5 Cool Ways To Super Cropping Success
Super cropping involves stressing plants in various ways to push them to their maximum potential. By pinching, cutting, training, and tying, you can achieve incredible yields in the garden! Here are 5 Cool Ways to get started for super cropping success!
Fine Motor Skills
All of that time spent as a kid threading beads onto a pipe cleaner comes into good use when stress training plants. Super cropping involves so much pinching and twisting with your thumbs and index fingers that you’ll need superior fine motor skills! Don’t be overzealous, though; you risk permanently damaging your plant if you pinch too hard. Not hard enough, and you won’t achieve the desired results. So what are you waiting for? Get your fingers in peak condition for super cropping by exercising them with a pair of tweezers and some marbles, then flip through our magazine to get the job done right.
Scissors
If you don’t trust your digits to get the job done, consider investing in a good pair of scissors. You don’t necessarily need scissors for super cropping, but they’re handy to have anyway. This tool allows you to gently crimp onto the plant’s stem and bend in the desired direction. Scissors will also help with topping and fimming, two high-stress techniques used for better growth. Whatever you do, make sure all your super cropping gadgets are sterile; dirty tools can lead to total devastation in the grow room. Plenty of excellent options exist on the market; do some research and select the right pair for you.
SCROG
If you’re looking to maximize your use of space and boost plant productivity, consider Screen of Green (SCROG). Plants like to grow taller than they do wide. SCROG helps growers achieve an even canopy by bringing the lower branches up and the top branches down, stretching the grow horizontally. As a result, plants get an even distribution of light and better aeration, leading to a decreased risk of disease and increased yields. If that sounds good to you, get started by placing a screen about half a foot above the growing medium, tucking and weaving the plant’s branches as they grow. It might sound complicated, but it’s not. Plenty of online resources (and this magazine!) can guide you through the process.
Netting, Trellis, and Ties
You’ve got your fingers, scissors, and screen of green, but what other tools might you need for super cropping success? Netting, stakes, and horticultural trellis are essential to support the plant and help it heal after you’ve stressed it out. Without proper support, super cropping can be disastrous. Choose from plastic or soft mesh options, whichever you prefer. You’ll also need vinyl stretch or soft twist ties to secure the branches to the netting or trellis properly. Some growers like to use a good rooting hormone, and if exposing the plant to prolonged periods of darkness, a suitable aftercare routine is essential. If you don’t know what to look for, head down to your local grow shop and ask for help selecting bloom boosters and finishers.
Good Reads
Garden Culture Magazine is here to help you achieve super cropping success, so be sure to save this issue for future grows. Laminate it if you have to! So many different websites, blogs, and online vids have devoted themselves to helping growers with this advanced technique; don’t be shy to seek them out. Prefer to flip through some pages as they did in the old days? You’re in luck; several books have been written about this growing technique and are available for purchase. The main idea is to educate yourself as best you can; super cropping isn’t for the faint of heart and is recommended for more advanced growers. The more you know, the better you’ll grow, so get studying! Your plants will thank you.
