Flowering.... trimming fan leaves off....leaving fan leaves on

[Jbonez]

Doc find what works for you and your setup, right now pulling leaves to control growth for me personally, owns...

I start pulling leaves to establish the structure and bring about growth from lower on the plant. Once I establish my three main stalk structures, Ill let the plant fill in.. Here is a veg shot of what Im talking about.

Keep in mind, your style of growing vastly contrasts my own, there is no point in comparing your grow to what Im doing, its two different philosophies. What I am concerned with is yield.

 

[IG420]

More leaves bigger buds usually. Unless they are a problem.

 

[maryjaneismyfre]

Say if your plants are 4ft tall, with an almost but not level canopy, and deep shade underneath and going to be 8 ft in 3 or 4 weeks when they switch to flower still expecting a stretch. I'd pick away with no concern and chop out shaded fans and undergrowth, as in 6 or 7 weeks time and further you'd be asking for shit with bugs and fungus in that overgrown inside. I'd clean out the inside, completely defoliating and take leaves off the top selectively and top selectively so some stuff can slow down and some can catch up and fill out. Fan leaves on side branches that are hanging parallel to the ground are taken of on the outside and fans on the growth above is thinned to allow the branches to spring up. The stems on these branches are crushed in one movement between fingers in super-cropping style at 2 points to create an 'elbow' and 'shoulder'. Growth is exploding at this stage of the cycle and the plants, after changing their total shape from a squat ball to a rectangle standing on its short side, recover in about a day and fans are replaced in about 3 days with one unable to notice that the plants were pruned at a glance. The shape of the canopy and plants overall would be far better needing less staking later when buds set and with healthier environments and less pest and rot problems. I do this for the yield as healthier plants make more bud, it is simple. I only remove fan leaves during flowering if I really have to.

So as one can see it completely depends upon your situation and style of growing..and genetics. I prefer to smoke sativa leaning hybrids and grow mainly these, when I grow more indica leaning strains more leaves end up getting pulled..

 

[maryjaneismyfre]

.

 

[blackosprey]

Yes. My question is, would this be a hindrance or beneficial to auto flowering strains?

-~WW~-

I have defoliated an auto or two (Pink Salad, Cream Caramel, Sweet Special). As long as you wait until after the stretch is finished, you are okay. Pulling before stretch is done will slow your plant and affect final yield.

Also, while pulling leaves doesn't work for everyone, or even seem like a worthwhile undertaking, it really depends on the grower. My setup demands leaf pulling, as well as training, through veg and after stretch, in order to achieve my desired results.

 

[vapedg13]

More leaves bigger buds usually. Unless they are a problem.

Bud size is genetically/strain related...not leaf related heres a 2 oz + plus top bud with hardly any leaves on it

 

[medmaker420]

i have never done a side by side but it seems when you pull the fan leaves it makes the budsite leaves start growing quicker. What does it do for yield? not sure but it is great for taking lower clones off of flowering females during the first few weeks in flower during their stretch.

I don't like pulling anything off as it can lead to potential mold / pest issues with open wounds but I suppose I could put some plant bandaid on it... hmnn

 

[IG420]

Yea genetics has alot to do with it. Stress will mess your crop hard though, just wait until it takes a whole week to metabolize your nutrients

 

[sweetestsin420]

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[sweetestsin420]

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[sweetestsin420]

 

[Jbonez]

BEFORE:


https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41400&pictureid=1001312View Image https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41400&pictureid=1001313View Image https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41400&pictureid=1001315View Image






AFTER:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41400&pictureid=1002375View Image https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=41400&pictureid=1002376View Image

you and I grow VERY similarly...

 

[Ichabod Crane]

So my questions are 2:

1.Is t ok to defoliate at this time,looking at my plants?They on day 24,and are starting to bud,do you think I did a good job?shoulda waited?

2.Who defoliate through the stretch?and not just after it?does it stunt plants?bascially am i good to go with this defoliation?

Im gonna defoliate again in a week,at 28 days of .12/12

1. If the stretch is over it is OK to defoliate. Generally that will be 40% of the flower period. So at day 24 your plants should be a 60 day strain. Ease into defoliating, and do it over 1 1/2 -2 weeks. This is going to depend on the strain. What you are trying to do by taking this time is to not stunt the plant. If you take to much and stunt the plant it will delay the finish date of flower. I generally only take about 10-15% the first trim, then about 25% the next two times, and finish with taking the remaining leaves on the fourth time. After that I take them as I notice them. I go 2-4 days between trims depending on the plants uptake of nutes.

2. I do take small amounts during stretch. What I take is big leaves in front that are blocking to many buds sites and that I can not tuck back behind the buds. I also take some in the back that are shaded. I take suckers and leaves in the back during stretch as well. What I take is a very small amount as to much will cause the plant to not grow as much as possible and cost me bud. This small amount taken during stretch will get your plant use to losing a little foliage and create less stress for what is coming after stretch is over.

 

[sweetestsin420]

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[sweetestsin420]

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[dddaver]

So all plants averaged the same just under 3 ozers... 6 striped plants just over a LB

no noticeable difference in bud size

I realize not fully cured, but should be some dry enough to smoke, have you noticed in differences in quality? Would be interesting to see any differences in lab tested THC content. I might be jumping the gun a little.

 

[vapedg13]

no.... why would defoilage decrease thc content??? That has nothin to do with leaves or lack of

shit dry enough to to smoke?? already in stores being sold .....I only cure personal stash sometimes


pre98 bubba with puple hues

 

[dddaver]

Actually, I was thinking INCREASE THC content maybe.

I'm sorry, I guess I'm being dense. Then what is the advantage of that effort? Bag appeal maybe? Easier trimming at the end? Or does this side by side just show there is no difference?

 

[DrFever]

I realize not fully cured, but should be some dry enough to smoke, have you noticed in differences in quality? Would be interesting to see any differences in lab tested THC content. I might be jumping the gun a little.

Actually your question is probably one of the best in this thread so far
the most potent part is the budding tops, which also usually tend to be the largest nug on the plant
those little popcorn buds on the bottom of the plant are less potent for obvious reasons, although honestly, it is hard to tell the difference when you are smoking it but you would notice it spending thousands of dollars having it tested.
As for Quality again you just need to ask your self a few questions would you buy it ???
I mean when a person buys weed he tends to do what
* LOOKS
* Smell
* size of nugs
Again for obvious reasons
I find when growing i tend not to worry to much about the lower popcorn / Hash buds and i remove them all during flowering period again or obvious reasons

 

[vapedg13]

so what your saying is that a nug from the bottom of my bubba plant is not as potent as the bud from the top???

It may be a bigger nug but no way is it more potent.... so the top nugs have 18 % THC the bottom have 15% hehe

More resin production not higher THC content....more medicene not better