# Training basics: LST, topping and tuck-don't-pluck

> Training spreads a plant into a flat, even canopy so more bud sites sit in strong light. For a first grow, start low-stress training (bending and tying) in early veg, top photoperiods once at 4–6 nodes and allow 5–10 days of recovery, and tuck leaves out of the way rather than plucking them: leaves are the solar farm that feeds the buds. Autoflowers get LST only, not topping. Stop hard bending by mid-stretch.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/guides/training-basics.html
- Category: Start here · Level: Beginner
- Evidence: Supported · Status: Draft: awaiting expert review
- Stage: Veg, Transition · Systems: Any system
- Updated: 2026-10-31 · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay Knowledge Base (genetixbay.com/knowledge)"

## Questions and answers

**What is the easiest training method for beginners?** [Low-stress training](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lst.md) (LST) is the easiest and safest method for a beginner. You bend the main stem and branches outward and down and tie them in place with soft ties, so the plant grows flat and wide and the side shoots catch up with the top. Nothing is cut, so there is no recovery time. Start in early veg and adjust ties every 2–3 days.

**When should I top my cannabis plant?** Top a healthy [photoperiod plant](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/photoperiod.md) once it has 4–6 nodes, usually 3–5 weeks from sprouting, by cutting the main tip just above the 3rd to 5th node. Allow 5–10 days of recovery before you top again or flip to 12/12. Don't top a stressed, sick or freshly [transplanted](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/transplanting.md) plant, and don't top [autoflowers](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/autoflower.md).

**Should I top an autoflower?** No. GenetixBay's position is that topping an autoflower will never produce what proper LST or training does. Autos run on a fixed countdown from germination, so the recovery days after a cut are lost from veg, and any setback costs yield. Use low-stress training from about week 2–3: bend the main stem over and tie it down so side shoots rise to an even canopy.

**Should I remove [fan leaves](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fan-leaf.md)?** Tuck, don't pluck. Fan leaves are the plant's solar farm: they make the sugars that build buds, so tuck them under branches or out of the way of [bud sites](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bud-site.md) rather than stripping them. Removing a few leaves within reason doesn't seem to hurt yield in research, and responses vary by cultivar, but in the founder's experience tucking helps more. It is an open GenetixBay trial.

**When should I stop training my plant?** Stop hard bending and topping by about the end of the first week after the flip, and stop tying-down by mid-stretch, about 2–3 weeks after the flip, once stems turn woody. After that, only tuck leaves and support heavy [colas](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cola.md). Training late in flower stresses the plant when it should be building buds, and woody stems snap rather than bend.

**Is [supercropping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/supercropping.md) safe for beginners?** Supercropping, pinching a green stem until the inside softens and then bending it over, is safe once you have done some LST. GenetixBay endorses it as grower practice: the founder snaps stems all the time and finds it gives better buds, though no controlled study has measured that yet. Do it in late veg or early [stretch](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stretch.md), support the bend, and expect a firm knuckle within 3–7 days.

**Does training increase yield?** Training mainly increases yield by putting more bud sites into strong, even light, since yield rises with light reaching the canopy. In a controlled study on large plants, pruning twice (at transplant and at the flip) gave the highest flower and [cannabinoid](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md) yield per plant, and a flatter architecture made potency more uniform between top and lower buds. Beginners gain most from a simple, even canopy.

**Short answer.** Training turns a tall, single-cola plant into a flat, even [canopy](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/canopy.md) so more bud sites sit in strong light. For a first grow: start [low-stress training](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lst.md) (bending and tying) in early veg; [top](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/topping.md) photoperiod plants once at **4–6 nodes** and allow **5–10 days** of recovery; **tuck leaves, don't pluck them**. Autoflowers get LST only, never topping. Stop hard bending by mid-stretch, about 2–3 weeks after the flip.

> **House position: tuck, don't pluck.** Leaves are a solar farm for the buds. GenetixBay prefers tucking and training over stripping, to keep the most leaf surface working. Responses vary by cultivar: some lose most of their leaves with no harm, others suffer. Stripping within reason doesn't seem to hurt yield in research [1], but in the founder's experience tucking helps more. Whether tucking beats stripping is an open GenetixBay trial.

## Why train a cannabis plant at all?

Training exists because light falls off fast with distance and shade. An untrained photoperiod plant grows one dominant top cola (that's [apical dominance](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/apical-dominance.md)) with smaller, shaded buds below. Yield in cannabis rose roughly linearly with the light reaching the canopy in the best indoor trial [2], so lifting lower shoots into the light is the cheapest yield gain there is. In a controlled study on large plants, a flatter architecture also made cannabinoid content more uniform between top and lower buds [1].

