A guide to the screen of green method

The Screen of Green method, better known as “ScrOG,” is a technique for optimizing cannabis yield per square foot. The theory behind the ScrOG method is to manipulate the plant’s branches to grow horizontally rather than vertically so that more flower nodes are exposed to the light source. Screen of Green — not to be confused with Sea of Green or “SOG” — is a technique traditionally used in indoor growing operations to maximize the yield of cannabis plants, but forms of the ScrOG method can be used in outdoor grow operations to enhance the quality of the final product.

The screen can be created from various materials depending on your budget, access, and grow room set-up. Some prefer plastic trellis netting with T-posts or wood posts to hold the net in place. This works perfectly for canopies grown in long community beds. Other growers opt for metal screens, while even more like to make screens out of rope. The only real requirement is that the screen consists of a sturdy material in two-inch squares.

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How to do the screen of green method

Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Once you’ve decided on a material, it’s time to install your screen. The best time to install the screen is during the vegetative stage when the cannabis plants have grown into thick bushes of fan leaves.

Here’s our simple step-by-step guide to help you implement the ScrOG method:

Step 1

Make sure the screen is securely attached to a wall or post, then gently bring the screen down on top of the canopy. Try to bring it down as evenly as possible, guiding the tops of the branches through the squares in the screen.

Step 2

Once the screen has been fastened halfway down the branches, you can fasten it permanently in that position. If any branches were bent in the process, straighten them so they shoot directly up through the screen.

Step 3

With the screen in place, it’s time to weave the plants. Each plant should have 10 to 20 branches stretching through the screen. Starting with the outermost branches, begin pulling them outwards and weave them through the screen, expanding the canopy with each manipulation.

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By looping the branch over and then under, you’re ensuring the stability of that branch throughout the flower cycle and allowing room for air circulation. Make sure a thread of the screen is wrapped gently around the branch so that it doesn’t fall down from the weight of the developing flowers.

Step 4

Continue around the plant, weaving and stretching branches horizontally throughout the screen. Don’t worry about the tips of the branches not facing towards the light because they will quickly adjust and straighten themselves out.

Step 5

Once you have woven most of your plant, you will notice that screen space is diminishing, leaving some branches in the center of the plant without a home. For these center branches, the best strategy is to top them. Precisely cut the very top nodes off the branch at a 45-degree angle. This may seem counterintuitive, but by removing the very top of the branch, the lower nodes will start receiving more direct nutrients, airflow, and light, thus developing into their own full-on colas.

Step 6

Remove any branches that either aren’t receiving light or aren’t reaching the screen, along with branches and nodes that are growing away from the light. If you don’t remove these branches, they will sap energy from the plant while producing wispy, impotent flowers.

Step 7

Since this is primarily an indoor technique, start your plants’ flowering cycle by switching the lighting cycle to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.

Step 8

During weeks one through three of the flowering stage, plants experience explosive growth. To keep your Screen of Green under control, revisit the screen every couple of days to tie down the new plant growth and make sure all the branches are exactly where you want them for the flowering cycle.

Pro-tip: If your cannabis plants are slightly brittle and not willing to weave through the screen, you can always use clips or ties to secure the branch to the screen without bending the branch too much. These manipulations lock the plants in an optimum position, producing a beautiful, even canopy, a hallmark of the ScrOG method.

FAQ

What’s the difference between using the ScrOG method indoors vs. outdoors?

The ScrOG method works just as well indoors and outdoors. The main difference between the two is the limited space indoors since the screen can take up a lot of space on its own and you want to ensure that you have the square footage to produce a healthy grow.

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You also want to be sure your airflow and humidity — which we explain a bit more below — are at optimum levels since indoor grows are usually more susceptible to mold and other plant diseases. If your grow is indoors, it’s best to keep your grow lights at least six inches above your plants at all times, which may require more diligent trimming and maintenance.

Another method of ScrOG is to place the screen above the cannabis and let the plants grow up into it so you can manipulate the branches as they reach the screen. This technique may minimize any damage to the plants’ branches, but be sure to carefully pull the screen down into the canopy and then weave the branches through it to produce optimal results.

How do I manage the airflow and humidity after implementing ScrOG?

It’s important to keep your cannabis plants trimmed and tied in order to maximize airflow. Most growers who use the ScrOG method — especially indoors — cut all the lower branches off the plants in order to maximize airflow throughout the upper branches where you’ll get a higher yield of colas. You can implement fans and open doors or windows to ensure fresh air flow throughout the day.

For humidity levels, the ScrOG method requires the same percentages as growing without a screen, which is around 55% humidity. For indoor grows, you can control humidity through a humidifier, dehumidifier, AC, or heater unit.

What’s the expected yield when you use ScrOG?

When implemented correctly, the Screen of Green method can enhance the quality of your harvest and double — or even triple — the yield of your cannabis plants.

Can you use ScrOG for hydroponic growing?

Yes, you can use ScrOG for hydroponic growing. Hydroponic growing is when you grow plants without the use of soil and instead use sand, gravel, or water, and boost it with a mineral-based nutrient solution to ensure optimum nutrient uptake. This method of growing gives indoor growers complete control of the plant’s environment and can produce larger yields at the end of the grow cycle.

The steps for applying the screen when using the hydroponic method are the exact same, but the cannabis can grow quicker with this type of setup, so you’ll likely be trimming much more often than with weed grown in regular soil.

What strain does best with ScrOG?

The ScrOG method usually works best with sativa strains due to the plant’s stretchier and thinner structure compared to indica strains, which grow shorter and bushier. The longer branches on sativa and sativa-leaning strains make it easier for a grower to weave the plants for the ScrOG technique.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor