Defoliation opinions

[bobrown14]

It's usually spelt schwazzing



As I said I'm out of this conversation. I have no interest in getting into discussions with less talented people who only wants to cause arguments. I have better things to do with my time while in lockdown...

Lol You funny... I herd injecting house cleaner could help with Covid-19. Are we going to try it cause someone of high authority says so?? Of course not. Defoil is a similar type adventure.

Scientists say its not productive, anecdotal evidence also says the same as well as common sense.
Then there's the math and physics. But you still insist that you're the best in the world nothing beats your dank nugs. Good for you.

Here's some suggested reading while your penned up inside your home:

Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology: Mauseth, James D.

This can be very helpful in stepping up your knowledge game. Yer welcome.

 

[bobrown14]

Day 63...end of week 9...3 weeks since flip to 12/12. I added a 3rd small fan to increase airflow under the canopy this week. Plants are still stretching, raising the light daily, height around 20”. Today I did a light defoliation, taking thin branches low. I am getting a nice lower canopy of secondary bud sites on two of the four...those are staying. Main buds are developing nicely. Pics are from this morning before and after thinning.

Anything that touches or could touch the soil or the container should be thinned out. This will promote air flow and also keep soil pathogens off the leaves.

Looks like you're starting to get a Ca deficiency. Can make kelp and EWC tea and water in and spoon on the goop that settles. 1 cup ewc + 1/2 cup kelp meal in bucket of water stir or aerate overnight water and spoon on the gunk.

 

[cr8grow]

The plants dont seem to have react badly to the light trim two days ago. The trichomes finally started to show on the sugar leaves...almost overnight.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Damn that looks like one impressive book, but for 93 dollars? I might make a savings jar for it...

 

[bobrown14]

Damn that looks like one impressive book, but for 93 dollars? I might make a savings jar for it...

I think I paid $126 for it. It's a text book for horticulture for 1st year college so it goes into huge amount of detail without a lot of chemistry which helps without the chemistry background. Its like been THE first textbook for colleges for many years.

Will change the way you see plants and how complex and fascinating plants are.

Hoo-mans on earth maybe 100k years. Plants on earth a few billion years. They have had a fair amount of time to figure life out. We still have a lot to learn from them.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Yeah I noted the introduction part, which caught my eye, after the price tag. The thirst for knowledge is strong in this one, so I will make a saving jar for it. Some loose dolla bills and quarters lol got 7.50 for the fund now lol.

 

[bobrown14]

Its a good book. Can go back and use it for reference. Its a must read for anyone that wants to do this plant growing thing and get good at it. I'm still learning always will this book was a revelation in many ways.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Morning @cr8grow, is it time for another update?

 

[cr8grow]

Day 70...end of week 10, 4 weeks since flip to 12/12. First pistils showed April 15th. Trichomes just started to appear early this week and exploded from there in the past few days. Also purplish tint starting on the sugar leaves and upper fans. The plants are starting to consume lower fan leaves, which I believe is normal about half way through flower. Im concerned about further thinning stressing the plants. I have LST down pretty well now but have no game on thinning. Removed a few dry leaves and a few yellow that dropped off easily from each. Weekly updates in my Grow #2 journal.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Thanks will switch over to your journal then

 

[cr8grow]

I want to keep this thread open because I cant figure out thinning. In different and impressive threads I see “stripped all fans today” to “touch one leaf in flower and full hermie”. The stripped plants fully explode with new growth and nice canopy, or they end up in the need help threads looking sickly. Why do that..I really dont know. I have great airflow in my cabinet and really am not worried about mold issues. My plants are consuming low fans...is that not normal at this point. I dont know.

 

[safeman]

check out "Schwazzing" it removal of leaves - basicly one does a Heavy defoliation in week 4 of veg - then just before flip - and lastly week 4 of flower at 12/12 it's a ratical way to defoliate But one can get good results with it, there is a video of go to"tree of Life.com" there is a book that cost $500.00 with this method included, Can get a discount of $250.00 but still cost of $250.00 ! Must be nuts to buy this book

 

[cr8grow]

Thanks safeman...I will check out the approach and steer clear of the book.

