Northern Lights Seeds

Using SCROG, LST, and Topping Techniques for Northern Lights

Growing Northern Lights? Hell yeah. That strain’s a classic—sturdy, forgiving, and it hits like a velvet hammer. But if you’re just letting it grow wild, tall, and lanky? You’re leaving yield on the table. That’s where SCROG, LST, and topping come in. Not some fancy acronym soup for show—these are real tools. Hands-in-the-dirt kind of stuff.

Let’s start with topping. Simple, brutal. You cut the damn top off. First time I did it, I hesitated—felt like I was murdering the plant. But nope. It comes back with a vengeance, splitting into two main colas instead of one. More tops = more buds = more stash. Northern Lights responds beautifully to this. It’s got that indica backbone, so it doesn’t freak out like some sativa divas. You top it once, maybe twice, early veg. That’s it. Don’t go Edward Scissorhands on it.

Now LST—low stress training. Sounds gentle, right? It is. You bend the branches, tie them down, coax them sideways instead of up. Think bonsai meets bondage. I use soft garden wire or even old shoelaces. Whatever’s around. The idea is to expose more bud sites to light. Northern Lights doesn’t stretch much in flower, so you gotta make the most of the veg stage. Bend it early. Keep it low. It’ll thank you later with fat, even nugs instead of one giant Christmas tree cola and a bunch of popcorn fluff underneath.

SCROG is where it all comes together. Screen of Green. You set up a net or grid—chicken wire, plastic trellis, whatever—and weave the branches through it as they grow. It’s like training a vine. You fill that screen like a painter filling a canvas. Every square should have a top poking through. No empty spots. No wasted light. Northern Lights is perfect for this because it’s compact and bushy. You can really sculpt it. Like, Michelangelo-level sculpting. Except instead of marble, it’s sticky green goodness.

Timing matters. You don’t wanna start SCROG too late or you’ll be wrestling a jungle. Start weaving once the plant hits the screen. Keep tucking daily—yeah, daily—until the stretch is done. Then let it ride. Flowering under a full screen is a beautiful thing. Like watching a sea of colas sway under the lights. It’s hypnotic. And the yield? Let’s just say you’ll need more jars.

One thing though—don’t combine all three techniques without a plan. You top, then LST, then SCROG. In that order. If you flip to flower too soon, you’ll regret it. If you wait too long, you’ll run outta room. It’s a dance. You gotta feel the rhythm of the plant. Some days it surges. Others, it just sits there like a stubborn mule. That’s part of the game.

Also—don’t freak if you snap a branch. Tape it. It’ll heal. These plants are tougher than they look. I’ve had Northern Lights bounce back from some gnarly breaks. Like, full-on plant ER situations. Still pulled a harvest.

Anyway. If you’re growing Northern Lights and not using these techniques? You’re missing out. It’s like having a Ferrari and never taking it out of second gear. Get your hands dirty. Cut, bend, weave. Make that plant work for you. And when you’re trimming fat, frosty buds weeks later, you’ll know it was worth every twist and tie.

Just don’t forget to water the damn thing.