main lining?

[relic1981]

anyone here use this method? ive tried it several times with great success. basically it a combination of pruning methods, supercroping and other HST as well as some LST to shape the plants into kind of a horse shoe patern the more times you top it the more buds sites you get. as long as you clean out the bottom 3rd or a little more of your plant so the tops get fatter. i still dont have it down pat yet but so far im liking the results. i use 2 screens with this method but im not sure they are needed because the pants get so stocky. even plants that normally flop around like tw do well because of the increased stem density. i will put up a link and some pics i found on the net of it but basically you supercrop the main stem and pic a strong lateral branch to make it into your "2nd"main stem. then top it a few times and youll end up with lots of uniform growth with strong branches... big buds too. id say its up'ed my yeild by at least 15% if not more. in the past i usually would just super crop my plants and top them to get a good canopy. i had to use stakes or netting to hold most of the floppy lower branches up. im usually a sativa dom guy so alot of my plants like to do the flop . they stretch alot in preflower...ok here is the link and some pics from the net. wish i had a camera, its on my short list . i have a baby due in december so im definitely going to get one before then!

main lining ; http://www.growweedeasy.com/main-lining-technique-nugbuckets this is part of the article incase you dont feel like reading it all.

Benefits of Main-Lining

Bigger Yields - With the exact same setup

Set It and Forget It - After the initial training done during the very beginning of the plant's life, you don't need to do much else to get the benefits of main-lining

Effortless Canopy Management - Colas tend to naturally grow to the same height

Fatter Colas - Each cola grows to a similar size and weight, simplifying the drying/curing process and producing fat, even colas

No More Larfy Buds - No small, leafy "popcorn" buds to drain energy away from the main colas

No More Uncontrollable Stretching - Because energy is distributed evenly among all colas, main-lining reduces the undesirable "stretch" of just some colas when plants first switch to the flowering stage - this stretch often causes height/space problems for indoor growers

Indoors - More From Your Grow Lights - Get bigger yields from the same grow lights and setup

Outdoors - Increased Control and Stealth - Gain greater control over the dimensions of your final plant (for better stealth and reduced chance of mold) and produce a more desirable and consistent final product

 

[relic1981]

The Theory Behind Main-Lining (all this is from the article im not taking credit for it)

Note: "Main-lining" is a name that was first coined by Nugbuckets. Nugbuckets says he is sure main-lining has been done before and it probably even has a name, but he just naturally started calling it main-lining and the name has stuck for growers around the world.

Main-lining is a form of plant training to help cannabis plants grow evenly, with only fat colas and no tiny "popcorn" buds that many growers just throw away.

These tiny buds take away energy from the big colas. Many growers choose to "lollipop" their plants by trimming away all the lower growth, yet main-lining takes lollipopping to a new level, with better results and less wasted energy.

What's the Difference Between Plain Lollipopping and Main-Lining?

With main-lining, you create a plant where every cola is exactly the same number of "steps" away from the roots. All colas originate from the exact same part of the marijuana plant, which naturally causes each cola to receive an even amount of nutrients and energy.

As a result, plants grow with an even, flat canopy, which produces the best yields for indoor growers using grow lights. Many different training techniques can be used to produce an even canopy, yet main-lining seems to be one of the most effective technique for small-scale marijuana growers.

With main-lining marijuana plants, the purpose is to build a "hub" off of a single node, creating a manifold for equal energy distribution from the root mass to the growing tops.


"Main-Lining" Tutorial by Nugbuckets: Train Marijuana Plants for Bigger Yields & Flat Canopies

by Nugbuckets - Compiled and edited by Nebula Haze in August 2013


Read Nebula's Manifold Tutorial: http://www.growweedeasy.com/manifold





Table of Contents

Intro to Main-Lining

Benefits of Main-Lining

Theory Behind Main-Lining & Nugbuckets' Discovery

Step-By-Step Tutorial - Main-Lining Technique
(starting from seed)

Clone-Modified Main-Lining Tutorial
(starting from clone)

Main-Lining Grow Journals - See Real Examples

Starting From Seed: Nugbuckets Grow Journal - 8 & 16 Colas

About the Author: Nugbuckets

Frequently Asked Questions About Main-Lining




"Main-Lining"

The act of training a cannabis plant to form a "hub" or "manifold" off a single node, creating a center for equal energy distribution from the roots to each cola.

An example of main-lining: Notice how nugbuckets has created a "hub" or "manifold" for even energy distributionExample of a flowering marijuana plant grown with main-lining

See that main-lined marijuana plant at harvest.... Nothing but huge, dense buds!

That same main-lined marijuana plant grown out - NugbucketsTrimmed, main-lined marijuana plant at harvest - Nugbuckets

Hub: A place or thing that forms the effective center of an activity, region, or network.

Manifold: A pipe or chamber branching into several openings, "the pipeline manifold"

The difference between main-lining and traditional marijuana growing methods explained in picture format - Nugbuckets main-lining tutorial

The result of main-lining marijuana is an even canopy and bigger yields with little extra effort.

