Low Stress Ties on Scrog

Pinned to the Screen:

I was able to get some ties on my Gen-1 big girl. She seemed to bolt right to the light in a matter of days. It's incredible to see how fast hydroponic plants grow. I plan on making a few videos to demonstrate how fast hydroponic growth cycles can last. Literally it takes just a couple of days to see some serious results. So in order to keep my baby from overtaking the space in the tent, I bent my stems and tied them down, which gardeners refer to as "low stress technique". This is a very popular technique used for organizing your plant's shape for optimal productivity.

Before pinned to the scrog

After pinned to the scrog

With my fingertips I gently bend the large stem away from the light. The bend itself is at the level of the screen. I use plant garden ties (like bread ties) to keep the top of the stem level with the screen. The first few hours the plant will adjust to it's new position and by the following day you'll notice it will tilt toward the light gently. If it continues to rise enough for another tie, bend it again and pin it down, making a "scrog" or "screen of green" on the net. This also helps the plant obtain large buds for a small operation.

The big issue I have is the constant growth. I suppose that isn't entirely a problem, but it can be a nuisance if you're maintaining a garden. Constantly checking for new growth and trimming where it is required is part of the job, but the results will be tremendous and you'll be glad of all your hard work at the end. Don't forget your trim can be used as a fresh green for culinary purposes.

The stem has bent, the bend will be weak, be careful!

The top flower tip is now tied to the net

The bend on the stem will not harm the plant and usually it'll form a "knuckle" at that point. Make sure to be gentle while bending them. As long as you do not break the stem's exterior tissue, your plant should still be alive and thriving. Some gardeners will wrap a binding rope around the broken stem to keep it from moving but this is not necessary for these plants. The scrog net will do fine for leveling your plant.

Water:

The big problem for me is checking the water ever few days. These 5 gallon buckets can drain after three days, resulting in dead plants. So make sure you check every other day for water levels. Also it'll be best to ease up on nitrogen, since you're planning on making flowers instead of vegetation. Follow my previous posts on how to refill your buckets when they're small. Unfortunately when they're large, you'll have to drop in water from a water can that has been mixed with nutrients and adjusted for pH levels. I use a water jug with an wide mouth for mixing.

I hope all your hard work and gardening are coming through. Don't forget to listen to our older posts where you get to hear my voice as I script read each blog post! Take care.

Pinky