Marijuana growers are always looking for ways to maximize their yields, and scrogging is a method that many find useful. The word “scrog” is actually short for “screen of green” because the method involves placing a screen or net above young plants. As the plants grow taller, the tops are guided through the screen and trained to grow horizontally so that more buds are exposed to the light.
What Are The Benefits Of Scrogging?
Under normal growing conditions, with no screen, only the upper canopy of the cannabis plants gets full light exposure. Scrogging ensures that branches grow to the same height, and all parts of the plant get an equal amount of light. The more light plants receive, the bushier they grow. That means growers can obtain a higher yield from a smaller number of plants. Some secondary benefits include better air circulation, less mold and mildew, and fewer pests. Also, the screen provides support for heavy branches that might otherwise bend and break off.
When Is It Not A Good Idea To ScrOG?
While scrogging can be an excellent method for many growers, it’s not the right choice for everyone. For one thing, if you’re planting multiple strains that will grow at different rates, scrogging is not the best method. If you are starting with pot seeds for more than one strain, you’ll need to set up separate grow tents for each strain. Furthermore, a screen is a tool that needs to be put in place early in the growing process. If the plants are already mature, it may be too late to implement the scrog method.
How To Set Up Your Grow Room
If you’re a new grower, there are a few things you’ll need to consider before you set up a scrog. A successful scrog requires the right plants and the right setup.
Choose Your Strain
The first step is to choose the strain you want to grow. Scrogging is suitable for most strains, though some growers say that they prefer Sativa-dominant varieties since they are flexible and naturally extend toward light. However, it’s best to avoid autoflower strains because they have such a short growing time.
Every strain has unique characteristics. You may want to consider the percentage of THC and CBD in a strain, the flavor and aroma of the buds, and the size of the plants at full growth. It’s important to bear in mind that while scrogging leads to better yields, it doesn’t necessarily cause plants to make bigger buds. The size of buds a plant produces depends on the plant’s genetics, so research the seeds you want to grow if bud size is a factor you care about.
Scrogging can be fun
Choose Your Pots
Once you have your seeds or seedlings, you’ll need to put them in pots. Typically, one 11-liter pot per plant works well when you’re growing multiple plants. Try to give each plant about 2 square feet of space. Also, make sure to give your seedlings plenty of time to develop a strong root system before transplanting them.
Buy Or Make Your Screen
Finally, you’ll need to buy or make your screen. Most screens are made of nylon or hemp, and they can be attached to the posts of a grow tent. Ideally, the holes in a screen should measure about three square inches. You’ll also need some twine for tying down the branches and scissors for pruning.
Scrogging In 5 Steps
Step One: Cut off the tops of your plants.
This process is also known as topping, and it involves snipping the top of a plant’s main stem so that the plant will grow outward rather than up. It’s very important to top at the right time, after five nodes have appeared on the main stem. If you cut off the top too soon, you’ll limit how many branches the plant can produce.
Step Two: Place the screen above the plants.
The best height for the screen will depend on the type of plant you’re growing. Indica varieties stay lower to the ground, so if you’re growing an Indica strain, place the screen about 20 centimeters or 8 inches above the pots. Sativas, on the other hand, tend to be much taller. For most Sativa strains, you can place the screen about 45 cm or a foot and a half above the pots. If you are growing a hybrid strain, the plants will probably need at least one foot to grow beneath the screen. Make sure that the whole screen gets the same amount of light.
Step Three: Weave the tops of plants through the screen.
As the branches grow long enough to reach the screen, gently guide each branch through a separate hole. This works best during the vegetative growth stage because that’s when the branches are softer and easier to bend. Once the tops of the plants are several centimeters above the screen, weave them back under the mesh to train them to grow horizontally. It may be necessary to tie down the strongest branches to train their growth in the right direction. The goal of this process is to cover the mesh evenly so that it truly becomes a screen of green.
Step Four: Cut back lower branches.
Once you have woven all the branches through the screen, it’s time to prune any growth below the canopy. The purpose of pruning the lower leaves is to keep all the plant’s energy directed into the parts of the plant that are getting light. Allowing lower branches to develop will keep the plant from maximizing growth in the canopy. This process is also known as “lollipopping.”
Step Five: Feed and water the plants
Weaving the stems and branches through the screen can be stressful to the plants. Water and nutrients are especially beneficial during the training phase. Right after you work the branches into the scrog, water the plants thoroughly. Once the scrog is well established, you can wait till the top few centimeters of soil in a pot are completely dry before adding more water.
What Are Some Other Techniques To Use When Scrogging?
The method of bending and tying branches described above is also known as low-stress training, or LST. The following are two other growth-training methods that can work well in a scrog setup.
Mainlining
Mainlining is a method that encourages even growth and distribution. To mainline a plant, cut off the top of the plant at the third node to create two primary stems. Then cut back anything growing below the third node. Bend the two remaining branches down toward the soil and tie them to the main stem. This encourages the two stems to grow outward and limits their height. By topping and pruning symmetrically, you can create a low canopy that will produce buds of the same size.
Super Cropping
Super cropping is a technique that involves injuring the plant stems by pinching and bending them almost to the point of breaking to make them more supple. The idea is to soften the interior of the stem without damaging or breaking the outer part. Super cropping can make it easier to weave stems through a screen, but it is risky. A little stress can promote growth because it triggers the plant to send more nutrients to the injured area. However, if you cause too much damage, the branches will break off, which will limit your yield. It’s very important to use this method only during the vegetative state and to limit super cropping to the branches you need to bend.
What To Expect
With the right plants and the right setup, a screen of green can increase your yield by up to 20%. You’ll need to spend some time with your plants during the growth-training process. As the branches grow, you’ll need to work with them daily to keep them moving in the right direction.
Tips For Buying Seeds
Growing your own plants from seeds can be an especially rewarding endeavor. At Kind Seed Co, you’ll find a wide selection of seeds that will thrive in a scrog setup. Make sure to choose feminized seeds so that all of your plants will be bud-producing females. It’s also best to avoid autoflower seeds because they are likely to be overstressed by the scrog training. Finally, remember that Sativa-dominant strains like Jack Herer and OG Kush are especially well suited to scrogging because of their thinner and more flexible stems. If you’re new to growing weed, you may also want to learn more about the growth stages of cannabis plants and how their food, water, and light requirements change in each phase.
