When's the best time to start LST?

This isn't really an answer, just another question.
I'm wondering whether training of any kind lengthens the time to harvest. I've been heavily scrogging, and my plants have taken much longer (about 1.5 times as long) than the breeder claims from seed to harvest, so I've been wondering whether the scrogging has slowed things down. I don't have an opinion, but it seems possible that avoiding training of any kind might quicken harvest, and possibly increase the yield per month, from more frequent, smaller harvests.

 

It could be because scrogs are such drastic training. I find my minimal training methods really don't slow growth down at all. Gentle supercropping combined with bending/lst without string.

I do have single cola untrained grows to compare this method to and they didn't finish the bud cycle any faster. The biggest difference is an untrained plant was less then half the yield total.

Length of harvest time in a particular garden can depend on several factors. Higher power LED's tend to finish plants a little faster. This is the opposite though when you're running small scale and minimal power led's. They will take longer to finish then HPS. Hydroponic grow methods especially none medium based methods that constantly feed like DWC do result in quicker maturing times. Temp also plays a roll. If you're able to run your room at a slightly higher temp and still keep the plants healthy and happy they will metabolize nutrients faster in the warmer temps. Plenty of fresh air also helps.

As far as the OP: I like to let my plants get about 12" tall before I do anything to them. I'll then bend the main stem down with the main top with some gentle supercropping/bending. This causes all the lower branches to get more light and air. They grow up to rival the main top and it begins to form a bush shape in no time. Any tops that start to get too tall above the others are bent more out to the sides or horizontal. They bend back up towards the light overnight.

If you attack the plant too early with string when it's that short I think you do slow down growth. Let it do it's own thing for a little while and get a healthy feed rate established before you start jerking it around.

 

I have to disagree with this. 12" inches is pretty big and by that time the stems will not be as pliable. But to each is there own.
I think 3 or 4 nodes is a good start, depending on strain, about 5 or 6 inches tall. This way when it is a little taller all you're doing is bringing down the top to the same height as the rest of the growth.

 

I agree to let i grow on its own till about 10-12" then tie it down to lst.i dont like to handle the alot when there small, seems inessential to my grow area but everyone is different.

 

If you try to attack it when the plants are too small sometimes it slows them down. If you let it get a little length first you'll actually have enough plant material to tie down.

The amount of flexability in the stem is sort of strain and method dependent. Some of my strains remain easy to bend the whole grow and some get very stiff. DWC seems to grow much more dense stems then my other methods. I pretty much almost never have to support a DWC branch when the buds get big but my promix fed plants have weak stems by comparison.

I do happen to have a lot of headroom with an 80" tent so I don't get overly concerned with preventing them from getting too tall much.

If you were growing in a significantly smaller grow space you may want to start training earlier. I don't think I've seen a 12" tall plant that I couldn't flatten right out with one string tie though. You can also pinch the stem a little and let it crease if the plant is resisting training with just LST.