The BudTrainer Methodā„¢ Lesson #4

When & How to Train Hemp Plants

(works with AUTOFLOWERS)

Written by cannabis production expert Henrique Dias - Updated on June 20,2024

Multiple cannabis plants with mature buds growing under indoor conditions, with a yellow and purple ā€˜BudTrainerā€™ banner in the background.

DISCLAIMER: Everything taught and sold by BudTrainerĀ® is to be used strictly for legal purposes. We condemn the production of illegal substances and it is your duty to ensure that you are complying with the law. The words "hemp", "cannabis", "weed", and "marijuana" are used interchangeably to refer to the same plant (legal hemp with less than 0.3% THC) for the purposes of this lesson.


The Easiest Way To Increase Your Yields: Plant Training

Did you know that 95% of commercial cannabis producers provide some form of training to their plants? They wouldnā€™t be doing it if it wasnā€™t increasing their yields.

We know it all too well because weā€™ve made the mistake of NOT training our plants, until we took to plant science and commercial cannabis production to create a training method that works on both photoperiods and autoflowers, and that increases your yields at home no matter what.

Tools & Materials

  1. BudClipsĀ® or LST clips
  2. BudPotsĀ® or fabric pot
  3. BudHuggersĀ® or wire
  4. Trimming scissors
Image showing the BudPots, Budhuggers, BudClips, and black trimmers on top of a white background

3 Stages of Cannabis Plant Training

The BudTrainer Methodā„¢ has three stages of training.

The first two stages are meant to help you manipulate your plant to maximize its light exposure and airflow, thus increasing photosynthesis.Ā 

The last stage, on the other hand, is meant to help you provide the necessary support for your buds so they can grow into large and juicy colas.


Stage 1. Main Stalk Setup

When: 1 to 2 weeks after topping

Stage 1 is all about optimizing for bud size. Itā€™s meant to help you create a strong branch structure that allows your plant to grow bigger, denser buds. It is important not to wait too long before performing Stage 1 of training, otherwise your branches will grow too large and woody, and will be prone to breaking.

A healthy cannabis plant with lush green leaves growing in a fabric pot, labeled ā€˜Cannabis Plant Ready for Training,ā€™ with the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.


Stage 2. Branch Management

When: 1 to 2 weeks after stage 1 (can be repeated multiple times)

Stage 2 of marijiuana training, Branch Management is all about optimizing for bud consistency. It is meant to help you fill your entire grow space with buds of the same size. It can be done 1 to 2 weeks after Stage 1, and can be repeated a few times.

Person wearing blue gloves gently handling a cannabis plant, focusing on a branch with visible training clips, with the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.


Stage 3. Bud Support

When: 3 weeks after flowering

Stage 3 of cannabis plant training, Bud Support, is meant to help your plant withstand the weight of those big, juicy buds you are about to grow. If you donā€™t support your buds during the flowering stage, your plant will get floppy and fall over to the sides.

Cannabis plant branches being trained using yellow BudHuggers during the flowering stage

BudTip: The Branch Squeeze

However, if you feel like your branch is going to break, STOP, and do a ā€œbranch squeezeā€: gently squeeze your branch with your thumb and index finger, where the curve of the branch will be sharpest. By squeezing these fibers, you are preventing your branches from breaking when you bend them. And donā€™t worry if you squeeze your branch flat: they will form a knuckle and get stronger later on.

Please note: this plant didnā€™t need the branch squeeze, but it was done to help you better understand this lesson. When in doubt, a squeeze is always better than a break.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to squeeze a cannabis plant branch until it cracks, with the text ā€œSqueeze Until It Cracksā€ and an arrow pointing to the branch, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Once the branch is soft from the branch squeeze, you may train it under the 2nd pin of the BudClips.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to train a cannabis branch under a yellow BudClip, with the text ā€œTrain Branch Under BudClipā€ and an arrow pointing to the branch, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Once you are finished with the first BudClip, you can do the exact same thing to the other branch. This time, in order to attach the BudClip to the main stalk, you will need to interlock it as shown below. Without this interlocking ability, the BudClips would bump into each other and you'd only be able to train one side.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to interlock a yellow BudClip on the main stalk of a cannabis plant, with the text ā€œInterlock on Main Stalkā€ and an arrow pointing to the BudClip, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.
Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to attach a yellow BudClip to a cannabis plant branch, with the text ā€œThen Attach to the Branchā€ and an arrow pointing to the BudClip, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

After one week, this is how those small top branches will be looking: wide and strong, ready to support multiple heavy buds at the top. The area where the squeeze happened one week prior will form a ā€œknuckleā€ that is not only stronger but also thicker than the rest of the plant.

