by Greg Green
Training
This has been discussed before in the indoor growing set-ups with ScrOG and SOG. Training is simply the art of tying down your plants main stem so that it grows in a ‘S’ shape pattern. Mainly this is used to prevent plants from reaching their natural height without pruning (although you can also prune trained plants without a problem).
Training is done by simply attaching a piece of thread to the stem and bending the plant over. The thread is then locked down to either another part of the stem or a piece of the grow room frame. People have managed to grow all kinds of shaped plants using this method – from corkscrew shapes to complete full circles. Some growers even like to grow their plants horizontally across during the vegetative stage of growth. During the flowering cycle the light is moved above the plant to encourage thicker bud growth along the main stem. Sometimes this method does not work so well, but when it does the overall bud production can be excellent.
If during your training, a stem should break, simply hold it in place again using a stake/stick support and bind it with cheese cloth or a cloth bandage wrap with pours. Applying honey to the wound also has its benefits. If you rub honey into the wound the plant should be able to heal itself a bit quicker. Watch out for any new growth at the break area and try to trim these away should any be produced because they will try to break away the upper part of the stem, effectively TOPPING your plant.