No more larfy popcorn buds stealing energy away from the main colas!

Here's a few more marijuana main-lining pictures so you can see what I mean about the effortlessly even canopy. Main-lining is effective for increasing yields both indoors and outdoors.

Outdoors - Greater stealth & control

Main-lined marijuana plant outdoors - Nugbuckets

Indoors - Easy flat canopies & bigger yields with the same grow lights

Main-lining produces an effortlessly flat canopy when growing indoors - making good use of your grow lights





Forward by Nebula Haze: Nugbuckets is a talented marijuana grower and photographer who pioneered the term "main-lining" to describe his technique for marijuana training.

You can view his original set of posts about main-lining in their entirety here on Rollitup.org. You also don't want to miss his Nugbuckets' Lab thread where he posts additional pics and info about the main-lining technique as well as growing marijuana in organic soil.

In the original Nugbuckets main-lining threads, you must scroll through hundreds of pages to access all the information he generously put out there for the growing community. I have taken his work on main-lining marijuana and condensed it into one easy-to-navigate single-page article. Please note that Nugbuckets is the owner of ALL his photos!

I hope you enjoy this article and I encourage you to visit his original main-lining thread to offer your own support to Nugbuckets and let him know we are all interested in future growing information and pictures from him!

Benefits of Main-Lining

Bigger Yields - With the exact same setup

Set It and Forget It - After the initial training done during the very beginning of the plant's life, you don't need to do much else to get the benefits of main-lining

Effortless Canopy Management - Colas tend to naturally grow to the same height

Fatter Colas - Each cola grows to a similar size and weight, simplifying the drying/curing process and producing fat, even colas

No More Larfy Buds - No small, leafy "popcorn" buds to drain energy away from the main colas

No More Uncontrollable Stretching - Because energy is distributed evenly among all colas, main-lining reduces the undesirable "stretch" of just some colas when plants first switch to the flowering stage - this stretch often causes height/space problems for indoor growers

Indoors - More From Your Grow Lights - Get bigger yields from the same grow lights and setup

Outdoors - Increased Control and Stealth - Gain greater control over the dimensions of your final plant (for better stealth and reduced chance of mold) and produce a more desirable and consistent final product

Here is a picture of Nugbuckets showing off the fat, evenly shaped colas he produced from one plant using the main-lining technique

Picture of Nugbuckets showing off his fat, even colas from main-lining
(click pic for closup)

Main-Lining is just a concept about builing a plant off a single node. You don't have to get everything perfect to reap huge benefits. Many growers do main-lining their own way, and still get the rewards as long as they build their hub / manifold off a single node.

Main-Lining is an incredibly powerful way to gain complete control over your plants in small spaces, and also gives outdoor growers the power to control the size and shape of their plants for more consistent yields.

One of the best things about main-lining is that it's a "front-loaded" process. Most of the work happens right at the beginning of the plant's life, during the first few weeks. After that you mostly get to lay back and reap the benefits.

Set Up Your Hub / Manifold In the Early Vegetative Stage
(take a few weeks at most, when starting from seed)
Example of radical main-lining a marijuana plant - Nugbuckets

Then just sit back and allow plants to grow into this naturally efficient shape
Radical main-lining plant grown out - by Nugbuckets

Bonus: The main-lining technique can be adapted to produce plants that fit in almost any space

As you're growing out young plants, simply pay attention to building thick stems from a single node on the trunk, (aim for a high VCSA - vascular cambium surface area) to evenly deliver nutrients from the roots to each of your colas.

That's it.

It doesn't matter how a grower achieves this. This tutorial and all the examples should get you started, and I encourage you to adapt this technique to suit your own setup and growing style.

The Theory Behind Main-Lining

Note: "Main-lining" is a name that was first coined by Nugbuckets. Nugbuckets says he is sure main-lining has been done before and it probably even has a name, but he just naturally started calling it main-lining and the name has stuck for growers around the world.

Main-lining is a form of plant training to help cannabis plants grow evenly, with only fat colas and no tiny "popcorn" buds that many growers just throw away.

These tiny buds take away energy from the big colas. Many growers choose to "lollipop" their plants by trimming away all the lower growth, yet main-lining takes lollipopping to a new level, with better results and less wasted energy.

What's the Difference Between Plain Lollipopping and Main-Lining?

With main-lining, you create a plant where every cola is exactly the same number of "steps" away from the roots. All colas originate from the exact same part of the marijuana plant, which naturally causes each cola to receive an even amount of nutrients and energy.

As a result, plants grow with an even, flat canopy, which produces the best yields for indoor growers using grow lights. Many different training techniques can be used to produce an even canopy, yet main-lining seems to be one of the most effective technique for small-scale marijuana growers.

With main-lining marijuana plants, the purpose is to build a "hub" off of a single node, creating a manifold for equal energy distribution from the root mass to the growing tops.

This pic shows what i mean by "manifold" really well.......my little V-8!

