Cropping Cannabis ScrOG Style

Steven Voser

Emmy Award-Nominated Cannabis Journalist

Steven Voser

Last updated: May 29th, 2019

Growing marijuana with the Screen of Green or ScrOG method is the high-yield cultivation technique of choice for growers of all scales. A ScrOG is literally a grid screen that marijuana shoots are trained to grow through. In contrast to the high plant number SOG method, the ScrOG requires just 2-4 female cannabis plants per m² to produce a comparable yield.

WHEN TO ScrOG

The ScrOG method is very flexible and can be adapted to suit any grow op. However, it’s recommended to familiarise yourself with Topping, Fimming, and LST prior to committing to a ScrOG setup. Plants must be either pruned or trained to develop the maximum amount of top colas. This hands-on pre-ScrOG plant care and maintenance is essential.

During vegetative growth, all of the above pruning and training for yield techniques can be implemented. It’s up to the grower and how much lateral grow space needs to be filled to decide when to drop the ScrOG.

Once your happy with the width and number of tops it’s time to install the ScrOG about 15cm above the canopy. This will be approximately in week 4-6 of the vegetative phase. Most growers cropping for maximum yield will allow another week or two for tips to reach the screen. Waiting for plants fill out 50-70% of grids. Before switching to 12/12.

ScrOG Netting (Royal Queen Seeds)

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Pure or near pure sativa’s will require extra tucking. And by tucking we mean gently tucking shoots into the next grid over as one begins to poke through a square of the screen. Perhaps even a few stretchy branches will require fastening down with plant ties to the screen. Usually, 6-8 weeks total vegetative growth is the average. Nothing tames and boosts the production of unruly Haze varieties like a ScrOG.

ScrOG SETUP

Setting up a ScrOG is simple. Grow tent cultivators can purchase a custom size screen online. All the grower needs to do is clip the screen onto the four corners of the grow tent. Just above the canopy of course. Most growers also prefer to “Lollipop” plants.

Final pruning is completed during the first two weeks of flowering. Typically right up to screen level. Growth below the screen is just wasting plant energy. Best to remove it gradually so plants will not be stressed.

Micro growers using wardrobes and cabinets will need to build a small scale screen. Large commercial growers cannot use off the shelf screens either. Borrow a tip from the pros and use chicken wire or garden fencing. Cut to size and fix it in place with cable ties. Just make sure the grid squares are a few cm wide. We don't want shoots getting choked.

HOW TO USE THE ScrOG METHOD

Keep the screen as level as possible across the entire grow space. Tuck shoots and make adjustments as necessary. Watch out for shoots directly under the grow lamp pushing the centre of the ScrOG upwards. Tuck, fold and bend are the orders of the day.

Remember the objective is to utilise as much of the grid space as possible. An orderly ScrOG allows lower growth to rise up through the grid. As the upper branches are encouraged to extend laterally to the next grid over, the lower branches grow to fill the void.

By week 3 of bloom, whatever has not made it through the screen must be removed. Hopefully, every branch will have made it. At worst just one or two sets might need to be clipped. All plant energy needs to be directed into fattening up a forest of dense juicy colas.

Good airflow is crucial to a ScrOG, especially during flowering. Kraken-sized colas can be vulnerable to mold and rot. Clip-on fans to keep a breeze flowing through those dense flower tops and hard to reach areas are highly recommended.

ADVANTAGES OF ScrOG

The ScrOG method has two big benefits for weed growers. Obviously, the method is a proven high yield technique and the best way to control the height of cannabis crops. The ScrOG method is the number 1 low volume high production marijuana cultivation style. SOG is tremendously productive and unquestionably faster to crop. But SOG requires at least twice as many plants for the same end results as a neat ScrOG.

The third oft-overlooked benefit of the ScrOG is as a quality control measure. Nobody wants popcorn nuggs and with a ScrOG all you harvest is top-shelf colas. Harvesting a ScrOG marijuana crop is far more pleasant and less time consuming than a crop of untrimmed plants. ScrOG crops are almost 100% A-Grade buds.

DISADVANTAGES OF ScrOG

Unfortunately, for autoflowering cannabis growers the ScrOG is not a viable option. Despite what some would have you believe. The 6-8 weeks of vegetative growth that a ScrOG grow op requires is almost an autos whole lifecycle.

While a ScrOG is not exactly what you would call high maintenance it does require some TLC. Monitoring and maintenance of the ScrOG will take up some time. Vegetative growth will be extended. The grower must be patient. A ScrOG will definitely not look after itself. In fact, a ScrOG may require daily tucking of shoots until midway through bloom.