## What do you need for training?

Training needs cheap, soft tools; nothing that cuts into stems.

- [ ] Soft [plant ties](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-ties.md): rubber-coated garden wire, soft tie tape or strips of cloth
- [ ] Anchor points: holes punched in the pot rim, a [fabric pot](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fabric-pot.md)'s handles, or pegs pushed into the medium
- [ ] Clean, sharp small scissors or snips (for topping), wiped with alcohol before use
- [ ] Optional: a [trellis](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/trellis.md) net 20–40 cm (8–16 in) above the pots for [SCROG](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/scrog.md)
- [ ] Optional: stakes or yo-yo supports for heavy colas in late flower
- [ ] Your [grow journal](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/guides/grow-journal-101.md) to log the date and node count of every cut

## Which training method should a beginner use?

Use LST on everything, add one topping on photoperiods, and tuck leaves throughout. The table compares the beginner options.

| Method | What it is | When | Recovery | Autoflowers? | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [LST](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/lst.md) | Bend and tie stems outward and down | Early veg to mid-stretch | None | Yes: the main method | *Grower practice* |
| [Topping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/topping.md) | Cut the main tip above a node: two [tops](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/top-shelf.md) | 4–6 nodes, once or twice | 5–10 days | No | *Supported* [1] |
| [FIM](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/fim.md) | Pinch off ~70–80 % of the tip: 2–5 shoots | 4–6 nodes | 5–10 days | No | *Grower practice* |
| Tucking | Move leaves under branches to uncover bud sites | Any time | None | Yes | *Grower practice*, house-endorsed |
| [Supercropping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/hst-supercropping.md) | Pinch and bend a green stem | Late veg, early stretch | 3–7 days | Gently, early only | *Grower practice*, house-endorsed |
| [Defoliation / lollipopping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/defoliation-lollipopping.md) | Strip lower growth and shading leaves | Around the flip and day 21 | Some | Light only | *Supported* [1] (no yield change) |
| [Mainlining](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/mainlining-manifolding.md) | Build an 8- or 16-cola manifold | Veg, +2–4 weeks | Long | No | *Grower practice* |

## How do you train a first plant, step by step?

1. **Wait for 3–4 nodes and healthy growth** (about 2–3 weeks from sprouting). Never train a wilting, yellowing or freshly transplanted plant.
2. **Start LST.** Gently bend the main stem sideways until the top is level with the next-highest shoots, about 45–90°. Tie it to the pot rim. Bend slowly near the base where the stem is flexible; if it creaks, stop.
3. **Re-adjust every 2–3 days.** The tip turns back up towards the light within a day. Move ties outward so the plant spreads into a star or wheel shape, with each shoot about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) from its neighbours.
4. **Top photoperiods once at 4–6 nodes.** With clean snips, cut the main stem 3–5 mm above the 3rd to 5th node. The two shoots at that node become your new main tops. Log the date.
5. **Let it recover 5–10 days.** You'll see the two new tops grow away. Don't top again, transplant or flip in that window.
6. **Optionally top each new top once more** after recovery, for four main colas. Stop there on a first grow.
7. **Keep tucking.** When a big fan leaf covers a bud site, slide it under a branch or bend it aside instead of cutting it. Leaves are working panels.
8. **Even the canopy before the flip.** Aim for all main tops within about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) of the same height, filling about 70–80 % of the space, because plants commonly stretch 50–150 % after the flip ([stretching](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/diagnosis/stretching.md)).
9. **Clean the lower third at or just before the flip (optional).** Remove only small, shaded shoots that will never reach the light ([lollipopping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/lollipopping.md)), plus any leaves lying on the medium. Keep it light; leave healthy fan leaves.
10. **Supercrop runaway shoots in early stretch** (days 1–14 after the flip): pinch the stem between finger and thumb until it softens, bend it over, support it. A firm knuckle forms in 3–7 days.
11. **Stop bending by mid-stretch** (about 2–3 weeks after the flip). From then on, only tuck leaves and stake heavy colas.

## How do you train an autoflower?

Train an autoflower with LST only. The GenetixBay house position is that topping will never produce what proper LST or training does on an auto: autos run on a fixed countdown from germination, so every recovery day is taken out of veg, and any setback costs yield. Start bending at about week 2–3 (3–4 nodes), keep adjusting every 2 days, and stop by about week 5–6 when flowering takes off. Tuck rather than strip. See [the autoflower week-by-week guide](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/guides/autoflower-first-grow-week-by-week.md).