 

[cr8grow]

I don't run a "crammed tent". I have more space and less plants than 4 plants per 4x4 space.

"stripping" plants in flower is super stressful on the plants. Food for thought.

Hermie - how are ya?

I remembered hermie feedback @bobrown14 ...thought I may have a seed or few last watering but couldn't find any male bits. Today found a male flower low on one plant...it opened when I pinched it outside the cabinet. I have great airflow, not good if pollen drifting about in my cabinet. The plants are halfway through week 9 flower, planned to chop this weekend. I will now likely leave the lights off after today and then chop in a day or so. No idea the extent of my hermie issue across the four plants. Looking over my journal I did a light defoliation after 3 weeks of flower and changed from the 4k to the 3k cmh bulb 4 weeks after 12/12, once stretch was over.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Some plants will naturally hermie in late flower when unpollinated.
As for the leaf stripping. I do see great stuff but as I’m still new. I’m not sure how to do it yet. But it can be done,
Maybe I’ll try something on these plants , a lil stripping.
cause non defol is great if you don’t want to accidentally kill the plant. And it does make some good buds. But there is a lot of larf.
I did notice there to be a lot of leaves need stripping in late flower or flower.
In my opinion that is.
But I’m new so I’m going to try some training besides lst and super cropping lol.
I need to try new stuff now.
And I’ve also read spraying plant with water before handling helps the pollen not explode everywhere when handling.

 

[cr8grow]

Third grow will be organic soil again. I will follow my same defoliation plan...let em be. The first 2 grows the plants feed on the fans late in flower...Im fine with that. One change...I will thin out the small branches low late veg, Before I flip to 12/12. I learned a lot with this and other defoliation threads here. Grow #2 now drying.

 

[ZERbx2]

Beautiful looking ladies BTW. Looking forward to reading the responses from those with more wisdom.

My thoughts would be that you can do some minor defoliation below the canopy so that they can focus their efforts on your flower instead of trying to keep the lower canopy happy and healthy since it is not getting as much energy/light. You are relatively early in flower so they are still growing and stretching for a little while longer. You still have a buffer of time. I'm just not positive how much time you have. Hopefully someone chimes in with more experience. Good luck!

I trimmed mind some in the second week, I should have done a better job before then, but I didn't know what to expect. they still more than double in height during the 3rd and 4th week of stretch.

 

[Scottylikesbud]

Third grow will be organic soil again. I will follow my same defoliation plan...let em be. The first 2 grows the plants feed on the fans late in flower...Im fine with that. One change...I will thin out the small branches low late veg, Before I flip to 12/12. I learned a lot with this and other defoliation threads here. Grow #2 now drying.

Right, Im looking at defol plants and I’m like, I gotta try that out, some ridiculous monster colas when done right lol

 

[ZERbx2]

Some plants will naturally hermie in late flower when unpollinated.
As for the leaf stripping. I do see great stuff but as I’m still new. I’m not sure how to do it yet. But it can be done,
Maybe I’ll try something on these plants , a lil stripping.
cause non defol is great if you don’t want to accidentally kill the plant. And it does make some good buds. But there is a lot of larf.
I did notice there to be a lot of leaves need stripping in late flower or flower.
In my opinion that is.
But I’m new so I’m going to try some training besides lst and super cropping lol.
I need to try new stuff now.
And I’ve also read spraying plant with water before handling helps the pollen not explode everywhere when handling.

Oh! I'm new, but I've already learned that spraying plant can be bad idea with certain lights. The water will act like a magnifying light and burn your leafs.

 

[ZERbx2]

Yes, you should always look for balls, after you trim, if you spot them, remove them, before pollinating anything and you will get a good smoke from what I read.