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benjoe90

Low Stress Training (Pics)

benjoe
14 years ago

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I was wondering how many of you use Low Stress Training on your bonsais. I have just learned about this Technique and was wondering if any of you have any advice on it.

I am currently not growing bonsai, but i am training my pepper plants this way because i did a high density planting of them and have about 75 seedlings in 1 pot.

Thanks

Ben

Comments (8)

  • larke
    14 years ago

    Well, if you are NOT selling whatever it is (spam is definitely forbidden here), could you at least explain what it is you are asking about - never heard of it.

  • benjoe
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I am not selling anything. I am using regular wire to do this.

    Low Stress Training is tying or pegging down the stems of plants to make them grow horizontally.

    The reason I am doing this is because I planted too many seeds in one pot and I don't want to separate them.

    LST (Low Stress Training) is supposed to make the plant branch out more, produce more fruit/flowers, expose more leaves to the light.

    I was just wondering if anyone has tried this before, and what were their results

  • larke
    14 years ago

    The way to get more growth, branch, foliage, etc., is to cut back the individual branch or trunk and that stimulates new growth. Stretching out branches sideways won't help it produce more scientifically, but if it allows more sun into the mass, then I guess it could help, though what all this has to do with bonsai I have no idea. Why haven't you posted on one of the real gardening forums?

  • benjoe
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I figured I would ask on here because i figured people who did bonsai also used other methods other than pruning.

    And bending a stem horizontally will produce more stems at the nodes of the bent stem.
    Bending the stem changes the atypical dominance of the central leader by releasing different hormones and auxins, and they grow more stems to try to make a new leader. At that point, I tie down the next stem that is trying to grow as the leader.
    I do this continually until it has reached a desired width, then I will remove all pegs and let it grow naturally again.

    Ben

  • larke
    14 years ago

    I wonder if you're not saying "stems" instead of 'trunk' like another poster did recently, which confused us for a while. Central leaders are usually trunks that have just not hardened off yet, but stems (to me) are similar, but never harden and would apply to flowers rather than trees. Your method sounds to me more like "espalier", what is done with fruit trees when growing against a wall and they want to take advantage of the wall's support, but only in two dimensions - the trees essentially grow flat (branches being allowed to grow laterally and tied onto the wall for support) rather than having 4 equally rounded 'faces' or sides.

  • larke
    14 years ago

    One thing certainly done in bonsai is to cut the 'central leader' back, then bring up the next branch below it, tying it upright to become the new leader (and/or 'trunk' if it's coniferous) which allows the tree to be shorter, but still retain its apical growth pattern.

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    14 years ago

    Ben,
    that density of peppers simply won't produce well.
    I do start things like Jades in high-density plantings, but those aren't vigorous, thirsty, hungry vegetables.

    Last year, I germinated 60 Thai chili seeds in one of those seed-cells (in the 6-pack). I had to snip all but one. It was like a seedling graveyard.

    Incidentally, I do bonsai peppers....but only as single trunk plants. I really enjoy them over the winter.

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    Josh

  • larke
    14 years ago

    Hi - "Dragon" was what I used for a diff. heading as it wouldn't let me post again so soon... just ignore it.

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