Trellis netting is a simple, structural support system used for indoor cultivation within a grow tent. This horizontal grid manages the plant canopy, which is essential for maximizing yield in a confined space. By providing a framework, the netting helps distribute growth evenly under the light source, a technique known as the Screen of Green (ScrOG) method. This strategic management ensures flowering sites receive optimal light exposure, promoting uniform development and increasing overall productivity.
Selecting and Preparing the Trellis Netting
Choosing the right trellis netting begins with understanding the needs of a grow tent environment. Growers typically select between elastic nets, which offer flexibility and easy installation onto tent poles, or more rigid string or plastic options for firmer, permanent support. The material must be durable enough to withstand the weight of heavy flowers later in the growth cycle without sagging or cutting into delicate plant tissues.
The size of the mesh squares is another important consideration, with a range of 2 to 6 inches being standard. A mesh size of 4 to 6 inches allows sufficient space to weave branches through the squares while still providing adequate canopy support. Before installation, the net’s dimensions must match the grow tent’s footprint to ensure the entire canopy area is covered. Necessary mounting hardware, such as zip ties, hooks, or fasteners, should be gathered to securely anchor the net to the tent frame.
Step-by-Step Installation within the Grow Tent
Installation requires securing the netting tightly to the tent’s metal support structure. The most reliable method involves attaching the netting directly to the vertical support poles using heavy-duty zip ties, clips, or specialized fasteners. Clips or hooks may offer more adjustability, but zip ties often provide a more taut and stable anchor point necessary to resist the downward pressure of a full canopy.
The net must be tensioned tightly and positioned levelly across the entire growing area to create a uniform plane. An initial layer of netting is typically placed 8 to 12 inches above the tops of the plant containers, or just above the developing canopy. Installing the net at an even height ensures that all growth tips will develop at a similar distance from the light source, maximizing light absorption. A second, higher layer may be installed later in the flowering stage to provide additional structural support for heavy buds. Ensure the netting does not obstruct air intake or exhaust ports, or interfere with the positioning of the lighting fixtures.
Plant Training Techniques Using the Netting
The netting facilitates the ScrOG technique, which aims to create a flat, horizontal plane of flowers for maximum light absorption. Training begins when the plants’ branches first grow tall enough to reach the netting layer. New vertical growth is gently bent and woven, or “tucked,” horizontally underneath the nearest available mesh square.
This low-stress training manipulates the plant’s apical dominance, redirecting energy from the main stem into multiple lateral growth tips. By spreading the branches into unused squares, the grower ensures the light is evenly distributed to all potential flowering sites, preventing shading and promoting uniform development. This process of tucking and weaving continues throughout the transition to the flowering stage, filling the entire grid with a dense, even canopy.
Ongoing canopy management is necessary to maintain the screen’s effectiveness and overall plant health. As the canopy develops, trimming the lower growth—a technique known as lollipopping—removes any shoots or leaves beneath the net that are not receiving sufficient light. This strategic removal directs the plant’s energy and nutrients exclusively to the productive growth above the screen, resulting in larger, denser flowers.