## Why tuck rather than pluck leaves?

Tuck because leaves feed the buds. A fan leaf is the plant's solar panel, and the house view is to keep as much leaf surface working as possible, like a solar farm for the colas. Research is mixed rather than against stripping: in a controlled study, [defoliation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/defoliation.md) three weeks before harvest did not change flower or cannabinoid yield per plant and made cannabinoids more uniform [1], and a hemp study found the timing of leaf loss mattered [4]. Responses vary widely by cultivar. Stripping within reason doesn't hurt yield, but tucking helped more in the founder's long experience, and it can't backfire. GenetixBay members are testing it in side-by-side trials. Do remove dead, yellow or diseased leaves and anything touching wet medium, which helps airflow and hygiene [6].

## What about supercropping and other high-stress training?

Supercropping is house-endorsed. The founder snaps stems all the time and finds it gives better buds; that's *Grower practice*, and no controlled study has measured a potency gain yet. Every cultivar responds differently. On a first grow, use it to tame one or two shoots that outgrow the canopy in early stretch, not as a routine on every branch. Mild late drought is a separate, house-endorsed stress with some research behind it [5]; leave it for a second grow. Details: [HST and supercropping](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/hst-supercropping.md).

## How will you know training is working?

You'll know training worked when the canopy looks like a flat table of tops:

- Within 24 hours of a bend, the tip has turned back up towards the light.
- After topping, two new shoots are visibly growing within 3–5 days, and both are about equal by day 7–10.
- Side shoots catch up with the main tops; by the flip, 4–12 main tops sit within 5–10 cm (2–4 in) of each other.
- [PPFD](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/ppfd.md) across the canopy is even: readings at different tops differ by less than about 20 %.
- After the stretch, colas fill the space without any one top burning near the light.
- Supercropped stems show a firm, swollen knuckle within a week and stay upright.

## What mistakes do beginners make with training?

- **Topping an autoflower.** Use LST.
- **Topping a stressed or just-transplanted plant**, which stalls it for two weeks.
- **Topping and flipping on the same day.** Give 5–10 days.
- **Bending too hard, too high up** on a woody stem, and splitting it. Bend low, slowly, and use tape to splint a crack.
- **Ties that cut in.** Check ties weekly as stems thicken; use soft, wide ties.
- **Stripping every fan leaf** "to let light in". Tuck first.
- **Training late in flower**, after mid-stretch, when the plant should be building buds.
- **Not filling the space before the flip**, or overfilling it and running into the light after the stretch.
- **Doing everything at once**: topping, defoliation and a pot-up in one day. One stress at a time.

## Evidence

- Light at the canopy drives yield: *Supported* [2].
- Pruning twice raised flower and cannabinoid yield per plant; defoliation didn't change yield and improved uniformity: *Supported* (one controlled study) [1].
- [Planting density](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/plant-density.md) and uniformity trade-offs: *Supported* [3].
- Tuck, don't pluck: *Grower practice*, house-endorsed; an open GenetixBay trial.
- Supercropping for better buds: *Grower practice*, house-endorsed. Mild late drought: *Supported* [5].
- LST and topping schedules: *Grower practice*.

## Sources

1. Danziger N, Bernstein N, 2021. Shape matters: plant architecture affects chemical uniformity in large-size medical cannabis plants. Plants 10(9):1834. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8468686/
2. Rodriguez-Morrison V, Llewellyn D, Zheng Y, 2021. Cannabis yield, potency, and leaf photosynthesis respond differently to increasing light levels in an indoor environment. Frontiers in Plant Science 12:646020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.646020
3. Danziger N, Bernstein N, 2022. Too dense or not too dense: higher planting density reduces cannabinoid uniformity but increases yield/area in drug-type medical cannabis. Frontiers in Plant Science 13:713481. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.713481
4. Sandoval SM et al., 2024. Defoliation timing effects on phytocannabinoids in hemp (simulated hail). Industrial Crops and Products; MSc thesis version, Colorado State University. https://mountainscholar.org/bitstreams/a8421af5-2146-4d67-8751-397a58816f1b/download
5. Caplan D, Dixon M, Zheng Y, 2019. Increasing inflorescence dry weight and cannabinoid content in medical cannabis using controlled drought stress. HortScience 54(5):964–969. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13510-18
6. Punja ZK, 2021. Emerging diseases of Cannabis sativa and sustainable management. Pest Management Science 77:3857–3870. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8451794/