Tying down branches while mainlining - mandatory or optional?

[NEGreenery]

Hello guys,

I'm just curious to know if tying down your branches will have any greater affect than not tying them down.

I'm scared to tie my branches down, because on one of my plants, the entire 1 half of the plant snapped off. (aka the branch on 1 half of the plant snapped off.)
So I wonder if it's optional or mandatory to tie down the branches.

I think it's optional, because the point of mainlining is to create mains that receive equal amounts of nutrients and light, right? So not tying either branch down will make it so that the plant receives equal amounts of essentials for the plant's life anyways, my point - each half of the plant grows in parallel. That's my theory, but maybe someone can answer this with their own experience?

 

[josefrahl]

I'm of the understanding that if you don't tie down then the plant will think it only has one main cola instead of adapting to split up nutriets.

 

[Ponky]

If you're going to top and train you need to tie the arms. I find that right at lights on the plant is its most pliable.

 

[NEGreenery]

I'm of the understanding that if you don't tie down then the plant will think it only has one main cola instead of adapting to split up nutriets.

If both halves of the plant are green and almost identical to each other, I'm pretty sure your plant knows it has 2 main colas.

 

[growsince79]

Hello guys,

I'm just curious to know if tying down your branches will have any greater affect than not tying them down.

I'm scared to tie my branches down, because on one of my plants, the entire 1 half of the plant snapped off. (aka the branch on 1 half of the plant snapped off.)
So I wonder if it's optional or mandatory to tie down the branches.

I think it's optional, because the point of mainlining is to create mains that receive equal amounts of nutrients and light, right? So not tying either branch down will make it so that the plant receives equal amounts of essentials for the plant's life anyways, my point - each half of the plant grows in parallel. That's my theory, but maybe someone can answer this with their own experience?

Nothing about training is mandatory. Theres two reasons to tie branches down. One reason is to control height, the other is to induce branching.

 

[Ponky]

Nothing about training is mandatory. Theres two reasons to tie branches down. One reason is to control height, the other is to induce branching.

The mandatory thing about training is the training and manipulating part. Otherwise you're just topping. You can bend them or tie them. Buy if you do neither you aren't trainings. Topping alone is fine. But if you want it wide you have to make it that way. Best way is to tie arms down.

 

[elduderito]

"don't be scared homie" - Nick Diaz

breaking branches is all part of the learning experience ... just because it happens it doesn't mean you should be scared! When tying down it's best to slowly bend and kind of massage the stem between your fingers to make it more flexible... you can also pinch the stem (à la Kyle Kushman chyropactor) until you hear it kind of pop/crunch, this will allow you to tie down unruly branches and will create a knuckle where you pinched it.. if you try to just tie and pull branches down cold turkey you're likely to break more branches... good luck and don't sweat it!

 

[quirk]

Don't crank them down more than 70° and adjust accordingly as they grow out and up.

 

[GreenMtnGuru]

For a proper mainlining it is mandatory. You really want to spread those branches apart to get them growing into their own quadrant of the grow-pot. If your plant is firing on all cylinders, daily adjustment might be necessary. You will thank yourself for all the extra work when you get to your 8 tops, and realize how important the training is if you decide to push to a 16 top manifold. 8 is plenty indoors if you are running more than one plant at a time though.