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Defoliation During Flower
- Thread starter khufu1
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I just did a major defoil in my third week of flower. I felt it was very much needed but felt bad when I started. But in the end as I exposed so many bud sites that were under my scrog and buried deep in the canopy with leafs wilting under the scrog from being so crowded. I feel good about removing and stripping my plants to expose the sites. As for experience in this department I have none but after this grow I may be a believer in the defoil during flower brings better yields or I'll be a naysayer that it doesn't help it actually hurts. Only time will tell.
krusht2
New Member
I too have little indoor grow experience, which means I have no hard & fast rules, like many "professionals" do!
"In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few." -- Shunryu Suzuki
... so, while leaves are the 'solar panels' creating photosynthesis and most growers feel removing fan leaves is 'detrimental', but let us ponder a wee bit: 1) if leaves get NO direct light, they cannot create the power that an exposed fan leaf will; removing inside fans a] promotes air-flow while b] reducing chances of pests & mold/mildew and c] permitting better visual inspections of the health of your babies and d] promoting peace of mind that your garden is healthy and e] you're becoming more professional.
2) removing middle fans is req'd. if we wish to lollipop or LST.
Whether indoor or outside, cannabis will develop mold or mildew if air cannot circulate through your plants; after 2-3 weeks of flower the buds will ALWAYS develop fatter, danker, stickier if they're getting direct light rather then living under inefficient parasols which shade your blooms from bud-swelling LIGHT!
... and this is only my opinion and growing only 5 or 6 plants gives me nothing to be an author nor an authority - lol.
And after 2 years, I think I may start SCROGing in my next rotation - I have 400W in 3'x5' veg room and 600W + 250W in a 3'x6' bloom room, so perhaps a screen under my 600W!
... any comments? Peace Light Love to all plants Truth to all Beings i am a dave
"In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities, but in the expert's mind there are few." -- Shunryu Suzuki
... so, while leaves are the 'solar panels' creating photosynthesis and most growers feel removing fan leaves is 'detrimental', but let us ponder a wee bit: 1) if leaves get NO direct light, they cannot create the power that an exposed fan leaf will; removing inside fans a] promotes air-flow while b] reducing chances of pests & mold/mildew and c] permitting better visual inspections of the health of your babies and d] promoting peace of mind that your garden is healthy and e] you're becoming more professional.
2) removing middle fans is req'd. if we wish to lollipop or LST.
Whether indoor or outside, cannabis will develop mold or mildew if air cannot circulate through your plants; after 2-3 weeks of flower the buds will ALWAYS develop fatter, danker, stickier if they're getting direct light rather then living under inefficient parasols which shade your blooms from bud-swelling LIGHT!
... and this is only my opinion and growing only 5 or 6 plants gives me nothing to be an author nor an authority - lol.
And after 2 years, I think I may start SCROGing in my next rotation - I have 400W in 3'x5' veg room and 600W + 250W in a 3'x6' bloom room, so perhaps a screen under my 600W!
... any comments? Peace Light Love to all plants Truth to all Beings i am a dave
Calyx Hunter
New Member
Re: defoliation
This is probably one of the most debatable topics on here. I believe defol depends on the setup. I once had a battle with Powdery Mildew and I hope I never do again. In a high humidity environment when the leaves are allowed to bunch up and lay on top of each other they will create moisture between the leaves. You can pull the leaves apart and have droplets fall out from between them. I use defol to maintain airflow to prevent PM.
The more leaves under your light there is the more photosynthesis occurrs.
This is probably one of the most debatable topics on here. I believe defol depends on the setup. I once had a battle with Powdery Mildew and I hope I never do again. In a high humidity environment when the leaves are allowed to bunch up and lay on top of each other they will create moisture between the leaves. You can pull the leaves apart and have droplets fall out from between them. I use defol to maintain airflow to prevent PM.
The more leaves under your light there is the more photosynthesis occurrs.
krusht2
New Member
Re: defoliation
Here's an interesting concept - The plant is "Divine" or "perfect"; it will grow in mountains where nothing else will, in storms, wind, wild-life, blabla - so all its leaves improve odds for survival, creates lots of energy even on cloudy days, destroy leaves in hail-storm, it survives?
