Large Fan Leaves (blocking light or providing energy for the plant?)

[MJPassion]

Some good posts in here...

I had two GG#4 last year ooutdoors.
1 i defoliated regularly, 1 only slightly.
The reg defoled plant produced more weight via larger buds in the lowers. Plants were roughly the same size & shape & received water & nutrients at the same rate throughout the growing season.
I gave a buddy a GG#4 clone for his garden & the final plant size was about double either of mine. His yield was less than half though because he ignored me when I told him to remove the fan leaves.

I would have to say that from that experience that defol is almost a necessary task for most B/WLDs but not necessarily for NLD plants. NLDs let the light in but they almost always defol themselves, ime.

 

[810FireFarm]

plants do not need as much nitrogen during flower, so massive dark green fan leaves are not as much needed, more light exposure will fill lower buds much better than if blocked

also...

if you are properly leaching and flushing your medium the last several weeks you will be removing them anyways so the plant uses up more of the nutrients already stored in the plant tissues, the more reserves on hand(leaves) the longer for the plant to use up the reserves

 

[BakedBandit]

I've thought about it being a good trade off fairly late in flower as one extra large fan can block 4-5 med leaves. Makes sense to me that getting rid of the extra nitrogen late in flower by some defoliation could be good as well. I tend to do some defoliation starting in week 7-8 in 10 week strains.

 

[BigFoote]

I remove big fan leaves and lower growth toward the inside of the plant or trying to shade their neighbor all the way till the end of the 2nd week in flower. Then once buds are starting to really develop, say around 4-5 weeks, I clip just a couple leaves at a time every few days or so that are shading any major bud sites all the way till week 8.

Week 8 I remove all fan leaves as long as my grow isn't having any issues and begin my flush. My thoughts are, at this point those leaves have done their job and are just holding stored nutrients I want out of the plant. It also give the plant a little stress which I think results in better flowers.

 

[al70]

I remove big fan leaves and lower growth toward the inside of the plant or trying to shade their neighbor all the way till the end of the 2nd week in flower. Then once buds are starting to really develop, say around 4-5 weeks, I clip just a couple leaves at a time every few days or so that are shading any major bud sites all the way till week 8.

Week 8 I remove all fan leaves as long as my grow isn't having any issues and begin my flush. My thoughts are, at this point those leaves have done their job and are just holding stored nutrients I want out of the plant. It also give the plant a little stress which I think results in better flowers.

Ye got it big foote, you've got to know your plant, i believe that a plant in mid flower just can't be stopped, i got a search once and i threw my only plant as far as i could out the top window into the field next door, it landed in a pile of , well i dont know what it was, but a couple o weeks later i came across it while walkin the dogs, it had re routed and hermied a load o seeds, but it kept goin.

 

[Paddi]

Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don´t.
When I do, I will not overdo.
I do what makes me feel good. And I do it whenever I want.
I follow my heart and my senses

I have never destroyed a harvest or a single plant.

P

 

[mr.brunch]

That's the way... learn to feel what the strain requires. They are plants , after all, not machines and therefore subject to much variation.
Also worth remembering that plants don't 'eat' nutrients, they eat sunlight n co2. Which is gathered by the leaves..... that greenness is not nitrogen, it's chlorophyll busy making carbohydrates for the plants to fatten up with.
I think the more dense indicas need a lil trim here and there though

 

[noyd666]

well horses for courses of course, I constantly remove fans and any garbage even a thin branch if needed, they never seem to stop regrowing leaves.

most real big fans are gone.

 

[mr.brunch]

Gorgeous buds noyd

 

[noyd666]

thanks brunchy.

 

[HqFarms]

Like everything isn't it strain dependent though? I have one cut that will hermie if messed with too much during flower. I basically have to get her completely popped and ready a week before stretch and leave her alone. If I start plucking and cutting off branches she will let the boys out

 

[CosmicCharlie]

It is strain dependent. Also you want to do most defoliation and lolly popping before flower.

If you have a sensitive strain then you may just want to leave it alone during flowering.

Sativas may not need much if any defoliation. Indicas can definitely benefit from it as removing large fan leaves will open up budsites and allow more light to reach lower branches.

Lolly popping helps the plant to concentrate bud growth to main cola(s) and larger branches, not wasting time on larf.

 

[Davesnothere420]

not based on experience but based on what i read you let the leaves grow until its flowering because leaves are where they get there energy from. But once it starts to flower clip them.

 

[CannaFunk]

The plants love those fresh leaves that compost back into the soil as they contain exactly what the plants looking for.

I agree with the observation that NLD defoliate themselves, and NLD tend to hold onto the leaves and are always in need of some trimming and pruning

Im about to take a class with a local mentor who knows his stuff at the local extension oldtimer head real knowledgable. Ill report back