Example of a main-lining "manifold" by Nugbuckets

Notice how there is a main "hub" (manifold) to distribute energy evenly to all colas

First You Create A Hub So Each Cola Gets Equal Access to the Roots

With main-lining, all the branches/colas on a marijuana plant come off of the same node on the trunk. Each cola then gets an even amount of hormones and nutrients (growing supplies) from the root mass.

Basically you are building a "hub" from the roots, make sense?

This hub or "manifold" allows your plant to evenly distribute energy to all of the colas, so your canopy naturally grows flat, even and orderly.All you have to do is follow the steps of creating a hub in the vegetative stage, and your young marijuana plants will naturally and automatically grow into this efficient shape, without much, if any, further work needed from you.

Therefore one of the big benefits of main-lining is it takes a lot of the hard work out of canopy management.

I am all about creating an even canopy of similarly sized stems and colas, like green lady soldiers lined up ready to kick ass and take names. No weak colas, no runts, no spindly branches. I love that with main-lining you pre-build your canopy so everything grows even and consistant.

Anyone who has grown indoors knows how hard it can be to produce an even canopy. Especially when you're growing in a small space, you've got to be able to keep your plant as short and wide as possible to take advantage of your indoor grow lights.

If you don't train your plants properly, it reduces your overall yields because some colas get bigger and taller than others, and then they block other bud sites from getting light.

With main-lining, you want all your colas to come off the main stem, like spokes on a wheel, so each of them is almost exactly the same as each other.This means that each cola gets to share nutrient pathways with all your other colas. This allows your plant to form just a small number of very efficient pathways, instead of spreading energy by making uneven pathways to many different nodes on the main trunk.

Main-lining is easy to accomplish when a marijuana plant is grown from seed since seedlings grow symmetrically. It's more difficult to main-line marijuana plants grown from clones since they usually do not grow symmetrically, but it's still possible.

 

[relic1981]

more pics

 

[relic1981]

more nug buckets pics....

so that's pretty much it, like i said i was kind of already doing this just not the "manifold" method. the runs that i have used this method have been great and i think this is my new style of shaping my plants. its a little more compplicated (but not really) and its worth the little bit of extra time it takes. ypu can add about 2 weeks to you veg time. also i know there are plenty of naysayers but you can continue shaping your plant up until 3 weeks into flower. i dont reccomend it it but it can be done with minimal harm to the plant. years ago i had plants that got too tall and were getting burned by the light and had to basically cut them in half at 2.5 weeks into flower and they still did fine so i think a little training wont throw them too hard.like i said i dont reccomednd you do it in flowering, its much easier in veg and you get a quicker bounce back. i havent had any hermies since using this method i know high stress training can sometimes mess things up, especially during flowering. i look forward to hear you comments and what you all do to maximize yeild as far as training and shaping.

 

[who dat is]

I started out really fooling around with training plants, etc. but got away from it when I realized how tedious it was. This is interesting but you have to think about how much time and energy you want to put into training like this, are you going to see the returns on your time investment with your setup. I'm not asking the OP this but anybody else reading it after the fact. I'm biased though because I got away from horizontal setups and went to vertical. Never say never, but I don't see myself going back to horizontal for awhile.

Good info to see though and a good write up as well.

 

[LyryC]

The Official Mainlining Website

The Official Mainlining Website

"Main-Lining" Tutorial by Nugbuckets: Train Marijuana Plants for Bigger Yields & Flat Canopies

I've just stumbled upon this

 

[relic1981]

yep, that's where i got the info i posted. thanks for putting up the link!

 

[eventualist]

Nugbuckets kills it. He's the master mainliner... Been watching his grows for years.

 

[relic1981]

for sure. i do a variation of this method. i top, fim and super crop my plants multiple times so the plant grows into a lollypop shape with about 8-12 and sometimes even 16 "main colas" or heads i also prune the bottom 3rd of my plant, sometimes more, to really get that energy flowing to the "main" laterals.. he takes it to another level the way everything is so uniform in growth. im thinking it's probably alot easier to do this method on plant starts from seed instead of cuts. the latter of which i use almost exclusively with the exception of some breeding projects and seeds im gifted. i like to keep moms of all my special ladies so i can just take as many cuts as i need to on a consistent basis. gotta say he killls it though and the plants look beautiful.

anyone know his average yield and what strains he runs? im interested in what he prefers to work with. nice branchy sat dom hybrids that may stretch a bit..?

 

[whiteberrieS]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=4893144#post4893144 one of nugbuckets threads on here...looks like it might be his only IC thread, his outdoor mainlined plants are sick, not sure if it's that thread or not.

 

[Yesca73]

Ya i read his thread a month or so ago
I am trying now on some seeds that I started
It does slow them down a bit but time does matter much for me . It is better to slow them down because I am waiting for an opening in the flower room .
Will be interesting to see how they grow
It does seem like the plants would become more sturdy
Planning on mainlining some cookies to see if I can increase the yield

 

[quokka]

A good thread............ It does look good, but it's too involved for me.