Removing Lower Branches in SCROG

[AcesFull]

Hi Everyone,

I feel as though this question is easily answered with a search, but all I come up with are threads about fan leaves. I'm wondering if it's a good idea to remove lower branches in a SCROG under T5 lighting.

The lower branches will not receive much light I think and they only hinder airflow. Flowering under T5 will reduce yield enough and I don't want to slow them down too much, but things are getting quite crowded down there and I fear PM and other problems.

We're on day 22 of flower.

Strain is Chem Dawg 4 in straight perlite Hempy totes, OC+ nutes. There are 6 plants each tote, 4 totes, so..... 24 plants in a 4x4 tent. Yeah. Crowded.

Here a a couple slightly different angles:

 

[Maer]

"
The screen method used by pH relied on a long vegetative period for the plants to cover a large area of screen held close to a series of fluorescent tubes. The method I will describe here uses the same sort of growth process that occurs in a sea of green plant, and is very fast. The screen should be set about 8-12" above the planting medium, if possible. There are two purposes for that gap. First, you have to get your hands underneath the screen in order to handle the plant shoots and to remove excess growth shaded out under the screen. Second, there needs to be sufficient space for the plant to branch. Branching is essential to scrog. I prefer a space of about 10" for a 250 watt light, but some growers prefer shorter gaps for smaller lights, as little as 4-6".


What is SCROG - Screen of Green?

 

[JJ Bones]

Personally I wouldn't recommend chopping your lower branches now that your 3 weeks into flower. Some growers might, this is solely my opinion.

I usually do my best to prune it right throughout veg, and very thoroughly one week before flower.

Your idea is spot on, as to increase yield by pruning the lower area and increase air flow to prevent patogens/problems. However I personally think that if you were to prune now it will only have a negative affect on your yield which would really defeat your intentions in the first place.

Take it as a lesson learned this time and prune accordingly next time.

 

[AcesFull]

Thanks a lot for the helpful information guys.

JJ: Would a 10 week strain change your opinion or is it quite simply 3 weeks in is too late regardless?

Thanks.

 

[JJ Bones]

10 week strain you can definitely get away with it better. However overall I don't want to take away too much energy on negative stress instead of my buds.

Possibly try one or two totes, and leave the other two. See your end results and determine for yourself which way will be better. That's probably your best option, IMO.