LST (Low-Stress Training)

Low-stress training (LST) is the gentlest method of manipulating cannabis plant structure to maximize light exposure and yield. The technique uses soft plant ties, garden wire, or string to bend and secure branches into a desired shape — typically horizontal — without breaking, cutting, or otherwise wounding the plant. The goal is to spread the canopy outward into a flat even surface where every bud site receives direct overhead light, eliminating the natural pyramid shape where one dominant cola overshadows everything below. LST works because of apical dominance: when the main stem is bent horizontal, the plant's growth hormones (auxins) redistribute and side branches that were previously suppressed begin growing vigorously upward, each developing into a new main cola. A typical LST workflow: at week 3-4 of veg with 4-6 nodes of growth, gently bend the main stem to horizontal and tie it to the side of the pot with a soft tie; as side branches grow upward, repeat the bending process every 3-7 days, training each lateral into the canopy; continue until 1-2 weeks before flipping to flowering. LST can be combined with topping for a "topped + LST" hybrid that maximizes both branching count and canopy area. Compared to high-stress techniques, LST has zero recovery time — the plant continues growing normally — and works on autoflowers without the timing risks of HST. SCROG (screen of green) is the most aggressive form of LST, using a horizontal mesh screen to enforce a perfectly flat canopy.