Lollipopping, do you do it and when?

Be a good way to try it, I'm growing same strains as last run, so just going to lollipop them all this time, even though i use a bowl trimmer for the small nugs they're still a lot of hassel. I know roughly the yield I normally get and if it's anywhere near the same i'll be happy. Some claim it increases yield, that would be a bonus i'm not expecting.
Any increase for me will be great it's my second grow so I will take whatever I can get. I tried lollipopping last year, but I had no idea what I was doing. With the help I get from guys like yourself I think it will be more than just cutting leaves like last year.
 
Any increase for me will be great it's my second grow so I will take whatever I can get. I tried lollipopping last year, but I had no idea what I was doing. With the help I get from guys like yourself I think it will be more than just cutting leaves like last year.
i'm new to lollipoping myself and still learning things after 20 years growing, my main advice would be to keep doing what you're doing, asking questions on forums and researching. Things i wish i'd known starting off, more nutes do not mean bigger yields as plants don't have fat cells & can't store excess, water to run off in flowering allowing to almost dry between feeds, use half recommended nutrients that are on the bottle ur plants will tell u if they need more, stick with a good quality soil till you're a master grower, it's more forgiving! don't let temps get under 14c in darkness, you can have lights to close without showing signs of burn destroying your trichomes/harvest, this is common with air-cooled shades and you can grow good product with a base nute, cal/mag & silicon, so chose your additives wisely.
 
i'm new to lollipoping myself and still learning things after 20 years growing, my main advice would be to keep doing what you're doing, asking questions on forums and researching. Things i wish i'd known starting off, more nutes do not mean bigger yields as plants don't have fat cells & can't store excess, water to run off in flowering allowing to almost dry between feeds, use half recommended nutrients that are on the bottle ur plants will tell u if they need more, stick with a good quality soil till you're a master grower, it's more forgiving! don't let temps get under 14c in darkness, you can have lights to close without showing signs of burn destroying your trichomes/harvest, this is common with air-cooled shades and you can grow good product with a base nute, cal/mag & silicon, so chose your additives wisely.
Thank you and when I cut, I will make sure to research before. I did it last year and did not kill my plant so hopefully I will not kill them this time. Plus, I want to do 1 plant and leave 1 alone to see what happens, my little experiment.
 
Lollipopping and defoliation throughout flower is a must in my garden. Much better yields. Better airflow, less humidity....only non benefit is it takes a bit of work. Plus I mulch all my leaves to feed the worms and microbes. Imo there is no perfect time....but day 21 and 49 are pretty close for full defoliation. I like to lollipop when I feel stretch is almost done, and I can tell if any of those lower branches will produce or not.
Are you talking photos or autos here?
 
Now that I'm in full flower mode I won't trim until the very end. But the trimming I did alowes me to top dress with nutes and water comfortably

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i defol periodically all through the grow and lollipop. it works best if planned out from the beginning. it's not just a flower activity.

if done right you'll keep all the productivity and lose most of the annoying little stuff. everything has to done by flower set though, otherwise there will be some loss.
 
both underside pics of the plants @Wastei and @Canachris posted are good examples.

it's important to remember that once flower set is in the plant won't produce anymore fan leaves. it'll give you sugars, but not fans. the fans contain nutes the plant will pull from if it needs, and the whole feed chain the plant uses changes.

there's a bit of a balance. the idea is mostly to take lower stuff out that doesn't get light penetration, and then maybe a little in the interior to facilitate air movement.

if you are in a climate that is on the higher rh side, defol and lollipopping can be a real help. i frankly run a bit dry, and still find it useful.
 
