When to Stop LST?

[alex_8803]

When should i be taking the wires off my plant for LST. im about 4wks flowering right now, and the buds haven't quite hit where ive placed the wires. but at this point should i just release the buds and let them grow? they basically stay where they are when i remove them anyways.

what im asking is will they get in the way of flowering?

[CoreyP]

You dont take the wires off. If you take them off the plant will stand back up in a matter of days even hours. You leave the ties or wahtever you have on there the whole time. Just as long as its not too tight and cutting into the plant. If its doing that then loosen it, but keep it tied.

[doob3r]

if you undo the lst all your work was a waste

[alex_8803]

word. i figured the plant was for the most part done growing. i guess ill just leave them on. how do you do it so the wires dont interfere with budding?

[doob3r]

dont lst at the inner nodes i guess,either way it shouldnt hinder flowering

[cupcheck]

i agree, leave them on. make sure that the wires (or whatever you are using for LST) are touching non-growth areas of the plant, like bare stem. if you want, you can use something that is more forgiving than metal wire, such as string, twist-ties, pipe cleaners, etc.

[toastybiz]

My direct experience using LST on a number of grows is the opposite of what others are saying here -- the twisted stalk and branches will pretty much stay that way if you untie them halfway into flowering. They may angle upward a bit, but it is the new growth that will really be reaching for the light. I usually train the main stalk to coil around the edges of the pot, and then the branches get trained to go anywhere there is a clear opening to the light. Some end up with switchbacks and are twisted around like a Silly Straw. When I untie them a few weeks from harvest they pretty much stay in that size and shape, with new growth wanting to go upward. Makes hanging to dry a challenge because the branches are so twisted. The main stalk is a big curley-Q cola, about 3 feet of buds if uncoiled.

In fact, I believe the girls really groove on being untied -- it is stress training, after all, and it's the first time since young in their lives that they can grow free. Besides, they are about to undergo a new kind of stress when they run low on nitrogen and start eating themselves, so untieing helps them to direct energy to handling that and to fattening the buds right when you want them to.

I may still keep some of it tied down to the end, depending if it's getting to close to the light or isn't getting good light penetration, but I try to untie as much as I can about 3 weeks before harvest.

[alex_8803]

i think ill experiment then since ive got differing opinions. ill untie one of them in about a week, and keep the other one tied up all through flowering.

[toastybiz]

Sounds like a plan, let us know how it works out. If you untie and it starts to get unruly you can always tie it back again.

[stoned budda]

i agrre with toasty, you can always tie it back down, when growing using lts or any other growing style, you gotta experiment a little cause everyones grows a little different, what works for you might not work me. experimenting is how we make discoveries....................................... ...................peace