So indoors if you strip all fans ... ? so try it once, you'll do it always, for your personal stash, guaran-effin-teed! Indoors, we have low-intensity 'sun' with no storms or deer munching or clouds bla bla - I'm a newb - I'll post a new gallery soon - lol
Here's an interesting concept - The plant is "Divine" or "perfect"; it will grow in mountains where nothing else will, in storms, wind, wild-life, blabla - so all its leaves improve odds for survival, creates lots of energy even on cloudy days, destroy leaves in hail-storm, it survives?
So indoors if you strip all fans ... ? so try it once, you'll do it always, for your personal stash, guaran-effin-teed! Indoors, we have low-intensity 'sun' with no storms or deer munching or clouds bla bla - I'm a newb - I'll post a new gallery soon - lol
DigitalNomad
New Member
This is fine, i do defoilation to ensure new growth gets light, any sun leaves with 20% damage is removed. Any leaves blocking buds or touching them are folded down. Its a fine line between robbing plant energy and storage vs more light t o new growth.
The AK47 was ok with being heavily defoilated, as the CheeseWreck. Some strains can slow growth. I believe it is cutting off of branches that cause chopping stress, so I bend.
DN
The AK47 was ok with being heavily defoilated, as the CheeseWreck. Some strains can slow growth. I believe it is cutting off of branches that cause chopping stress, so I bend.
DN
krusht2
New Member
Hey dude - u can't go wrong w/that approach - my best yield results in my small grow (400W veg. closet, 600W floweroom)
have been w/fimming at 6th. or 7th. set of branches, healthy 8"-9" tall, clip shading fans inside only, lollypop for air-flow and defoliate (after a full moon) as biggest fan leaves are unnecessary after pistil production is seen. I've also found that Sativas adapt well to more extreme defoliate attacks and really helps to reduce the stretch of those long-legged girls we luv! This also seems to shorten the maturing time, especially w/NorthernLights and my own F1 hybrid!
amen to that Krusht2 - here's my White Widow Day 50 Flower (Sativa dominant):
the photo kinda sux but I'm following the above-referenced processes and it's working very well.
Regards,
Chazmania
krusht2
New Member
Chaz U got jazz - pics r A+ (cause we kno our m/o) - the girls look A1+ !!
I wish I wasn't so incompetent w/my pc - i soon upload some pics, tho
I wish I wasn't so incompetent w/my pc - i soon upload some pics, tho
I am currently 14 days into bloom and just starting to see the starting sings of flowering. however the plant is incredibly bushy with many many fan leaves. Can i at this point remove them and defoliate? i have done some LST and this has increased the bud sites but at same time increased the leave count. what should i do? I have been given lots of different opinions!
DukeO
Well-Known Member
I take away a lot of the top fan leaves to let light down to the bud sights and I also lollipop up from the bottom to focus more growth into the best buds.
I do it at least once in veg and then more in flower. By doing it also in veg you get a lot more branching.
I found if I don't thin it out. I get a lot of little loose buds down in the plant.
My motto is Grow Buds not Leaves! LoL
Some plants will respond better then others to it. But most love it...
I do it at least once in veg and then more in flower. By doing it also in veg you get a lot more branching.
I found if I don't thin it out. I get a lot of little loose buds down in the plant.
My motto is Grow Buds not Leaves! LoL
Some plants will respond better then others to it. But most love it...
Lazarus13
Well-Known Member
I did light defol during veg and i plan on doing a bit more when the flowering stretch is over. My girls are so thick with leaves its a jungle in there so i believe it's needed. My penetration right now is shite. There is so much controversy on the subject. There is a really great thread on defol for yeild increase on this site.
Ghost Post
New Member
Ghost Post
New Member
This was Flipped on 11/7... This pic is one month later
and where the 5 day time lapse photos start.
and where the 5 day time lapse photos start.
newbgrower316
New Member
I experimented with this in veg and in flower! Only benefit I saw was from when defol in veg! I would not defol again in flower! For me It seems to slow down the bud growth and the whole plant in general massively and then your left with scrawny buds by the time it's ready for harvest! Just my personal experience!
Ah, that couldn't be farther from the truth, but keep feeding your leaves and I'll feed my buds with no leaves and buds will crush all who don't defoliate any day. 2.1gr per watt most grows...defoliation is necessary in indoor growing
