Defoliation: Hi-Yield Technique?

[huntingbb]

lots of questions....

lots of questions....

OK, i'm doing my first grow now and have been doing some techniques similar to this.

**LST - bend the bitches all over
**some supercropping
**somewhat scrog - got a net above a bunch of pots
**little bit of lower lollipopping
**soil - rubbermaid, 5gal, and a few 2gal pots
**leaf in the way of bud light - trim
**light (400w) 8" or so above buds
**18-24" of effective growing depth below canopy

I'm getting what i think is good results, but there was lots of veg time so the baseline is invalid for just about anything, and not all plants are in the same container or had the same veg.

My next setup I'd like to get going would be either with a 1k or dual 600w. To do 40w/sqft this would be 46.5" by 92.95" on a 600w or 5'x5' for a single 1k.

Would there be significant benefit doing 6 under the dual 600's vs 4 under the 1k? I'm a bit scared of doing hydro in my setup, will probably do blumats for autodripping, and either the same soil (for sure at first) or eventually maybe coco. Finally, what dimensions would those of you with experience recommend for either of those two options? (1200w is my absolute max i can pull in the area i have due to power limitations).

 

[TexasToker]

Use Smart Pots or Air pots to get bigger yields with less medium. Good luck.

Air pots require long veg to be worth it. Otherwise it is a waste of money. Yes, I use them, but only for special strains(because the time it takes for them to be effective). Yes, I defol. and have been since I started growing again.

I notice where fan leaves have been removed during veg that branching occurs at the node.

Cut that shit off, if you let it stay you will lose total yield. Think Popsicle, without being so extreme as to have just one cola. Leave your fat colas, cut all the little shit off.

 

[slowandeasy]

Air pots require long veg to be worth it. Otherwise it is a waste of money. Yes, I use them, but only for special strains(because the time it takes for them to be effective). Yes, I defol. and have been since I started growing again.



No offense TexasToker, but I think you are doing something wrong. I am not sure why you would say it takes extra time to veg in a Smart Pot? I go from Beer Cup to Smart Pots using pure Canna Coco and Blumats. My plants Blow up from the Smart Pots, and actually I cannot veg long at all, because my plants get huge really fast. I can get more out of a 1 gal Smart Pot than a 3gal regular pot, with extremely fast growth. Not sure how your using them, but dont knock the Smart Pots...they work great.

BTW, how could 3 bucks for a Smart Pot be a waste of Money? You use less Medium and grow bigger plants? What a waste!

 

[Phedrosbenny]

It never fails ...lols

 

[Bob-Hope]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TruthOrLie
I notice where fan leaves have been removed during veg that branching occurs at the node.

this is correct,and the reason you start the process in veg not just flower.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasToker

cut that shit off, if you let it stay you will lose total yield....sorry but ill have to disagree.

Think Popsicle, without being so extreme as to have just one cola. Leave your fat colas, cut all the little shit off...

again ill have to disagree for the reasons given in the 84 previous pages.this is more about creating a small stocky bush-like plant.

@ slowandeasy ive done a little reading regarding the air-pots you speak of, how quickly does the process of air pruning take,and what medium did you use if any?

not sure about the smart pots as they will need to fit in a wilma system,but will have to see them in the flesh before i pass judgement.

Bob.

 

[slowandeasy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TruthOrLie
I notice where fan leaves have been removed during veg that branching occurs at the node.

this is correct,and the reason you start the process in veg not just flower.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasToker

cut that shit off, if you let it stay you will lose total yield....sorry but ill have to disagree.

Think Popsicle, without being so extreme as to have just one cola. Leave your fat colas, cut all the little shit off...

again ill have to disagree for the reasons given in the 84 previous pages.this is more about creating a small stocky bush-like plant.

@ slowandeasy ive done a little reading regarding the air-pots you speak of, how quickly does the process of air pruning take,and what medium did you use if any?

not sure about the smart pots as they will need to fit in a wilma system,but will have to see them in the flesh before i pass judgement.

Bob.

I use Smart Pots, because the are at the store. Use pure Canna Coco and GH Flora Series nutes with Blumats. How fast they start air pruning depends on your set up, if you transplant to a much larger container...it will take longer. That being said, since I use 2 gal smart pots usually and transplant from a Beer Cup. The roots are poking out the bottom and sides in a few days. Good luck

 

[Young Pumpkin]

Well I'm still amazed. I have been upgrading from 2 gallon buckets to 5 gallons. Thought I could get 8 under 2 400w bulbs. I was so wrong. Since trying this these thing have just branched and grown like I can't believe. 6 at a time is all I can do at this size. Starting in veg gave them such a head start they were also bigger than I planned by the time they hit the flip. 4 very nice bushes so far. I'll have room for the last 2 in a week when I cut down the last 2 in 2 gallon buckets. Holy Cow Batman. The fewer plants is a good thing as I've wanted to get things more in line just in case.

