Trimming lower foliage?

M

Makavellian

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #1

ive heard of people trimming off the mini branches and foliage at the bottom of the canopy to make the plant focus on budding on the main tops increasing yield. is this true and works? if so, how much should i trim and over how long?

 

kingspade

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #2

i've never done an experiment, but from what i've read before, a little wont hurt, but don't go crazy cutting everything. i only rip off lower foliage that is dieing anyways...a few fan leafs is ok if your going to expose more light to bud sites, but fan leafs are what helps the plant grow, turning light into energy...try and just tie fan leafs away if possible, like this





if you have a bunch of foliage down low that you cant see the pot holding the plant, keep a fan blowing to keep air moving all around the plants to prevent any kind of mold ...

 

M

Makavellian

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #3

thanks for the advice king. ive been tucking away leaves and mad lsting for a while now. i can see that the young and relatively small branches have grown from near the bottom of the stem to near the top, becoming a sort of mini top. are these "sucker" tops? or will they benefit my yield?

 

G

Guest

• Mar 5, 2006

• #4

 

G

Guest

• Mar 5, 2006

• #5

hehe
just funnin'...

ya want to remove lower BRANCHES (not just the leaves) that will, in the end, form nothing more than worthless bowl-sized popcorn nugs.

DO NOT do this before light flip. as you want a good idea of the way the flower-set is going to end up after the initial stretch, and the leaves (all leaves) are what the plant uses to soak up light energy, which, in turn, is eventually converted to growth (all other factors withstanding)
2-4 weeks into the shortened photoperiod is the longest you really want to wait (STRAIN DEPENDANT!), although, it doesn't hurt to do it later if you see things are extremely underproductive at a lower site, you be the judge, and clip off the arm if you see fit...yes, it will allow the plant to focus on production higher-up.

Only exception is when using a screen (SCROG), in which case you'd trim all useless branching and foliage, AT or just prior-to the light switch...this also promotes more fresh airflow BENEATH the canopy, making for less-opportune environment for fungus such as 'powdery mildew', or 'budrot'-later in flower.
when using a screen to create the canopy, it is indeed acceptable to pluck off any young growth off the main stalk you feel will never have a chance at making it to the screen, throughout the second half (or so) of VEG.
If SCROGG'ing, do a search for more information. www.icmag.com/ic/search/php

ciao

 

Blackmelo

Active member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #6

maskavelian, alot of growers do remove branches , because they know some branches just don't get enough light and shrivel up and die. Usually my plants realize in the 5th week of flowering that some branches aren't going to make it. They shrivel up and turn brown. But the plant has been investing energy into these branches all along just to kill em off later on?
I would not recommend a new grower to remove any branches. Instead, check (I use a tapemeasure), which branches you think will be too far away. Label these branches and see how your suspicions turned out.
If you feel you could have already removed branches without actually removing any 'good' branches, then start doing it on your next grow.

Ps: This is roughly how I trim branches : For my 400 watt hps, I guesstimate at what height my plants will finish flowering. I then go 90 cm below this and any branches below that line get the chop...

 

Last edited: Mar 5, 2006

G

Guest

• Mar 5, 2006

• #7

Trim lower brances now and focus on large colas att he top, or get arthratis trimming ppopcorn buds for hours. The choice is yours. Many 1st time growers dont know about popcorn buds, but after first harvest soon start trimming lower branches. I would rather trim large main colas that 30 little popcorn branches.

I gave away at least on oz in popcorn branches un trimmed. I just refused to trim them.














Nevermind

 

Blackmelo

Active member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #8

LOL @ I just refused to trim em.

you gotta find the right balance between not lowering yields and getting rid of those popcorn buds...

 

GotTheBlues

Member

• Mar 5, 2006

• #9

Check ou this quarterpound NUG!


Im going to trim all the little branches that are turning yellow. Last time i just left them on and they were yellow nugs cause no light got to them. I like tucking my giant fan leaves under the new growth under them.

 

Delta9-THC

from the mists and the shadows .... there you wil

Veteran

• Mar 5, 2006

• #10

lol ..cut off those pink dying bits ..and thats one fat nug... 125g lol
Peace

 

G

Guest

• Mar 5, 2006

• #11

dammm look at the crystals on that nug

 

Delta9-THC

from the mists and the shadows .... there you wil

Veteran

• Mar 6, 2006

• #12

he hehe

 

Delta9-THC

from the mists and the shadows .... there you wil

Veteran

• Mar 6, 2006

• #13

Btw Black melo surely like the leavesit re-absorbs the enrgy ....?

 

G

Guest

• Mar 6, 2006

• #14

Go buy this months Skunk Mag it has a artical on mom plants and trimming, Oh YEA go buy Cannagraphic Mag TOO just a thought

 

Blackmelo

Active member

• Mar 7, 2006

• #15

Delta, I don't think it works like that.
If you have a plant that has half popcorn bud, half good bud, then the popcorn bud has been built up on light that could have gone to the good buds.

Of course the plant won't waste any energy when it kills off branches like gottheblues describes but still a bit of wasted light...

Now that is very relative, I for example don't have refletive sheeting everywhere I should have and I don't have side bits for my lamp so I am wasting light there too...
Which one is more wasteful? Don't know...

Btw, gottheblues, lol, what is that you've got there, is it a baby rabbit or a hamster?

 

DocLeaf

procreationist

ICMag Donor

Veteran

• Mar 7, 2006

• #16

yes. it is a good idea to remove those budsites that do not yeild at harvest.
if in doubt leave it on the plant. peace dLeaf

 

G

Guest

• Mar 7, 2006

• #17

GotTheBlues said:

Check ou this quarterpound NUG!


Im going to trim all the little branches that are turning yellow. Last time i just left them on and they were yellow nugs cause no light got to them. I like tucking my giant fan leaves under the new growth under them.

Click to expand...

just watch it when you light that fucker up!!! Coughing is the last of your worries when you put a flame to that "Nug"








Nevermind

 

L

lookimrory

Member

• Mar 8, 2006

• #18

to be honest, i worked at a greenhouse for the past 4 years, and the general concensus was that if you cut away useless vegitation on the plant, it has more energy to concentrate on the best parts of the plant
i would assume its the same for mj, and therefore if you cut away the "popcorn buds", the top buds will recieve the extra attention that the bud recieved when it was alive
make sense?