I want to Stir the Pot! Do you trim your shade leaves?

[trichomes]

I always think about all the growers that say NEVER prune ANY shade leaves from a beautiful girl. I'm the guy that cuts off that leaf that's shading a healthy top. There are so many answers, all I learn is, NOBODY agrees! Which is proven most productive? I don't know which side I like. I'd love to read member opinions on which side they are on, To prune, OR not to to Prune those pesky shade leaves??

 

[GigaGrew]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

ive got a whole opinion on the matter, but i have to be honest with you, i dont have the time to waffle.
here is a fellow defoliation pro's journal on the matter. read the lot, and you will have what you seek

Increasing yield with defoliation indoors - What's it mean? How to do it?

 

[Richard Richardson]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

I always think about all the growers that say NEVER prune ANY shade leaves from a beautiful girl. I'm the guy that cuts off that leaf that's shading a healthy top. There are so many answers, all I learn is, NOBODY agrees! Which is proven most productive? I don't know which side I like. I'd love to read member opinions on which side they are on, To prune, OR not to to Prune those pesky shade leaves??

Outdoor growers should not trim their leaves. No need unless you are growing in a confined space.

A plant loves its leafs and will regrow new ones if they are cut off.

In veg it will grow Fan leafs. In flower she will grow bract leafs.

A big advantage is air circulation. Leaf on leaf is not sexy.

The shading bit about Fanleafs has to do with far-red-light and actually helps the growth of growing tips.

When a tip is shaded and receives less far-red-light, it grows towards the light.

When you cut a leaf to give light to a certain growing tip, it slows growth, as the tip is now getting far-red-light.

In flower, after the growth-spurt, defoliation allows more light and air to reach each flowering top

The solar-panel debate is endless. The sun moves and penetrates deep into foliage.

Indoors the sun don't move. We can cut off leaves and shape the plant according to our "Zone of illumination"

Outdoors the wind blows from different directions at different speeds.

Indoors we make the wind. Often quite inefficiently. We can cut leafs according to our air circulation levels.

My opinion is that we shape our plants so they show as much of themselves to the light.

We bend 'em, twist 'em, tie 'em down, cut a leaf off. These are our self-expressions.

We form the plant so it flowers in a confined space.

All flowers should see the sun.

Apart from that principle, Airflow should be considered.

Too many leafs = restricted airflow.

Cut leafs, so air can flow freely.

Unrestricted Airflow + Buds = Good

 

[jd8611]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

I have tried several methods with out measurable differences in overall yields, some methods create more work when it comes to harvest time.

 

[RoadLizard]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

I'm not an expert or anything but I only remove leaves if they are really old, yellow, and scraggly looking. And, I don't do it until they ready to fall off by themselves. I never remove more than one or two at a time either as to not send the plant into major repair mode or whatever. Just be gentle and don't overdo it. Leaves feed the buds. Keep that in mind.

 

[GigaGrew]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

I'm not an expert or anything but I only remove leaves if they are really old, yellow, and scraggly looking. And, I don't do it until they ready to fall off by themselves. I never remove more than one or two at a time either as to not send the plant into major repair mode or whatever. Just be gentle and don't overdo it. Leaves feed the buds. Keep that in mind.

a perfectly acceptable gardening practice. =)

lets face it, we dont prune for the sake of the plant, we prune for our own gains...all forms of advanced pruning and manipulation should be weighed up carefully as to the harm vs gain and the rules can change from strain to strain and probably even pheno to pheno.

a new grower should go o'natural to start, then experience a range of strains for find a favorite to grow, then learn about how the plant grows (variations-phenotypes) then lock down your own strain/pheno/pruning combination on practice plants. once you have it dialed in you can save yourself a packet of seeds and growing instructions, then if you can bored you can find another strain to work with and will always have old faithful to fall back on =)

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Re: I want to STIR the POT!! Do you trim your shade leaves?

I think at first we must look at what leafs do for the plant mainly being photosynthesis being a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy, normally from the sun, into chemical energy that can be used to fuel the organisms' activities. Carbohydrates, such as sugars, are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water which helps makes food directly from carbon dioxide and water using energy from light. (in brief)

So mild leaf removal does not really harm the plant in any way.


Also of note that the older fan leafs are a source of energy for the plant in mid/late flowering & these are often used as a food supplement to bolster development of the end result, hence we see them turn yellow & brown eventually crinkling up to be plucked off in due time...


Now the whole defoliation method will always be open to question & debate, more likely not suited for the first time grower !


At the end of day i think it applies to what growing method used whether soil or some form of hydro to make the best use of it !

Vegetative growth is slower in soil grows & the act of defoliation coupled with the regeneration time of veg growth will be slower & may slow over all development whilst in the vegetative phase, but do not see to much of problem in flowering but only if you know the growing habits of strain grown !

Hydroponic style grows DWC/RDWC,NFT or drip, ebb & flood systems using inert growing medium provide faster vegetative growth than when compared to soil grows... So the act of defoliation with any of above hydro methods the regeneration growth is much quicker making defoliation a more practical method to use !