Stu’s First Grow

[InTheShed]

I'm with Shed here. I pick leaves every day, or rather give the leaves a bit of a trim and only cut what is necessary of the fingers of each leaf. But tuck whenever it's possible.

I have a theory as to why we should take whole leaves rather than trim them. Anyone wanna hear it?

Okay: Cutting leaves damages a part of the plant that normally isn't damaged except by animal, insect, or disease. This causes the plant to stress and send out hormones to try to repair the damage and limit further damage...why the edges turn brown: to prevent further loss.

When a plant naturally loses its leaf it does so at the stem, where it's supposed to. They know best where leaves should be removed.

We only want to stress our plants in ways that accelerate growth and bud development. Healing the edges of leaves doesn't fall into that category.

That's my theory!

 

[nickeluring]

I have a theory as to why we should take whole leaves rather than trim them. Anyone wanna hear it?

Okay: Cutting leaves damages a part of the plant that normally isn't damaged except by animal, insect, or disease. This causes the plant to stress and send out hormones to try to repair the damage and limit further damage...why the edges turn brown: to prevent further loss.

When a plant naturally loses its leaf it does so at the stem, where it's supposed to. They know best where leaves should be removed.

We only want to stress our plants in ways that accelerate growth and bud development. Healing the edges of leaves doesn't fall into that category.

That's my theory!

That's an interesting theory, Shed. I have a different theory. I believe that the stress the plant experiences from a trimmed leaf is very little compared to the amount of energy that the trimmed leaf can produce for the remainder of the plant's life. We're talking 8 weeks of producing energy, that is used to build buds, if you trim that leaf in early flowering. How long is the plant stressed for if a leaf gets damaged? A couple of days perhaps? If you instead completely remove that leaf, there's definitely no more energy going to the bud/buds from that leaf. Energy will have to be "imported" from other leaves further down the stem, which in turn will affect other buds negatively.
I also don't think that removing a completely healthy leaf at the stem is totally stress free for the plant. The stress might not be as big as if you trim a leaf. This I don't know. But there will be some stress in both cases for sure.

 

[Stirstick]

Oooh great opposing arguments!

 

[Stu]

Oooh great opposing arguments!

Yes they really are lol

 

[InTheShed]

That's an interesting theory, Shed. I have a different theory. I believe that the stress the plant experiences from a trimmed leaf is very little compared to the amount of energy that the trimmed leaf can produce for the remainder of the plant's life. We're talking 8 weeks of producing energy, that is used to build buds, if you trim that leaf in early flowering. How long is the plant stressed for if a leaf gets damaged? A couple of days perhaps? If you instead completely remove that leaf, there's definitely no more energy going to the bud/buds from that leaf. Energy will have to be "imported" from other leaves further down the stem, which in turn will affect other buds negatively.
I also don't think that removing a completely healthy leaf at the stem is totally stress free for the plant. The stress might not be as big as if you trim a leaf. This I don't know. But there will be some stress in both cases for sure.

I like that theory nick! Would the same theory apply in veg?

 

[nickeluring]

Yes, I believe so. There are of course no buds yet to worry about, but there are still bud sites that will get more energy to grow if you trim the leaves instead of removing them. Also in veg you don't have to worry so much about the stress you cause from trimming or removing.

 

[InTheShed]

I'm guessing you're not much of a defoliator then!

 

[nickeluring]

Yes, mate, I was. I'm a firm believer in letting the light shine below. I was defoliating several weeks into flowering, all the way until the plant stops making new leaves at around 5 weeks. And all the way til the end I'd daily pick leaves that would cast too much shade on any buds below.
It's just recently I started to trim the leaves instead of chopping them whenever possible. In most cases it is. You need to spend a bit more time with the girls though.
But I always first try to tuck whenever possible. As long as the leaves are still on the plant and they are still alive, the plant will get some energy from them. That's what they're there for...

 

[InTheShed]

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[Stu]

Nice explanations Nick, I will have to attempt trimming leaves on one plant and not fully cutting them off at the stock to see if I can see any noticeable difference to me, and just to try a different way is always good too, then see what works best for me.

Cheers guys

 

[Emilya Green]

Nice explanations Nick, I will have to attempt trimming leaves on one plant and not fully cutting them off at the stock to see if I can see any noticeable difference to me, and just to try a different way is always good too, then see what works best for me.

I will be very interested in hearing your conclusions at the end of this experiment.

 

[nickeluring]

Gotcha, thanks!

No worries, mate. That's just how I believe plants work.

Nice explanations Nick, I will have to attempt trimming leaves on one plant and not fully cutting them off at the stock to see if I can see any noticeable difference to me, and just to try a different way is always good too, then see what works best for me.

Cheers guys

That's awesome! Side by side experiments are great. And your own experiences are the best teachers.

 

[Stu]

I just had a small heart attackbumped my bong off the table to the concrete floor, 34” fall and.....the thick bastard didn’t break, it’s 1/4 thick glass 1/2” @ mouth piece and was pretty pricy, the bowl chipped but that’s it!

And a couple update pics I just snapped, day 13

White window, above

Blue cookie

 

[InTheShed]

Lovely long pistils and the bong manufacturer should use you in their ads!

 

[Stu]

Lovely long pistils and the bong manufacturer should use you in their ads!

Thanks shed, I’m amazed at how they are looking.... waiting on the day I open the tent and there all dead and limp if you asked me 2 months ago, that’s how I seen things going for the first grow, so if I get a couple ounces of good smoke I’ll be more than extatic!

I was also reading somewhere last night and a comment of yours came up about taking clones as far in to flower as two weeks so I snipped 6 more clone attempts cleaned the cloner bucket and adjusted its place to try to keep water cooler as I still didn’t buy a timer, so now I have 8 more tries to get a couple more clones or I’m gonna have to use a seed or two next grow.
My 2 clones aren’t currently happy, there in solos in 18/6 schedule but they are looking bad lol. One has self topped itself, top dried up and fell of, and the other is super yellow but starting to spit out some new growth.

Lololol R.I.P.

 

[InTheShed]

You can take cuttings deeper into flower than that if you have the stomach and patience, but 2 weeks without blinking an eye! That clone on the right has roots based on the little green growth coming out. Not sure on the other one. But use clear cups inside solid cups and you can slide them out to see how the roots are coming along. It's a brilliant idea I picked up from Rider (I think...I'm sure he didn't invent it) and everything gets planted that way...clones and sprouts!

How warm does the water get running the pump 24 hours a day?

Also, I stick masking tape on the edge of the lid and write down the date and strain. I'm easily confused...

 

[Stu]

I extended the main line off the pump higher so there’s 3 gal of water in the bucket now, water right to the bottom of the sprayers, it gets 70f the bucket is on a cold concrete floor, maybe 10 degree Celsius the concrete, can’t wear socks need shoes or feet freeze down here, general room temp is 60-64 in the basement (main grow tent sits on a 2x6 r40 insulated frame)
I was gonna put them in a clear cup in dirt like I did for my seedling but got lazy and just taped the cups

Both clones had about 3” of roots with lotsa fish bones so I know both have roots , just the lefty may have died though.

And question does your clone bucket stay in 24 hr light? Or should that be 18/6 also...

Thanks

 

[Stu]

Also, I stick masking tape on the edge of the lid and write down the date and strain. I'm easily confused...

 

[InTheShed]

I would never find that paper again unless it was taped to the side of the bucket .

 

[Stu]

I would never find that paper again unless it was taped to the side of the bucket .

Hahahaha fair enough