Low stress, or bending the plant out to maximize the light reaching all budsites makes for a “level” canopy . Topping early can be a benefit but not to be done after day 14 as there would be no time for recovery before flower commences. I top and LST. I only top the main, not the lowers on an auto and bend out for maximum spread. They grow low and wider than untrained but the benefit of increased light to inner and lower branches increases total yield.
Some do get very big! I’ve had ones over 4ft tall that were topped and trained.
Would you say this is more of a personal preference/tidyness thing (even canopy more small nugs) or do you think it is noticeably beneficial to yields and over all plant health. I'm just start to practice LST myself
Little bit of both. One main cola in a humid tent can mold. Much smaller chance that many colas slightly less in size would have a chance of mold. A Scrog under a net is the same as LST except you aren’t tying them down, they are being held down by the net and you spread the plant out under the net allowing the same as LST and spreading out. And keeping the plant low and spread allows for the small side branches that would never reach the canopy to grow up into the center vacated by the main and stronger/taller side branches. Only difference with the two techniques is in a Scrog, you would usually prune the bottom third out and with LST those lowers get a chance to produce as well.
Same exact reason one would top or train a photoperiod.
And both techniques will improve yield, all depending on the grower and environment.
Not sure if I missed it but, there are no “auto specific” growing practices besides not stressing them too much… I treat my photos the same as autos. Don’t feed or push them as hard as photos though. And with autos, the veg stage is critical… I’ve had autos multi topped grow into monsters and ones untrained and untopped stay runts.
it looks really nice, many I ask how many gallons is the medium. did you only top once? and when you topped?
5 gallon fabric pots. Topped only once at day 16 for the crack.
If you grow autos for a while you realise that it doesn't work like that, but most autos will respond without any bad reaction at all to being topped in the right way at the right time, however a plant that has been bent over well, will produce an equivalent result, it's very much horses for courses. Sometimes the structure is one that you know would be happier not being topped. The one below was topped.
LST definitely increases yield with autos if performed well. Most sellers/breeders promote this fact with their auto seeds. I actually did an experiment last grow. Two seeds from same pack, one trained, one not. Pulled 3.5 ounces from the trained plant, under two from the non-trained.
Anything that messes with the apical dominance sends the plant into overdrive in my experience. I've topped, fimmed, and LST with great results. I wouldn't say I found one method to be better than the other. I use them all depending on what the plant is telling me. If I'm going to top, (I usually do) I like to have it done before day 20. If it's on the smaller side and I don't think the plant would be a good topping candidate at day 20 I'll op for LST.