Cannabis plant branches being trained with multiple yellow BudClips, showing the branches spread and secured for optimal growth, with the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Step 2. Training 4th Node (2nd From Top)

Once you are finished with the 5th (top) node, itā€™s time to train the 4th node the same way: either by interlocking your BudClips on the main stem, or, if the branches are too hard, which is usually the case with the second node, using the BudClips higher up on those branches, where they are bendy.Ā 

Please note: if you donā€™t have the BudClips, you can accomplish a very similar result by using only the BudHuggers and attaching them to the BudPots, as you will learn to do in Step 3.

To accomplish this, attach the pin closest to the main stalk, then attach the upper pin of the BudClips second, by bending the branch with your other hand.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to attach a yellow BudClip to a cannabis plant branch, with labeled steps ā€œ1. Attach Bottom BudClips Pinā€ and ā€œ2. Attach Top BudClips Pinā€ and arrows pointing to the BudClip, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.
Cannabis plant branches being trained with multiple yellow BudClips, showing the branches spread and secured for optimal growth, with the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

BudTip: How to Fix a Broken Branch

Donā€™t sweat it! Breaking branches is a rite of passage in cannabis cultivation, and we STILL break branches to this day. In fact, thatā€™s what happens when you are pushing the limits of how big your buds can be.Ā 

A broken branch, while not ideal, will not take that much away from yield. Cannabis plants have very fast metabolisms, and they will channel energy to the branches that are left instead - reconstructing your plant in a way that will still produce lots of buds!

Close-up of a cannabis plant branch being trained, showing the details of the stem and leaves with a yellow training tie visible in the background, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

To fix a broken branch simply use some tape around the broken area, connecting both ends of the broken branch, and make sure that both sides of the broken tissue are touching.

Person wearing blue gloves wrapping tape around a cannabis plant branch break, with the text ā€œWrap Tape Around Branch Breakā€ and an arrow pointing to the taped area, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

You can add a drop of honey to help both sides ā€œglueā€ back together. If your branch is heavy, make more rounds of tape until it provides enough structure, but not too much to squeeze the branch.Ā 

Close-up of a cannabis plant branch that has been wrapped with tape after a break, showing the secured area with a yellow training tie visible in the background, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

1 week later, your plant will be fully healed and you can remove the tape to allow your branch to continue growing.

Step 3. Training Remaining Nodes

Now that your top 2 nodes are trained, itā€™s time to take care of your bottom 2 nodes. However, there are 2 scenarios that you can run into here. The 1st is where your bottom branches are long and have made it to the top of the canopy. The 2nd is when your bottom branches are short, staying low and in the middle of the canopy.

As in the plant below, you can see that the bottom branches are long, and their tips are facing outward, almost at a 45 degree angle. This is usually how bottom branches grow - tall and off to the sides. If this is the case with your plant, it means you are doing well! Now itā€™s time to train them.

Cannabis plant branches being trained with yellow BudClips, with the text ā€œHealthy & Tall Bottom Branchesā€ and arrows pointing to the branches, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

First, cut a 4" to 6" piece of BudHuggers and attach the first end to the grommet closest to the branch, securing it in place by squeezing it around the BudPots.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to insert a yellow tie into a grommet on a fabric pot and bend it upward, with the text ā€œInsert Into Grommet & Bend Upward,ā€ and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Pull the branch down to your desired height and measure where you want to bend your BudHuggers. If there are large leaves on the way, you can also pull the branch sideways and attach it to an adjacent grommet. This will allow you to train your branch down and to the side at the same time.

Please note: make sure to arrange the bottom branches at a similar height to the top branches, otherwise they will get less light exposure and become dwarfed.Ā 

Close-up of a person wearing blue gloves pulling a cannabis branch down using a yellow BudHugger to the desired height, with the instruction ā€˜PULL BRANCH DOWN TO DESIRED HEIGHTā€™ overlaid in white text. The BudTrainer logo is visible in the bottom right corner.

Loop the BudHuggers around your finger to create a large loop for the branch.

Person wearing blue gloves demonstrating how to loop BudHuggers over their finger while training a cannabis plant branch, with the text ā€œLoop BudHuggers Over Fingerā€ and an arrow pointing to the BudHuggers, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Release the branch in place and adjust as you see fit. Make sure to create a loop at least twice as large as the branch, otherwise it can get strangled. Repeat this process with the remaining branches, until all 8 branches are trained on the BudPotsā€™ grommets.

Cannabis plant branch being trained with yellow BudHuggers, with the text ā€œLeave a Large Loop Aroundā€ and an arrow pointing to the loop, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

When arranging your branches, organize them as symmetrically as possible - pulling opposite branches from the same node at 180 degrees from one-another, and leaving space between them.

Top-down view of a cannabis plant with branches being trained outward using yellow BudClips, with arrows indicating the direction of branch spreading, and the BudTrainer logo in the bottom right corner.

