# LST: low-stress training

> Low-stress training bends and ties stems outward and down so the plant grows as a flat, even canopy, without cutting anything. It is the safest training method, suits autoflowers, and works with topping and SCROG. Start in early veg, adjust ties every few days, and stop bending hard once stems lignify in mid-stretch.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/lst.html
- Category: Training · Level: Beginner
- Evidence: Grower practice · 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

**How do I LST a cannabis plant?** To LST a cannabis plant, gently flex the main stem, bend it outward toward the pot edge and tie it down with soft plant ties or plastic-coated wire anchored to the pot rim or stakes. As side branches grow, tie them outward like spokes so their [tops](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/top-shelf.md) stay level, ideally within about 10-15 cm (4-6 in) of each other. Re-tie or turn the pot every 2-4 days.

**When should I start low stress training?** Start low-stress training cannabis in early veg, at about 3-5 nodes, while stems are still soft and flexible. Starting too late, once stems turn woody, makes bending harder and risks snapping. Keep adjusting ties every 2-4 days through veg, and finish your hard bending by mid-stretch, around flower week 2-3, when stems stiffen.

**Is LST good for [autoflowers](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/autoflower.md)?** Yes. LST is the default training method for autoflowers because nothing is cut, so recovery time is near zero. An auto runs on a fixed countdown from germination and cannot afford the recovery that topping or heavy stress demands. Starting at 3-5 nodes, tie branches outward to build several tops in the brightest light, and avoid hard bending once stems stiffen.

**Can I LST in flower?** You can keep guiding cannabis branches in early flower, but stop hard bending by mid-stretch, around flower week 2-3, when stems lignify and stiffen. During the [stretch](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/stretch.md), tuck tops under a SCROG net or gently steer them rather than forcing sharp bends. Bending woody stems later risks creasing or snapping them; if a stem creases, tape it, and it usually heals.

**What do I tie plants down with?** Tie cannabis plants down with soft plant ties or plastic-coated wire, anchored to small holes drilled in the pot rim or to stakes. Avoid thin wire or string, which can cut into stems. Check and loosen ties as stems thicken, because forgotten ties can girdle a branch. During the stretch, a SCROG net can take over the job of holding branches in place.

**Short answer.** Bend the main stem and branches **outward and down** and tie them in place so the side shoots rise to the same height under the light. Nothing is cut, so recovery time is near zero, which makes LST the default for **autoflowers** and beginners. Start in **early veg (3–5 nodes)**, adjust every **2–4 days**, and finish shaping by **mid-stretch** (around flower week 2–3), when stems stiffen.


> **Tuck first.** LST is the house alternative to stripping leaves. Tuck [fan leaves](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/fan-leaf.md) under or behind [bud sites](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bud-site.md) and spread branches so every leaf works: leaves are the solar farm for the buds. Stripping within reason doesn't hurt yield, but in the founder's experience tucking helps more, and it's safe on every cultivar; responses to [heavy defoliation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/schwazzing.md) vary. Tuck vs strip (yield and [cannabinoids](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cannabinoid.md)) is an open GenetixBay trial question (see [defoliation](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/defoliation-lollipopping.md)).

## Why it works

Bending the main stem horizontal reduces its [apical dominance](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/apical-dominance.md) (the tip is no longer the highest point), so side branches turn upward and grow out. The result is many tops in the brightest light zone rather than one tall [cola](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/cola.md) shading the rest. Light drives yield [1], and lower, shaded buds in cannabis have lower and less uniform cannabinoid content [2].

## How to do it

1. Use soft plant ties or plastic-coated wire; anchor to the pot rim (drill small holes) or to stakes.
2. Gently bend the main stem toward the pot edge; flex it between [fingers](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/leaflet.md) first to make it supple.
3. Tie branches outward like spokes as they grow; keep the tops level.
4. Turn the pot or re-tie every few days.
5. In stretch, tuck tops under a [SCROG](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/training/scrog.md) net or just guide them; stop hard bending.

## Numbers that matter

| Item | Typical |
|---|---|
| Start | 3–5 nodes |
| Adjust | Every 2–4 days |
| Target canopy evenness | Tops within ~10–15 cm (4–6 in) of each other |
| Last bending | Flower week 2–3 |

## Common mistakes

- Thin wire or string that cuts into stems.
- Bending too sharply too early and snapping the stem (if it creases, tape it; it usually heals).
- Starting too late when stems are woody.
- Forgetting the ties as stems thicken (girdling).

## Evidence

The mechanism (gravity and [position effects](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/topophysis.md) on apical dominance) is *Established* plant physiology. LST yield benefits are *Grower practice*; the even-canopy rationale is *Supported* by light-response and architecture studies [1][2].

## Sources

1. 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
2. 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/