9 day old Bruce Banner Auto. I was originally going to start LST when there are 4 nodes, but I read today that you can start as early as first/second set of leaves appear for autos?? Should I start soon?
You are many weeks away from worrying about LST.
LST is used to accomplish 2 things - improved airflow within the plant and increased light penetration. If your plant needs neither, then don’t do LST.
Never do LST for LST sake.
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When should you train autos? I’m assuming it will only be in veg for a month or so. I thought LST increases yield because it creates more cola sites? Thats what I want to do lol
The way to accomplish this is with topping or FIMing.
You have a seedling. Don’t mess with it. It’s going to be weeks before you think about LST, topping, or FIMing.
EDIT: I wouldn’t recommend topping or FIMing an auto. They can be twitchy and need to be left alone to do their thing.
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I thought LST also accomplished this? The light penetration helps the lower branches grow up towards the light and form colas. Maybe i am misunderstanding something.
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Yes but with autos the time frame is way less…meaning it’s kinda pointless to do much other than LST to an auto as they’ll flower whenever they want…
Topping and fimming works better with photos because growing them indoors the light schedule is controlled allowing for more vegetative state manipulation through topping fimming and LST AND the amount of recovery time needed from such training @Staticvoidmain
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COLAs and bud sites (which you seem to be referring to) are 2 different things. A COLA occurs only at the tips of the plant. Bud sites appear throughout the plant structure at the plant’s nodes. A cannabis plant has a finite number of bud sites and this cannot be increased with LST. Actually, the lower bud sites are the least productive and usually get cut off.
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Agree…”let it do it’s thang”….unofficial auto motto
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@Staticvoidmain
This is a bagseed auto I scored that I literally just defoliated yesterday and that’s all I’ve done to it…it’s over 3’ tall and has a huge main stem full of nugs
And they say ya can’t do autos outside very well
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@grizZz Wow looking good man. I was surprised to see them out side lol.
@MidwestGuy so would LST increase yield because more light gets to those bud sites? I also have to worry about height so I think I’ll need some training out if necessity.
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@Staticvoidmain Thx homie…you’re in good hands with these guys on your thread…can always check out my journal for some insight or just a fun read 
Click my profile picture I have it linked
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Autos don’t tend to get too big.
Yes, LST can help increase yield, but it isn’t a miracle method.
Be careful training autos. You can hurt your harvest if it is overdone. Training should be minimal.
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I topped two of my blueberry autos at I do believe it was the fourth node. I know I should had waited till the 6/8 node but they are auto flowers so I topped mine at a young growth stage. That being said they took off 4 days later with very little stress.
The two further away have had no training whatsoever but I do believe I stunted the one to the right to be honest. This picture is about two weeks ago. If your not comfortable doing so I would leave them alone
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Basically that’s the risk with autos is a huge stunt and delay in growth and possibly a hermie issue and less yield later on…gotta be careful
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LST is low stress. Get heavy handed and mess up your plant and that’s on you.
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Thanks for the help everyone! I think I’ll consider training more in a few weeks.
@oldmarine I’ve seen this video a few times haha. I love canuck
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@Staticvoidmain
I’m no help …looks like you are going in the right direction
I’m in 3rd flowering week and just did this yesterday lol
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@Lacewing going in the right direction is all im looking for haha
Your plants are huge man! Gonna be a good harvest
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@Staticvoidmain
Thanks …I’m a first timer !! Just read along on here …lurked I should say …sprouted 4/5
Hoping I can navigate uncharted harvesting waters when the time arrives hahah …
I would keep bending that top as you can
If I had it to do over I’d have started way way early
Next grow I’m gonna be a superstar !!!
Lol
The branches on mine more resemble wood at this point so there’s only so much I can do to increase light and airflow …
They say youth is wasted on the young and they are right …however I’m not young …
Just wish I knew then what I know now
But that’s learning