Please note: if you donā€™t have the BudHuggers and the BudPots, you can accomplish the same technique by using the BudClips Just make sure that they are being used toward the tip of the branch, on the soft part and not the woody part.

Step 2. Topping Again (Not For Autos)

Please note: skip to Step 3 if you are growing autoflowers, as it is not recommended to top them twice. At this stage, they will already be well into the flowering stage.

Topping shouldnā€™t be anything new to you at this point, as you already learned how to top your cannabis plants on Lesson #3: How to Top Cannabis.Ā 

Well, this is the part where you get to top our cannabis plants for the 2nd time. When topping for the second time it is important to only top the 4 top branches, and not the 4 bottom branches, as they already have to work harder to make their way to the top of the canopy. By topping only the top nodes, the lower ones can ā€œcatch upā€. To top again, simply cut the top 1 inch from each one of the 4 top branches, leaving behind 2 or 3 nodes on each (4 to 6 new growth sites each).

The image shows a close-up of a person wearing blue gloves, using a pair of scissors to top a cannabis plant. The text overlay "Top 1 inch at most" indicates that the person is carefully cutting the top of the plant to promote better growth. Topping is a technique used to encourage bushier growth and more flowering sites by cutting the main stem. The plant appears healthy, with vibrant green leaves.
For the next step, the topping process should be repeated on the top four branches of the cannabis plant. Itā€™s important to avoid topping the bottom branches. This selective topping encourages the plant to develop multiple main colas, promoting better light distribution and potentially increasing yields. The branches to be topped are indicated, ensuring precise and consistent application of the technique.

Can I Top More Than Twice?

Yes you can! While not recommended when growing indoors (unless you have more than 15 sq.ft per plant), if you are growing outdoors you can top your plant for a 3rd or 4th time after 1 to 2 weeks from the previous topping. This will once again ā€œmultiplyā€ your plant. The plants below, for example, were topped a total of 4 times using the mainline training method.

Outdoor cannabis plants in a garden setting, trained with optimal spacing and light exposure.

BudTip: Always Prune Dwarfed Branches

Before topping your plant for a second or third time, remove any growth sites where the node is either shaded, or has a large and a small growth site. By removing the small growth site from the pair (as pointed by the white arrow below) you help your plant focus its energy on the larger growth site, instead of wasting it on a small branch that will never grow past the top of the canopy.

Person in blue gloves using scissors to prune dwarfed branches of a cannabis plant, with a yellow bud clip visible on the main stem.

How to Train Weed Plants | Stage 3

Please note: the third stage of training is to be performed right after the mid-flower defoliation (AKA ā€œlollipoppingā€) between day 21 and 25 of flower. To learn how to defoliate and prune your plants to increase airflow and light penetration, head on over to Lesson #5: How to Defoliate Cannabis and then come back here.

Indoor cannabis plants are supported by a trellis net and grow under artificial lighting. The plants are healthy and covered with green leaves, with a yellow sign in the background that reads ā€˜GROW BIG BUDS.'

The 3rd stage of plant training is meant to help you support your buds in such a way that when they become heavy, they wonā€™t fall over to the sides, like the plant on the right, below.Ā 

The 3rd stage starts as soon as the third week of flowering is over (21 to 25 days into the flowering cycle), which means your plant will stop stretching upwards and start thickening up, which is when it gets top-heavy.

A grow tent contains two cannabis plants under the "BudTrainer" brand banner. The left plant, labeled "Supported," is upright and flourishing with visible support mechanisms. The right plant, labeled "Unsupported," is leaning and less structured, demonstrating the contrast in growth support. A digital thermometer displays a temperature of 20.1Ā°C and humidity of 58%.

In order to support your buds, there are two available methods: using a garden tie, like the BudHuggers, or using a trellis net. The advantage of the BudHuggers is that they can be used anywhere, and it allows your plants to be moved around. The trellis net, on the other hand, provides better support to your buds but it needs a fixed structure in place, such as the corner poles of an indoor tent or a frame made of wood or PVC, which also means you wonā€™t be able to move your plants until harvest.

1. Garden Ties (BudHuggers)

The quickest and easiest way for you to support your buds is by tying them to one another, in a way that allows opposite branches to support the other. In order to do this, simply choose branches that are 180 degrees apart, and tie them to one-another (do not pull them together - simply leave them where they are).

Yellow ties are securing opposite cannabis branches to each other, providing support and maintaining structure. This technique aids in the stability and even growth of the plant.

