How to SCROG Cannabis: Install and Use a Trellis Net

Last updated: August 2026

Quick answer: A SCROG uses a horizontal trellis net to guide flexible branches into open spaces and build a flatter canopy. Measure the inside of the tent, secure the net evenly, position it where you can still reach the pots, then move growing tips sideways under the screen instead of forcing stiff stems.

Think of the net like a parking lot for branches. If three tops are fighting for one square while another square is empty, move one over. The goal is not to trap the plant—it is to give each useful top its own patch of light and air.

Watch: install a SCROG net in a grow tent

The original HWGrow video is the main source for measuring, anchoring and lowering the screen over a live canopy. Keep the useful hands-on demonstration, but treat its yield language as a possibility, not a promise. A net can improve canopy use; it cannot fix weak light, unhealthy roots, crowded plants or a rushed flowering schedule.

Selecting a timestamp opens the standard HWGrow pop-out at that exact moment without making you lose your place on the page.

Is a SCROG net right for this grow?

A screen is useful when healthy plants have flexible branches and unused horizontal space. It is less useful when the tent is already packed, the plants need to move often or you cannot reach the irrigation, runoff trays and back corners after the net is installed.

• Good fit: photoperiod plants with time to recover and spread before or during early stretch.
• Plan carefully: multiple cultivars with very different heights, fixed irrigation lines or containers that need frequent removal.
• Wait: weak roots, drooping plants, brittle stems, active pests or an unresolved nutrient problem.

A trellis can also be used only for support later in flower. That is not quite the same as SCROG training. A support net holds heavy branches upright; a training screen starts earlier and deliberately redistributes the canopy.

Measure and secure the trellis

Measure the usable distance between the tent poles instead of trusting the advertised tent size. In the video, a roughly 35-inch interior and six-inch squares produced a six-by-six grid. That is one example, not a universal formula. Leave enough edge material to anchor every side without stretching the squares into odd shapes.

1. Cut carefully. Loose net ends can snag leaves, cords and clothing. Keep the cut edge controlled.
2. Anchor one corner at a time. The screen should be level and firm enough to guide branches, not so tight that it bends the poles.
3. Use removable hardware when practical. The video demonstrates zip ties because loose clips slid on its tent poles. Reusable ties or secure hooks can make cleaning and harvest easier.
4. Protect the tent. Keep sharp tie ends and cutters away from the fabric, cables and irrigation lines.

Choose the screen height before you fill it

There is no single correct number of inches above the pot. Place the screen where flexible tips can reach it while you can still water, inspect the medium, collect runoff and reach the back of the tent. Check the light’s safe hanging clearance and expected flowering stretch before deciding.

If the pots must come out for maintenance, a fixed screen can become a trap. Solve that access problem first. Moving a whole woven canopy later can break stems and turn a routine watering into an emergency.

How to tuck branches into a SCROG

Work with the soft growing end, not the stiff base of the branch. Guide the tip sideways under the screen and point it toward the next open square. Do not braid the stem tightly through several squares. Loose routing is easier to adjust and less likely to snap when the branch thickens.

1. Find the most crowded section of the canopy.
2. Choose one flexible top that can reach an emptier square.
3. Support the stem with one hand while moving the growing tip with the other.
4. Stop if the stem creases, feels woody or resists the bend.
5. Return regularly during active stretch and correct small changes before they become hard bends.

Common SCROG mistakes

• Filling every square too early: leave room for the flowering stretch instead of creating a wall of leaves before the flip.
• Forgetting the root zone: the prettiest canopy is not useful if you cannot water, measure runoff or inspect for pests.
• Forcing stiff stems: use gradual low-stress training before the branch becomes woody.
• Assuming the net creates yield: the screen organizes growth; light, genetics, climate, roots and recovery still set the ceiling.
• Letting the center stay packed: use the net to separate tops and preserve airflow, not just to hold everything at one height.

Research on cannabis plant architecture—not SCROG specifically—shows why the result cannot be reduced to “add a net and gain yield.” Pruning and branch-removal treatments changed light distribution, plant shape, chemical uniformity and yield differently by treatment and cultivar. Use that evidence for the canopy principle, not as a promise about one screen or one harvest. See the controlled plant-architecture study.

Build the rest of the training plan

If the plant needs more leaders before it reaches the screen, start with the separate topping-versus-FIM cut guide. For gentle bending before the screen, use the low-stress training guide. Then see the one-plant SCROG case study for a documented full-canopy example without treating its 246-gram result as a guarantee.

Recommended SCROG setup tools

Elastic SCROG netA reusable screen for spreading established tops across the usable light footprint. Measure the tent before ordering.
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Soft reusable plant tiesUseful before the screen fills or when one flexible branch needs a little extra direction. Leave every loop loose.
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Reusable cable tiesSecure the net without leaving sharp permanent ends around tent fabric, cords and irrigation lines.
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AC Infinity savings: Use code EVYGROWS for additional savings on eligible products. When shopping on Amazon, clip any available coupon first.

Affiliate disclosure: HWGrow may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Equivalent netting and ties can replace the linked products without changing the SCROG method. Verify dimensions before ordering.

Frequently asked questions

What does SCROG mean?

SCROG means Screen of Green. A horizontal net is used to guide branches into open parts of the grow area and create a flatter canopy.

How high should a SCROG net be above the pots?

There is no universal height. Place it where flexible branches can reach the screen while leaving enough access for watering, runoff, inspection and the light’s required clearance.

Do you weave cannabis branches through a SCROG net?

Guide soft growing tips sideways under the screen toward open squares. Avoid tightly weaving stems through several squares because later adjustment and harvest become harder.

Does a SCROG net increase yield?

It can help a healthy plant use the available footprint and light more evenly, but it does not guarantee a larger harvest. Genetics, light, roots, climate, plant density and recovery time still matter.