I grow tall-ish outdoor plants in my greenhouses here in Moldsville, Hawaii. I do a mild form of lollipopping when the plants are starting out in flower phase. I will prune out small internal branches to open up air flow, and clip off the lowest, small branches. I will also clip off some popcorn and sub-popcorn bud sites, as well as tiny sub-branches, from the lower parts of main branches. Lastly, I remove any fan leaves that are shading buds below.
 
both underside pics of the plants @Wastei and @Canachris posted are good examples.

it's important to remember that once flower set is in the plant won't produce anymore fan leaves. it'll give you sugars, but not fans. the fans contain nutes the plant will pull from if it needs, and the whole feed chain the plant uses changes.

there's a bit of a balance. the idea is mostly to take lower stuff out that doesn't get light penetration, and then maybe a little in the interior to facilitate air movement.

if you are in a climate that is on the higher rh side, defol and lollipopping can be a real help. i frankly run a bit dry, and still find it useful.
I've read somewhere that fan leaves not getting light use more than they produce but i'm of the same thinking as yourself and don't like removing them if i can, i'd rather push them under than cut.
 
Lastly, I remove any fan leaves that are shading buds below.


buds themselves don't use the light. there is nothing in the bud that photosynthesizes. it's a popular misconception that they'll develop better if fans are removed to expose the bud sites. if too many get removed it has the opposite effect.

removing branching and leaves can direct growth to other parts of the plant when done well. it just doesn't have anything to do with bud sites being exposed.

one of the best ways to increase production indoor is side lighting. it directs light to the part of the plant that normally would not get it, making those fans you would remove productive again. that will build a larger harvest.
 
buds themselves don't use the light. there is nothing in the bud that photosynthesizes. it's a popular misconception that they'll develop better if fans are removed to expose the bud sites. if too many get removed it has the opposite effect.

removing branching and leaves can direct growth to other parts of the plant when done well. it just doesn't have anything to do with bud sites being exposed.

one of the best ways to increase production indoor is side lighting. it directs light to the part of the plant that normally would not get it, making those fans you would remove productive again. that will build a larger harvest.
That's only a half truth. Every chloroplast cell contain chlorophyll and there's more parts than the leaves that are green. The only difference is the type of cells and their concentration. Leaves are the main part for photosynthesis but saying the leaves only photosynthize is a false statement.
 
That's only a half truth. Every chloroplast cell contain chlorophyll and there's more parts than the leaves that are green. The only difference is the type of cells and their concentration. Leaves are the main part for photosynthesis but saying the leaves only photosynthize is a false statement.


so little happens elsewhere it's negligible. there isn't a plant that the flower itself photosynthesizes. the buds are the flowers. the plant would die without the leaves. there's been a few instances here of folk killing them off when trying to schwaz or use other extreme defol.
 
buds themselves don't use the light. there is nothing in the bud that photosynthesizes. it's a popular misconception that they'll develop better if fans are removed to expose the bud sites. if too many get removed it has the opposite effect.
I disagree.

I said,
Lastly, I remove any fan leaves that are shading buds below.
In the case of my outdoor grow, light and heat are important to the health of the buds, because this reduces moisture. I'm dealing with insane bud rot here.

Buds are composed of bracts, sugar leaves, and stem material. The sugar leaves are obviously photosynthesizing, like all green leaves; however, their surface area is much smaller, and they are often covered with trichomes.

More solar exposure for the trichomes could also be a good thing, because UV light increases THC. The effect on terpenes I don't know, but increased terpenes would also imply disease and pest resistance.

Naturally, the biggest colas are at the top of the plant, with maximum solar exposure. From the plant's point of view, this is exactly what the plant wants for reproduction. We humans just want to get more yield.
 
I disagree.

I said,

In the case of my outdoor grow, light and heat are important to the health of the buds, because this reduces moisture. I'm dealing with insane bud rot here.


outdoor is a totally different animal. if you defol outdoor is it for air circulation, and to avoid bud rot. your assuming what you do outdoor works in a totally different grow style.

defol or not is a completely moot point outdoor. we're talking about an indoor practice. it's completely different conditions to your situation.


but wade in anyway. it's good to have another perspective even if not totally on the same page.



 
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