You can also tie all branches together in a large loop, like a tomato cage. To accomplish this, cut a long piece of BudHuggers and create a large hoop around your plants with it, then tie it to 3 or 4 branches, such that it canā€™t move down. This will allow your buds to thicken up without pulling the branch down.

cannabis plant being supported by BudHuggers from BudTrainer. The BudHuggers are yellow and are used to provide structural support to the plant, helping it maintain its shape and optimizing light exposure and airflow to promote healthy growth. The BudHuggers are positioned around the plant, ensuring it remains upright and properly supported as it grows

After attaching the top branches to one another in order to provide them support, it's time to support your main stalk. If you fail to do this, your plant may end up flopping over to the side entirely, which makes it very difficult to manage. For this, tie your BudHuggers as "guy wires" to your main stalk, and tighten them around the BudPots. At this stage, your stalk cannot get strangled anymore.

cannabis plant stalk supported by BudHuggers from BudTrainer. The yellow BudHuggers are securely wrapped around the main stalk and branches, providing stability and support to the plant. This helps ensure the plant remains upright and evenly distributed, promoting optimal growth and airflow around the plant structure.


2. Trellis Netting

Since the purpose of this lesson is not to teach you how to build a trellis net, we will assume you already have a trellis net installed in your grow tent or outdoors. We recommend trellis netting with 3" holes, which allows roughly one large cola per hole.

A cannabis plant in a black fabric pot is trained using a trellis net on an outdoor wooden deck. White arrows indicate the training direction of the branches through the trellis net.

Different from training with garden ties, where you start on week 3 of flower, with a trellis net you can start as soon as the flowering cycle begins. In order to support your buds using a trellis net, you will need to low-stress train each individual branch by ā€œtuckingā€ them under the line and through each hole. To do this, wait until the branch is 3 to 4 inches above the net, and then ā€œtuckā€ it under the next line in such a way that will widen the canopy of your plant.

A close-up of a hand tucking a cannabis branch under a trellis net. The net is used to train the branches for better growth and structure.

Once your plant stops stretching at the end of the third week of flowering, you can stop tucking the branches under, and instead just let them go. At this point, your plant will be as wide as it can be, and the net will start acting as a support for those heavy and juicy colas you are about to start growing. In a nutshell, the trellis works to keep your branches down at first, and then to keep your buds up at the end.

A large cannabis plant growing in a black fabric pot is supported by a wooden trellis net structure on an outdoor deck. The trellis net helps to train the branches for optimal growth and structure.


You Are Off To Growing Massive Buds

This is an exciting part of the growth cycle of your plant because it means you have done most of the work in preparing it for success, and now you can enjoy the results of your effort. Once marijuana plants mature toward the end of the flowering cycle, your buds will start to show those much-wanted trichomes and to put out the pleasant aromas that your terpenes produce. All you have to do now is continue watering and fertilizing, while sitting back and watching it grow.

Indoor cannabis plants are supported by a trellis net and grow under artificial lighting. The plants are healthy and covered with green leaves, with a yellow sign in the background that reads ā€˜GROW BIG BUDS.'



Q. What is the difference between training indicas and sativas?

Indicas

  • Easier to train
  • Requires more defoliation and pruning
  • Only needs to be topped once
  • Needs to be trained less frequently
  • Lower profile plants

Due to their genetic makeup, cannabis indicas have a sturdy growth structure, with thick fingered fan leaves and short spaces between each set of leaves (called internodal spacing). These features make indicas great for beginners who want to practice all training techniques, including topping, low-stress training, pruning, & defoliation. Since indicas are short and stocky, they are super easy to train when compared to their tall and lanky sisters: the sativas.

A comparison diagram of cannabis leaves and plant types. On the left, two leaves are labeled ā€˜Sativaā€™ and ā€˜Indica.ā€™ On the right, the diagram shows three cannabis plant types: a tall and slender ā€˜Sativa,ā€™ a shorter and bushier ā€˜Indica,ā€™ and a small ā€˜Ruderalisā€™ plant.

Sativas

  • More difficult to train
  • Requires less defoliation and pruning
  • Needs to be topped multiple times
  • Needs to be trained more frequently
  • Higher profile plants

Sativa cannabis strains have a tall and skinny structure, with longer internodal spacing (space between each node). This makes it extra important to constantly low-stress train and top them so that they stay low to the ground. We recommend topping sativas once every 2 weeks until it is time to switch them to flower. This will ensure your plants don't grow too tall too quickly and end up reaching your lights (indoors) or becoming prone to breaking under strong winds (outdoors).

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About The Author

Henrique Dias with sunglasses on the head and a background of an indoor grow tent filled with cannabis plants inside the BudPots

Henrique, the CEO of BudTrainerĀ®, is a mechanical engineer with a commercial cannabis production post-grad, and is also a former commercial cannabis consultant.Ā 

H takes plant science principles and breaks them down into simple steps for home growers to achieve the same results as the pros and grow the highest-quality cannabis.

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Close up shot of a recently topped cannabis plant showing the top two nodes, with very small growth sites and large and healthy cannabis leaves

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