUND said:

internal fan doesnt exceed your extraction rate

its good

there are 2 pc fans on a 125mm inlet - to just help the 150mm extraction to not have to work as hard as with a passive inlet

but there's negative pressure

in fact ive just realised the tent sucking hard has fcuk'd up the oscillation function on my big fan

by not letting it turn, I think it running all night may have broken the mechanism

got to check it later

 

 

mystic

[Bebop]

Nice explanation thats answered a lot of questions for me...but...will this work safely on outdoor autos too? I've two that are around 5/6 days away from training. Was thinking of just topping (or even leaving one) and LST on the other to keep the heights down. 

[mysticriver]

34 minutes ago, Bebop said:

will this work safely on outdoor autos too?

cant see any reason why not

should be awesome too with a good bit of bun (sun)

 

 

mystic