Low Stress vs High Stress Training

How to Shape Plants Without Slowing Them Down 🌱

Training plants is one of the most powerful ways to improve structure, light exposure, and overall yield.

But not all training is the same.

In general, plant training falls into two categories:

• Low Stress Training (LST)

• High Stress Training (HST)

Understanding the difference — and knowing when to use each — helps growers guide plants intentionally instead of reacting later.

Why Plant Training Matters 🌿

Plants naturally grow toward light.

If left alone, most plants will:

• Grow tall

• Focus energy on a main top

• Shade lower growth

Training helps:

• Spread growth evenly

• Improve airflow

• Increase light exposure to bud sites

• Create a more efficient canopy

The key is choosing the right amount of stress at the right time.

What Is Low Stress Training (LST)? 🌱

Low stress training involves manipulating plant shape without injuring tissue.

The goal is to:

• Bend, guide, or support growth

• Keep stress minimal

• Maintain steady growth momentum

LST techniques are usually done gradually and can be adjusted over time.

Common Low Stress Training Techniques

Bending Branches
Gently bending branches outward helps expose lower growth to light. This redistributes hormones and encourages multiple tops without shocking the plant.

Trellis Netting
A trellis net supports horizontal growth by guiding branches into open spaces. It’s one of the most effective LST tools for canopy control.

SCROG (Screen of Green)
SCROG is an extension of LST where branches are trained horizontally through a screen to create an even canopy. This works especially well for fewer plants grown larger.

These methods pair well with the principles discussed in environmental ranges by growth stage, since airflow and light distribution become even more important as the canopy fills in.

What Is High Stress Training (HST)? ⚠️

High stress training involves intentional damage or disruption to plant tissue to force a response.

HST techniques:

• Temporarily slow growth

• Trigger recovery responses

• Can reshape structure quickly

Used correctly, plants recover stronger. Used excessively, plants stall.

Common High Stress Training Techniques

Branch Breaking / Supercropping
Branches are bent sharply — sometimes close to 90 degrees — without fully snapping. This restricts vertical growth and strengthens branch structure once healed.

Aggressive Trellis Weaving
In HST scenarios, branches may be forced laterally through a trellis net to flatten the canopy. This creates strong structure but requires recovery time.

Topping
Topping interrupts apical dominance by removing or damaging the main growth tip (meristem).

There are several topping styles:

• Cutting off the top entirely

• Removing the first few nodes

• Bending or damaging the meristem

All achieve the same goal: redirecting growth hormones to create multiple main tops. This topic deserves its own deep dive.

Defoliation (De-Leafing) 🍃

Where Stress Is Contextual

Defoliation sits somewhere between LST and HST.

Removing large fan leaves:

• Improves light penetration

• Increases airflow

• Exposes bud sites

Removing too many leaves at once can stress the plant. That said, in practice, a blocked bud site often causes more harm than the removal of a single fan leaf.

Timing and moderation are everything.

SOG vs SCROG Setups 🌿

Sea of Green (SOG)

• Many small plants

• Minimal training

• Short veg time

• Relies on uniform genetics

Screen of Green (SCROG)

• Fewer plants

• Heavy training

• Longer veg

• Focuses on canopy management

Neither is better — they’re tools for different goals and grow styles.

Other Training Techniques (Quick Overview)

• Lollipopping – Removing lower growth that won’t receive light

• Mainlining / Manifolding – Structuring symmetrical growth early

• Selective Pruning – Removing weak or unproductive branches

Each can be effective when used intentionally and at the right stage.

My Personal Training Approach 🌱

I tend to lean toward:

• Low stress training first

• Topping early if the plant is healthy

• High stress training only when needed

• Trellis nets for structure

• Strategic defoliation to expose bud sites

I’d rather guide a plant early than correct it late.

Training works best when paired with consistency — the same principle discussed in what really matters in a first-time grow.

Final Takeaway ✨

🌱 LST guides growth gently
⚠️ HST reshapes growth aggressively
🍃 Defoliation is about balance
🧠 Timing and plant health matter

Training isn’t about forcing plants — it’s about working with their biology to create a healthier, more productive canopy.

Grown with care. Always. 🌿