LST — Low Stress Training: gently bend and tie shoots from week 4–6 for a flat, light-filled canopy without pruning stress and more yield.
WHAT IS LST:
Gentle bending and fixing of the shoots for even light
No pruning → less stress than topping
Can be done during the entire vegetation phase
WHEN TO START:
From 4-6 weeks of age
Plant must be at least 15cm high
Only healthy, strong plants
NOT during the flowering phase of photoperiodic plants
EQUIPMENT:
Soft wire or pipe cleaners
Small weights (50-100g)
Pots with holes in the rim
Rubber cords with hooks
STEP-BY-STEP:
TARGET SHAPE:
Spiral or star shape from above
All shoot tips at the same height
Maximum light utilisation for all buds
ADVANTAGES:
30-50% more yield possible
No recovery time necessary
Can be combined with SCROG
Also suitable for autoflowering
FREQUENT FAULTS:
Started too early → Stem breakage
Too much bending → Kink in the stem
Too infrequent readjustment → Uneven
PROFI-TIP: With autoflower, only do LST for the first 3 weeks, then let it grow.
LST stands for Low Stress Training, a method in which the plant’s shoots are gently bent and secured to encourage a wider and flatter canopy. This allows for better light distribution and increases yield without causing the plant significant stress.
It is recommended to begin LST between the 4th and 6th week of growth, when the plants are sufficiently sturdy and have developed enough shoots to be bent and secured.
The plants should remain in LST training throughout the entire vegetative growth phase until they have reached the desired shape, before transitioning to the flowering phase.