Wedge Antilles
Member
Hey all, I'm doing my first LST and had a question......I plan on using rubberbands. Are these safe for plants (ie. the rubber rubing against the stem) Will it harm the plants at all? Thanlks all --Wedge
Rubberbands for LST??
- Thread starter Wedge Antilles
- Start date
Binnacas
Member
Just a few days ago I started to LST for the first time, I use ironwire. I was worried that the iron (or whatever metal it is) could somehow get inside the plant and harm it that way. My friend who is an experienced grower said that there's nothing to worry about. And that can I use almost whatever material I find. I would say the rubberband could be a very good thing to use for LST.
Wedge Antilles
Member
Binnacas said:
Thanx Binnacas!!!!! Just didn't want to have my lst become high stress...lol....Good luck with your LST as well!!
greenisgold
Member
Depends on how thick the bands are. Are they thin enough so the tension caused by pulling over the branches will cut through the stems at some point? And are they strong enough to with stand the heat from the HID lamp?
I use 18 gauge electrical wire (insulated) and found over the past 6 years that it is one of the best ways to tie branches down.
I use 18 gauge electrical wire (insulated) and found over the past 6 years that it is one of the best ways to tie branches down.
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I bought some miniature bungee cords they come in a little jar @ Crappy Tire. You can double, triple them up to go around the pots. Hooks so there's no tying involved. Reusable. Sometimes i just dangle them off a limb for strength training.
any garden store or nursery will carry a 100 ft roll of twisty tie for training plants cost approx 2$ us perfect for LST and what i use when i do LST
hermanshooltz
Member
I'm also having my first LST right now and I use this method wich I've seen somewhere here or on the russian grow forums. It combines rubberbands and paperclips in one handy 'device'. The pulling strength can be valued by folding the rubberbands.
Here it is, as simple as it can be:
And in action:
Here it is, as simple as it can be:
And in action:
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G
Guest
Sorry mate - rubber bands will perish very easily under an HPS. One day they'll snap, gauranteed. Bungees will last a lot longer.
Wire is excellent for training. Also wee weights like fishing sinkers to pull branches out and down.
Wire is excellent for training. Also wee weights like fishing sinkers to pull branches out and down.
hermanshooltz
Member
^ However they do great under CFL
Wedge Antilles
Member
hermanshooltz said:
I am currently vegging under T5's, so no heat issue yet.......They will be under 250 for flowering, so it might get warm....I have twisty ties, and am currently using those, i tied the main shoot to a fan leaf at a 90 degree angle...I guess just startin to spread the auxims....bands are the thicker ones, ill check out those bungys....thanks everyone!!! Wedge
RussCargill
Member
I have been trying different forms of LST for a couple of years now. The Sooner you start the less stress you need. If you start when the plants are very bendable then you will never have to tie them at all. Just continue to shape the plant they direction you want it every single day. It will form that way. As long as you dont cuff the plant when tying the plant you will be ok using small string. That is what I use. If I tie around the branch with a big loop with room for the branch to expand then its not a problem. Do NOT freak out if you break a plant. They can be repaired and will still flower out fine. If they break just get them back together as tight as possible and tie or tape them up. And them try and support them a little better in the flower, since this will be a very weak spot.
RussCargill
Member
420guy said:
great idea
To answer your first question, YES they are fine to use. I have used rubber bands. The only problem I faced with them is since the band is elastic, the plant will stretch out the band, causing an ineffective LST.
I use twine of some sort, and most often I use that bright colored construction marking line... I use the ever so nostalgic Hemp twine when available for shnitz-n-giggles.
Russ, that is called the art of true Bonsai. It is an art form that is still practiced to an extent. There was a forum on here of a Bonsai landscape contest, but in all honesty, all I saw was LST(which is a style of Bonsai, but not the true way of hanging weights).
MOST any material is good for LST... for the exception of fishing line. It cuts it's way deep into the plant, with the stem sealing around it (only good thing is it makes it really easy to hang to dry
)
I use twine of some sort, and most often I use that bright colored construction marking line... I use the ever so nostalgic Hemp twine when available for shnitz-n-giggles.
Russ, that is called the art of true Bonsai. It is an art form that is still practiced to an extent. There was a forum on here of a Bonsai landscape contest, but in all honesty, all I saw was LST(which is a style of Bonsai, but not the true way of hanging weights).
MOST any material is good for LST... for the exception of fishing line. It cuts it's way deep into the plant, with the stem sealing around it (only good thing is it makes it really easy to hang to dry
)
