The term “scrogging,” which refers to an indoor cannabis training strategy, is derived from the acronym SCROG. There are many different ways for indoor growers to maximize their space, but scrogging is one of the most popular.
The goal of SCROG is to teach cannabis growers to get the most bang for their buck by minimizing light usage and producing the most top colas from their plants. If you don’t train your plant first, it’s unlikely that only one colossal cola will result. Each branch becomes a huge cola as a result of SCROG. Growers are encouraged to produce high yields from as few as one or five plants because of this.
To produce a SCROG, growers create a Net—which resembles a large metal grid—about 15 inches above their indoor cannabis plants. After cannabis branches sprout through the net, the stalks are bent and linked to the screen in order for them to expand outwards rather than up.
Scrogging is another term for topping, which is a practice of pruning your cannabis plants’ tips to encourage outwards development. Topping your plants helps them develop additional branches and become bushier by forcing them outwards. Then, when you scrogg, it exposes every inch of those branches to lighting so that they may be utilized most efficiently indoors.
Scrog vs. Sog
The sea of green approach, also known as the “sea of green” method, is another form of crop production that increases yields. It’s a polar opposite to SCROG in many ways. SCROG grows just a few plants and creates numerous bud sites with multiple budding tips. SOG, on the other hand, focuses on one large cola development rather than many smaller ones like SCROG does.
After a few weeks to a month, the cannabis plants are moved into flower. This energizes the clones since their stalks thicken and they begin to develop a single magnificent bloom.
The SOG technique is much faster than SCROG. Grown experts frequently utilize the SOG method for fast effects. SCROG is better suited to novices because it allows for quicker development and harvesting of a larger number of plants in a shorter time period.
Indicas grow well with SCROG, but sativas are better suited to SOG. In most countries, you may only grow up to 6 plants in a SOG method. This restricts the number of plants that may be produced in some areas. Over time, both techniques result in comparable yields.
Why Use The SCROG Method?
Because the lights required to stimulate healthy development consume a lot of electricity, growing cannabis indoors may be expensive. That’s why the SCROG technique was developed. The SCROG method ensures that each developing region receives the same amount of light, resulting in many large colas while also utilizing the whole grow room most efficiently. Plus, because there are no taller plants to cast shadows on shorter ones, everything is about equal height in the green screen.
Scrogging is an excellent method for indoor growers in both illegal and legal jurisdictions, especially those with a limited number of legal plants to grow. It’s ideal in Canada, where at-home cultivation is permitted but only permits each family to cultivate four plants. Four plants cultivated utilizing the SCROG technique will produce more high-quality flowers than four plants grown without it. Furthermore, all of the buds will be top-shelf grade colas. There will never be soft buds on lower branches that don’t completely mature.
Scragging is also a fantastic technique for producing sativas in garages. Sativas, unlike indicas, are tall plants that eventually reach the ceiling during bloom. Although this isn’t an issue outside, it is certain that they will reach the ceiling if cultivated indoors. As a result, many indoor growers utilize a green screen to restrict sativas while still increasing their yield and using less light.
Scrogging also has one disadvantage: indoor cannabis growers may dim the brightness of their grow lights to the lowest feasible level. It’s significant because light intensity is one of the most important aspects of growing marijuana indoors. Furthermore, lowering grow lights isn’t an option if some plants are taller than others since the tallest ones might be harmed.
Because they’re all the same height with the green screen, burning tall plants should not be an issue. Simply make sure your grow space does not exceed 77 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid killing or damaging plants. Scrogging, in essence, delivers you the highest-quality buds for your energy expenditures as well as the finest “buds for your money.”
