# Manifolding

> Manifolding builds a plant's structure as a central hub with symmetrical horizontal arms, so every top receives equal sap flow and grows to similar size.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/manifolding.html
- Also written: manifold, manifold training, building a manifold, hub training
- Glossary category: Cultivation and training · Evidence: Grower practice
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

Manifolding is the hub-and-arms structure at the heart of mainlining. The plant is topped low, and the two remaining branches are tied out flat to form the manifold. Each arm is then topped again, and the new shoots are trained out to form the next tier, so every final [cola](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cola.md) is the same number of branch points from the root.

## In practice

Growers use "manifold" and "mainline" almost interchangeably. Where they differ, manifolding describes building the hub (often 8 arms off a flat base), and mainlining describes the overall method including stripping lower growth. Symmetry is the point: an uneven manifold produces uneven colas. Allow extra [veg time](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/veg-time.md), typically two to four weeks.

Like mainlining, this is grower practice without controlled cannabis yield trials.

## Don't confuse with

- **Irrigation manifold**: the pipe that splits water to many drip lines; same word, a systems term.
- **SCROG**: a screen used to spread [tops](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/top-shelf.md); can be combined with a manifold.

## Related terms

[Mainlining](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/mainlining.md), [Topping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/topping.md), [LST](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lst.md), [Even canopy](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/even-canopy.md)

## Read more

- [Mainlining and manifolding: building a symmetrical plant](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/mainlining-manifolding.md)