In the previous post, we talked about the SOG method and it is now time to talk about its sister, the SCROG or Screen of Green technique. About the SOG, we said that it aimed at a continuous production, getting various vertical units (cuttings) to flower quickly. SCROG limits the vertical growth of one or more plants and instead, it promotes horizontal growth so that all of the branches and flowers are exposed to the same quantity of light, maximising production of one or a few plants in a limited space.
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How to SCROG
To do so, we use a screen or mesh that rests approximately 30 centimetres above the planters. When the plants or the plant reach the screen, you attach them so they grow horizontally. The screen should be well fixed since the stems only act to supply nutrients and it will be responsible for holding the plant. It can be made from any material – wood, wire, plastic or bamboo – but the holes should be at least 5 square centimetres wide to leave space for the points.
This method starts with the seed or a cutting since the plants do not need to be completely identical; the screen performs that task. The important thing is to use feminised plants if we don’t want to spend weeks getting involved to find out that it’s a male. Sativa strains are best adapted to the SCROG because they have finer and more malleable stems than Indicas and a higher internodal distance. Indicas have thicker, stronger stems that offer more resistance to the mesh.
Production will be the same with one or more plants. What will vary is the time of growth. A single plant will take five to seven weeks to cover the mesh while that time is reduced to several weeks with three or four plants. A 25-litre planter is recommended for one plant and a 12-litre planter for more. The goal is the same: cover the horizontal surface beneath the screen. If we use Sativa varieties, we will have to change the photoperiod to 12/12 hours when the plants reach 60 per cent of the mesh. They will cover the rest of the space when flowering. If we use Indicas, we will have to wait until they cover 80 per cent since they take less time to flower and grow less in that period.
A simple trick is to prune the central point of the plant when it is still young, when it reaches a height of 15 cm, so that the lateral branches take a greater prominence. The most efficient cut is called the FIM, which eliminates about 80 per cent of the central shoot, instead of eliminating the entire shoot as in traditional pruning. This way, three to eight new branches will come out instead of just two.
SCROG Variations
Once you know the basics, you can free your imagination to come up with the most efficient methods that best utilise the plants’ space and needs. Here are some ideas:
V-SCROG. Photo from kenderforum
the idea is for the plant to utilise the five sides of the container.
Spherical SCROG
The method is just as valid for indoor as it is for outdoor. Indeed, many outdoor growers use it to minimise the plants’ vertical visibility. Photo from Cannabis café.
Hydro-SCROG: in Sweet seed grow serpis. Hydroponics is perfect for SCROG because it maximises plant growth.