ADVANTAGES OF GROWING CANNABIS IN A SCROG
What is ScrOG, and why would one want to use it? There are a number of reasons for using ScrOG. It has several advantages, including:
- Light exposure: Both ScrOG and HPS benefit from a single light. There are no two-way lighting systems to make the job of producing cannabis in an outdoor grow area more difficult. When novice cannabis plants have one dominant cola that rises above the rest of the plant, it’s critical to position the light rig higher than this zone. When compared to other styles of gardens, when a lighting rig hangs freely over each flower in a ScrOG garden,
- Yield: Too much light can harm your cannabis plants, causing them to scorch, burn, and even die. The correct amount of light is critical for healthy development and resin production. This style of growth training also transforms the entire stem and middle cola into a variety of forms.
- Aeration: Two layers of vertical green screens shield the plant from direct sunlight. By increasing ventilation above and below the plant, a fan may help to prevent fungal infections by preventing overheating.
- Maximise space: A single scrogged plant in a little area may produce a greater yield than several smaller, untrained ones. This technique may be used by covert home growers to the greatest extent. Cultivators can even combine many plants into a single ScrOG for cultivation.
When to ScrOG
You’ll be able to lead your plants through the screen as soon as they come into contact with it. We recommend placing the screen at a height of 20cm above your plants’ base, ensuring that their growth rate determines when you begin ScrOGing.
Begin tucking as each plant’s apex begins to emerge through the screen. Allow each tip to grow 5cm over the screen after it has grown 5cm above the surface. Tuck each shoot beneath the screen and direct them on their way toward the next square away, one by one. The process of tucking will lay the groundwork for ScrOG, so be careful about how you want your branches to develop.
Continue with the procedure throughout the vegetative phase. When the screen is completely filled, change to a 12/12 light cycle to induce blooming.
Tuck and weave each limb over the next 2–3 weeks as your plants grow. This will allow you to fill out the screen before your plants enter their true-blooming period, slowing down their development.
When not to ScrOG
It’s best to wait until the buds have a good set before tucking and weaving them. It might be tempting to move forward, but your plants will grow significantly beyond the screen. It’s not easy training your plants into the mesh too early, when they’re still in their vegetative phase—you’ll have to do extra work. You could even run out of space on your grid if you try this technique too soon after planting.
The procedure for using ScrOG isn’t difficult, but it does require some effort. Even if you don’t have a lot of experience with marijuana cultivation, you can easily get started and produce fantastic results. Simply follow the recommendations outlined below to ensure a successful harvest.
Growers should alter strains to match their tastes, geographical constraints, and local conditions, even if they have received no training. Some strains are far more suited to the ScrOG approach than others. The following are some of the finest features for the position.
- Stretchy sativas: The most common kind of cannabis, indica strains are short and squat. They’re thin, with long stems that stretch out when pulled. Growers can simply twist their branches and fill out a ScrOG with ease. Of course, you may grow smaller and bushier indicas as well; just use more plants to get the most efficiency from your area.
- Strain matching: In a ScrOG system, growers can grow many different strains in the same area at once. For a greater range of blooms, try growing various strains with similar average heights.
You’ll want to pick the appropriate pot size to get the most out of your ScrOG. This parameter varies with the number of plants you intend to grow in your ScrOG. Take into account these factors:
- Multiple plants: Spacing is crucial if you want to grow many plants in a lesser space (more on that below). As a result, each plant will need a smaller container. The 11l pot will take the fewest amount of room while growing effectively.
- Single plants: When you use a single plant in your ScrOG setup, you may raise the pot size. A 25l container will provide your plant enough space to establish a robust root network and wide canopy.
- Fabric pots: The ScrOG method drastically improves aeration of the canopy, which is especially beneficial in hydroponics. The Aqua Breathe layer in the RQS Fabric Pot allows for greater oxygen levels and better moisture retention.
Multiple plants in a ScrOG may be harvested from numerous individual strains. You can grow high-THC and high-CBD varieties together, as well as match plants based on their terpene profiles.
The proper spacing is one of the most essential elements in producing a large number of plants, since it will aid in the reduction of mould formation while also encouraging the maximum yield. The objective: to fit as many plants as possible for optimum results while keeping them far enough apart to enhance light exposure and aeration.
In a maximum container size of 11 liters, you may house four small/medium-sized plants per m2.