Each plant has been done twice. Once in veg, once in flower. Cant wait to get a better start when the new clones root. Amazed.......

 

[Bob-Hope]

its day 14 of flower and stretch has virtually come to a stand still,so i decided to go ahead and do a slight defoliation,as the uppermost fan leaves were causing unnecessary shading.

"holy shoots and bud sites batman"

30 mins later..

Now been placed back under the netting, it had some of its branches snapped and bent laterally and just generally tidied-up.

E.C has been increased slightly to 1.4 and the ph is stable at 5.5

ive given the others the same treatment but they wont be removed until there ready.( far to much hassle )

Light has been lowered to a height of 12", temp is stable at 74D RH is between 38 and 46%

From the top of the pot to the uppermost part of the plant is now only 12" in height, but when under the netting its nearly 28" wide.

Bob.

 

[MisterGreen420]

Alrite I'll ask one more time does anyone know if i can use this method on autoflowers???

 

[mikecar312]

looking good bob. did you say how many weeks you veg'd?

 

[Bob-Hope]

The plant in the photo was veg for 7wks.
but i have more. each was veg from 2/3/4/5 wks.
All are g.h.s k-train, i will make a decision based on these 5 plants, of how long to veg my next crop,but its looking like 4/5 wks is the most manageable.

Bob.

oh and mistergreen420 texastoker runs 12/12 from seed and he uses this method,so i dont see why you couldnt do it. you may have to look as far as page 4 for his posts.

 

[TruthOrLie]

so what if the plant shows deficiency? defoliate or leave foliage for back up nutrients?

 

[Lack]

My only concern is with dense buds... sometimes you try to get the leaf out and the stem is left behind and I think that is conducive to budrot.

Yep that is absolutely correct, happened to me last year, lost a large part of a huge cola on a beautiful plant. When you cut the leaf off in dense bud areas and leave the stem, water/sap leaks out of the stem end and the stem eventually dies trapped in the bud clusters. Mold and rot soon set in, in the area. So be careful with this technique guys. I've been doing this for awhile, not as hardcore as is recommended here, but yeah it works pretty well. I'm going to make a skeleton out of one of my OGK clones in the morning and go all out to see if I can get even more of a result from this. Good times!

 

[ibjamming]

Alrite I'll ask one more time does anyone know if i can use this method on autoflowers???

You don't get the veg time to do things like this. That's what an auto does...it just starts flowering after so many weeks.

 

[AmberMan]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=179993


Day 30 in flower

1000 total watts, Ebb & Flow 4X4 tray and 40gl. res. Nutes - [GH Micro,Bloom (Lucas formula)], [Fox Farm - Cha-Ching], Advanced Nutrients - Bud Candy, and a cup of Blackstrap Molasses.

Sugar,Sugar,Sugar!!!

Island Sweet Skunk, Diesel, Sour Diesel, White Widow Sat. Dom., and Super Sliver Have Sat. Dom. grow

 

[huntingbb]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=179993


Day 30 in flower

1000 total watts, Ebb & Flow 4X4 tray and 40gl. res. Nutes - [GH Micro,Bloom (Lucas formula)], [Fox Farm - Cha-Ching], Advanced Nutrients - Bud Candy, and a cup of Blackstrap Molasses.

Sugar,Sugar,Sugar!!!

Island Sweet Skunk, Diesel, Sour Diesel, White Widow Sat. Dom., and Super Sliver Have Sat. Dom. grow

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=179993




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[Muayhigh315]

I just finished the whole thread, hats off to K33f for creating such a badass thread and daring to think outside the box! Lifeless and Delta have definitely been an inspiration as well.

I'm a newbie on my second hydro run. I just trimmed a clone and have no qualms chopping leaves as I was doing it to my current plant to reduce shading.
I think i've learned enough through negative experiences with her, to make the clone I just trimmed go smoothly and successfully.


Before defoliaton

After minor defoliation

 

[huntingbb]

hopefully i wasn't too crazy defoliating today.. did snipe a couple that were at or below the buds, oops... I'll take shots and compare later but Ive only a week or two of flowering left, hopefully i didn't fuck myself

 

[benzo]

I posted this a few pages back. I just wanted to give an update before I head out of town.

BEFORE on 8/20

AFTER on 8/20

Now these are from today. 9/7

It is DEFINITELY working!!

 

[Brotherbud]

Nice looking plants benzo, I may have to give this a try on my room full of OG's I'm running.
-Peace