The best feminized strains for SCROG are bushy, flexible photoperiod plants with lots of side branches and a moderate stretch, such as Critical, Super Critical, Cinderella99, Blue Widow, Great White Shark, White Rhino, G13 and Bubblegum Haze. A screen of green, or SCROG, turns one or a few plants into a flat, even canopy where every bud site gets strong light. Feminized seeds make it simple, because every plant you train should be a flowering female. You can explore our feminized high yielding strains to find your next screen filler. This guide is for adults 21 and older where home growing is legal.

What is SCROG?

SCROG stands for screen of green. You stretch a net or screen horizontally above your pots, then guide branches along it as they grow. Instead of one tall main cola with smaller buds below, you end up with a flat canopy of many evenly spaced tops.

The benefits are simple:

• Better light use. Every top sits at the same distance from the light.
• More bud sites. Training spreads growth into many colas instead of one.
• Height control. The screen keeps plants low, which helps in tents with limited headroom.
• Better airflow. An open canopy dries faster and is less prone to mold.

For more on supporting plants with nets and stakes, read the art of cannabis trellising.

Why feminized photoperiods are best for SCROG

SCROG takes time. You train the plant in veg until the screen is mostly full, then switch to flowering. That makes photoperiod plants ideal, because you decide when flowering starts. Autoflowers flower on their own schedule and often do not have enough veg time to fill a screen.

Feminized seeds matter too. If you spend weeks training a plant into a screen, you want to be confident it is a female. With regular seeds, a male could take up half your screen.

What makes a strain good for SCROG?

• Lots of side branching. More branches mean more tops to spread.
• Flexible stems. Branches should bend without snapping.
• Moderate, predictable stretch. Some stretch helps fill the screen after the flip, but extreme stretch is hard to manage.
• Even growth. Strains that grow tops at a similar pace make a flatter canopy.
• Good recovery from training. Plants that bounce back quickly from topping and bending.

Indica leaning SCROG picks

Critical

Critical + Photo Fem is known for fast, heavy flowering and a compact structure. It fills a screen well and keeps its stretch under control.

Super Critical

Super Critical Photo Fem builds on the Critical line with vigorous growth and dense flowers. Keep humidity in check as buds bulk up.

White Rhino

White Rhino Photo Fem is a sturdy, indica leaning plant with strong branches that can support heavy flowers in the screen.

G13

G13 Photo Fem is a legendary name with an indica leaning frame. It responds well to topping and makes a compact, even canopy.

Balanced hybrid SCROG picks

Blue Widow

Blue Widow Photo Fem blends Blueberry sweetness with White Widow frost. Its balanced structure makes it easy to train.

Great White Shark

Great White Shark Photo Fem is a vigorous hybrid with a moderate stretch, a good fit for growers who want to fill a screen quickly.

Critical Jack

Critical Jack Photo Fem pairs Critical density with Jack Herer style branching, a nice mix for an even canopy.

Orange Skunk

Orange Skunk Photo Fem is a citrus forward Skunk hybrid with sturdy, flexible branches.

Sativa leaning SCROG picks

Sativa leaning plants stretch more, which can be an advantage in a screen because they fill gaps after the flip. Just flip earlier.

Cinderella99

Cinderella99 Photo Fem is a classic sativa leaning strain known for vigorous branching and a fruity, citrus aroma. It is a favorite among growers who like to train.

Bubblegum Haze

Bubblegum Haze Photo Fem brings a sweet, candy aroma and the long branches typical of haze lines.

M8

M8 Photo Fem is a sativa leaning hybrid with an open structure that spreads easily along a net.

Wonka Z

Wonka Z Photo Fem is a candy style modern hybrid with plenty of side branching.

How to set up a SCROG, step by step

1. Choose your pots and plant count. Many growers use one to four plants in a tent. Fewer plants need more veg time to fill the screen.
2. Install the screen. Set a net about a hand’s width or two above the soil line once plants are established. A frame or tent corner poles work well.
3. Top early. Top the plant once or twice in early veg to create multiple main branches.
4. Weave and tuck. As branches grow through the net, gently bend them back under and push them sideways into empty squares. Tuck every day or two.
5. Fill most of the screen. When the screen is mostly full, it is time to flip to 12 hours on and 12 off. Plants keep stretching after the flip and fill the rest. See when to switch from vegetative to flowering for more on timing.
6. Keep tucking through the stretch. For the first couple of weeks of flower, keep guiding tops into place.
7. Clean up below the screen. Remove small, shaded growth under the net that will never get good light. This focuses energy on the tops and improves airflow.
8. Let the tops grow up. Once the stretch ends, stop tucking and let colas rise.

Common SCROG mistakes

• Flipping too late. A screen that is full before the flip will be overcrowded after the stretch.
• Bending too hard. Squeeze or bend gently to avoid snapping branches.
• Ignoring the underside. Dense, shaded growth under the screen holds moisture and wastes energy.
• Uneven tucking. Gaps in the screen are wasted light.
• High humidity. A dense canopy needs strong airflow above and below the net.

Frequently asked questions

Can I SCROG an autoflower?

You can use a net for light training, but autoflowers have a short veg window, so it is hard to fill a screen. Feminized photoperiods are the better fit.

When should I flip to flower in a SCROG?

Many growers flip when the screen is mostly full, since plants keep stretching for a couple of weeks after the switch.

How many plants do I need for a SCROG?

One plant can fill a small tent with enough veg time. More plants fill the screen faster.

Do sativas or indicas work better for SCROG?

Both work. Indica leaning plants stay compact, while sativa leaning plants stretch more and need an earlier flip.

What size net should I use?

Many growers use a net with squares a few inches wide. It should be large enough to tuck branches easily and fit your tent snugly.

Start your SCROG grow

Pick a branchy, flexible strain, set up your screen and enjoy a flat, even canopy. Browse the full feminized high yielding strains collection or the whole Kind Seed Co shop. New to growing? Read our ultimate beginner’s guide to growing cannabis. Kind Seed Co sells only to adults 21 and older. Grow only where it is legal under your state’s law.