As discussed in our cannabis grooming and training article, there are a number of ways to manipulate our plants into greater yields. In this article we'll dive deep into Mainline training and results.
Mainline Training is a Harsh Method
Unlike "LST - Low Stress Training" methods, Mainline is considered very stressful, and will add a couple weeks to the vegetative phase as the plant recovers from a mix of heavy defoliation and bending.
The main idea
The idea is to create a "manifold" in the cannabis stalk that feeds every line with perfectly equal ratios of nutrients. Each branch is therefore a direct or "main line" to the roots and nutes.
The idea of a manifold is common in HVAC plumbing for the same purpose. Without a central manifold the plumbing would be a series of branching pipes at reducing diameters with various flows and pressures making it hard to evenly distribute heat.
You may even have a sink or shower in your house that just never gets the same flow as the main faucet. In the way, our cannabis plant will not send equal flow to all branches without our help.
The Result of Mainline Training
When done properly you will end with a series of near identical COLAs. Big, beefy, meaty, juicy, crystal colas..
And a gorgeous circle canopy
The Process
1) The process starts in the very first weeks once our seedling has about 5-7 nodes developed. Remember nodes are the term for each pair of branches growing off the main stalk.
2) We TOP the plant just above the 3rd node. Be careful not to FIM - we want to ensure the stalk ends in 2 identical branches at the 3rd node.
3) Defoliate the growth below the 3rd node. We now have the basic "Tee" that is the basis of our manifold. There is actually some options in what type of manifold to develop.
4) A few techniques:
Some folks will continue this pattern (topping the 3rd node on each resulting new branch, doubling the lines each time (2, 4, 8, etc).
Others build more of a true manifold leaving 1st & 3rd nodes on the initial Tee. This means after 2 toppings we have 8 branches on that manifold.
And the 3rd technique is arguably not true mainlining, but great results still.
a) On the first topping, leave the 2&3rd nodes, forming a cross
b) second cur tops each cross for 8, and may continue for 16.
5) After plant recovers for 2 weeks, run another major defoliation to ensure only branches are our mainlines. Fan leaves are OK to leave, but no growth nodes!
The result will end up as uniform and super bulky stalks feeding 8, 12 or 16 big ol' Colas.
