# Plant ties

> Plant ties are soft wire, rubber-coated twist ties or clips used to bend stems and anchor them during low-stress training or support.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-ties.html
- Also written: training wire, plant tie, soft ties, garden wire, twist ties, tie-downs
- 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"

Plant ties are any soft fastener used to hold a stem in a new position: rubber- or foam-coated garden wire, plastic-coated twist ties, soft cord or purpose-made plant clips. They anchor branches to the pot rim, stakes or a net during [LST](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lst.md) and keep heavy [colas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cola.md) upright in late flower.

## In practice

Choose something that grips without cutting. Thin bare wire, fishing line and string can girdle a stem as it thickens, cutting off sap flow; check ties weekly and loosen or move them. Anchor points are often holes punched in the pot rim, or hooks clipped onto it. In [fabric pots](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fabric-pot.md), ties can be tied through the fabric itself.

When bending, tie at a node or just below one, and move the tie further out along the stem as the branch grows. Re-adjust every day or two in fast veg.

## Don't confuse with

- **Trellis**: the net or frame plants are tied to; ties are the fasteners.
- **Stakes**: vertical supports, used with ties for tall or heavy plants.

## Related terms

[LST](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lst.md), [Trellis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/trellis.md), [SCROG](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/scrog.md), [Supercropping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/supercropping.md)

## Read more

- [LST: low-stress training](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/lst.md)