Taming green monsters: trellising and staking techniques to protect cannabis plants from gravity

Growing cannabis is an art that requires meticulous attention and constant care. Among the greatest challenges faced by growers is the need to provide adequate support for the plants throughout their development. Trellising and staking are essential techniques to help prevent breakage at crucial stages of their life – from the newly transplanted, vulnerable seedlings, to the imposing plants at the advanced flowering stage after they’ve developed buds like fists. So, let’s explain these techniques in a bit more detail!

In the world of cannabis cultivation, few scenarios are as frustrating as watching a carefully tended plant break under its own weight or due to external factors such as wind or rain. So, whether we’re talking about a young seedling struggling to stay upright, or a mature plant loaded with heavy buds, trellising and staking are critical to ensuring their continued productivity and health.

Even in controlled environments, weak or stretched stems can compromise the structural integrity of the plant. And support not only prevents physical damage – it also optimises growth, and ensures even distribution of light and ventilation, which in turn helps maximise the plant’s yielding capacity. Therefore, it is vital to distinguish two key moments in which providing the right support takes centre stage.

Support for newly transplanted seedlings

Young cannabis seedlings are like newborns in the garden, so they require special care to become robust and healthy plants. And when they’re transplanted outdoors in the spring, they face new challenges in the form of variable weather conditions or animal attacks. Therefore, it is crucial to provide them with support to prevent them from falling over or breaking.

Lignification, a process by which stems become woodier and more resistant, has not yet been completed at this stage, which leaves young plants at the mercy of inclement weather. Besides, the root system is not large enough to provide a strong anchor, which means that plants can be easily knocked down.

To address these dangers, several support techniques can be used:

Single stakes

The use of wooden stakes, bamboo canes, thin metal rods, or even a toothpick (which may be enough for newly sprouted seedlings), provides direct support to the main stem. It is essential to insert these stakes with extreme caution, keeping a distance of at least 5 – 6 cm from the stem to avoid damaging the roots. Tying should be done with soft materials such as garden tapes or raffia threads, adjusting them periodically to avoid chokepoints as the stem thickens.

Horizontal support with meshes or nets

The use of low meshes or nets, in a similar way to a miniature SCROG setup, provides a guide for early growth. This not only offers support but also encourages an even distribution of energy to achieve a more robust and balanced structure. A light net can also be stretched over the seedlings to protect them from the wind and encourage them to grow upward through it, thereby providing natural support as they develop.

Wind protection

In areas prone to strong gusts, you can use physical barriers or temporary structures (such as fabric or plastic barriers) around the seedlings to block strong winds; but these should be removed or adjusted as the plants grow to prevent them from becoming too dependent on protection. In areas with unpredictable weather, the use of mini greenhouses can protect young plants from wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations whilst still allowing light to pass through.

Support in advanced flowering stages

As cannabis plants enter the flowering phase, the challenges continue to evolve as the buds can increase their weight significantly within a matter of days, subjecting the branches to huge mechanical stress (especially if the plant has grown tall and slender without proper support, or if rain has increased the humidity of the buds). In addition, plants that have experienced nutrient deficiencies or other stresses during the vegetative stage may have brittle branches that are more likely to break under the weight of the buds or due to other external pressures.

To counteract this gravitational threat, growers can implement several advanced techniques:

Metal vertical staking systems

Metal cages that have been adapted for cannabis offer full support, allowing you to tie the main branches at multiple points to distribute the weight more evenly. For particularly vigorous plants, vertical stakes provide additional support, allowing for precise adjustments as the buds gain mass.

Advanced trellis netting

Trellising may consist of wooden, plastic, or metal frames built around a plant to support it; or of a square mesh that is placed on top of it – this not only optimises light exposure but also acts as a distributed support system. By carefully intertwining the upper branches through the mesh, a mutual support structure is created between the different parts of the plant, allowing the taming of tree-sized specimens that have wild branches pointing in all directions.

Selective tying techniques

This technique requires an expert eye to identify the branches that need additional support, before crossing them and tying them to stronger adjacent branches to create a natural support system within the plant itself. Encouraging branches to support each other by tying them together can create a stronger and more stable structure.

Controlled Supercropping

This technique involves bending the stem without breaking it to make it more flexible, which stimulates the plant to reinforce the damaged area with additional growth and stronger tissues. The plant will typically form a “knuckle” or thickened area at the site of the damage, providing additional strength and support.

Plant Pulleys

These pulleys consist of small plastic hooks attached to a string, which is hung at the top of the grow cabinet. They allow the cabinet to support part of the plants’ weight, distributing the load evenly without causing damage. For indoor growing, plant yo-yos are the easiest and most efficient option for supporting heavy buds.

Emergency Solutions

In the unfortunate event of a broken branch, quickly applying grafting tape or medical tape can save the limb and allow it to continue developing. For extra support, use a stake as a splint, tying it to the branch on both sides of the break with soft ties or tape. If a branch is severely damaged and can’t be saved, it’s sometimes better to prune it cleanly to prevent the spread of disease and allow the plant to focus its energy on healthy growth.

Other support tips

It is important to recognise that each cannabis strain may require a slightly different approach. For instance, compact indicas may benefit more from vertical support, whereas lanky sativas may require a more elaborate netting system so that their weight is distributed more effectively. Complementing these training techniques with defoliation practices and a balanced nutrient plan that strengthens the stems can make all the difference between a mediocre and a top-notch harvest.

You also need to check the supports and moorings at least once a week to ensure they’re still suitable for the size of the plant. As the plant grows, gradually adjust the supports to accommodate its increasing height and width. And use biodegradable materials for the moorings, as they will decompose naturally over time, reducing the need for frequent adjustments.

And remember that, ultimately, mastering the art of trellising and staking in cannabis cultivation not only protects the grower’s investment, but also allows these magnificent plants to reach their full potential, defying gravity and producing harvests that are as much a testament to the grower’s skill as they are to the resilience of cannabis.