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

[PossumLiquor]

I aggressively & intensively defoliate throughout the plant's life to expose shaded growth areas to all the light possible. It encourages explosive internodal growth! I HAD a control plant, but it was lagging so far behind that I defoliated it, as well.

I don't really know all of the Deep Horticultural/Biological 'Why's & How's' of defoliating's effectiveness, but I do know that, with very few exceptions, it has always paid off for me - even outdoors, where it is REALLY not recommended. Who knows? ... maybe I'm the Real Jack the Stripper or Budward Scissorshands ... or even the infamous Bilderberg-er infiltrator Agent Orange ... ad nauseum. The Super-Specialized strain which I'm growing is ... BrickWeed-BagSeed, so I feel free to experiment at will — even intentionally torturing some of them to death (always at least [3] seedlings from the same bag are trained the same to see if it's the 'strain' or the individual plant which can't take it — yeah, I know - brickweed-bagseed; don't know how many strains of males pollinated the buds in the bag, unknown genetic lineage, etc.). That's why the weak & unreliable will be subjected to their proper Darwinian fate.

A lil' proof - these girls are 18 days into bloom, & look at all the blossoming bud-sites, tight internodes, etc. ... I made (1) a 'Spider Plant' — lots 'O legs & (2) big antennae!

 

[djantonie]

Hello peeps!

I have been reading through this thread and found it to be extremely interesting and educating. As of the moment i'm attempting to main-line a "Dutch Passion Seed - Power PLant." And i have successfully made to 8 colas.

I have been looking for a grow journal that did a main-lining technique with defoliation but sadly I couldn't find one. Do you guys think it is a good idea combining the two techniques?

Your kind words of wisdom is extremely appreciated!!

 

[Hash Hound]

try light addict's journals

 

[SuperSize]

I tried it in veg, stripped them 3 time during veg, one gentle stripe just over 2 weeks in 12\12, here they are 31 days in to 12\12, very little been cut since

 

[djantonie]

try light addict's journals

Thanks Hash Hound I will check it! Have a good one!

 

[djantonie]

I tried it in veg, stripped them 3 time during veg, one gentle stripe just over 2 weeks in 12\12, here they are 31 days in to 12\12, very little been cut since

Outstanding SuperSize! May you have a bountiful harvest!

 

[SuperSize]

Outstanding SuperSize! May you have a bountiful harvest!

Thanks, I hope I get a good harvest too, it has been a lot of caring on their early hard life.

 

[Dankemshunter]

Would you defoliate these girls? They are day 21 as of today.

 

[SuperSize]

Would you defoliate these girls? They are day 21 as of today.

doesn't look like you need to on that scrog

 

[SuperSize]

I have harvested my plants, and I noticed something, not sure if anyone else had the same, on the ones that I defol the big fans they have a lot of medium size buds, where as the ones that I left alone have big fat colas on them.

 

[Hi Hat]

Hey Bassman and 420mag, I had to register just to tell you how informative and great this thread has been. Defoliation has always been a controversial technique (I'm all for it tho!) and on other forums, I've seen hundreds of pages long flame wars but here, almost no negative comments!

I know you, Bassman, have been having trouble with the authority all the best you and all of you guys at 420, truly positive forum!

 

[SuperSize]

I'm trying something new to myself which I haven't really read it anywhere, instead of removing leaves, I remove all secondary shoots till 1 week before switching to flower, if anyone interested link in my sign, any input appreciated

 

[Bagmand]

Great thread man !!
Have ben reading up on defoliation for a while. It sounds VERY interesting, and think I'm gonna try it out. I'm currently in my first grow. A week in to flower. I'm gonna strip her at 21 days.

 

[jmore27]

Some growers have been enjoying yields in very compact plants at only 32" cubed above and beyond 12oz per plant using this technique. Again, over 12oz dry per plant on girls that are no taller than 32 inches and just as wide around.

Alright, I'm lost. I veg my plants up to 20 to 30 inches tall (2 to 4 months) under proper lighting before shooting them into flowering (also proper lighting). I defoliate and trim during veg well enough. I get rid of initial sucker buds and maybe only a couple lower branches per plant. My ffof soil keeps them healthy. I feed them steady streams of floranova during veg, and do tigerbloom/open sesa/beastie/cha-ching during flowering. But from 8 plants I only got 10 oz altogether. What am I doing wrong?! Sorry, any help is appreciated.

 

[Smokemupm8]

Well i LST and Defol a bit, but for me and my grow space i must perform a few things correctly to get a good yielding plant. I just pulled a 3ft plant n got just on 10 oz. This plant didnt get trained properly so had less main colas,usually 14 or so gives good harvest.
My current baby is only maybe 10" inch tall but ive got 8 mains already and she is just starting to go vertical again ntil i tie it down again later. I veg mine til the required height ,about 2 - 3 ft. I remove only leqves above main branch shoots during early veg and i dont defol heavily when i flip either, just take random fans that cause too much shading in certain areas below.
My wanted final height is around 5-6ft, ive pulled close to pounds of my girls just a bit more veg time n LST her gradually or it wont give you all it can. A big pot is handy too !!

First pic last crap effort, good smoke but not as big... Others are from my larger 6 ft x 4 ft beast.

 

[Hash Hound]

I have used the defol during veg a few times to keep a plant for a long time til there is room in the flowering room.

I think it is a great way to manipulate a plant, but it can make for a big plant if you have a smaller space and hog up a lot of the room

something like this

can turn into this

 

[Snoop429]

Subbed for reading later. This one might take awhile

 

[monstercroper]

thinking about trying the same when my girls are 3 weeks in flower, anyone any input on this? I already have them stripped from secondary branches, so all branches you see are from the main stock only, and I removed minimal amount of leaves already at upper area, but all other leaves remains intact and not shading any bud site at all

 

[monstercroper]

has anyone notice that defoliation may has an effect of dehydration on the girls, in turns they drinking more but also take up nutes at the same time, but I am thinking something related to dehydration because not only that they drink more faster and nutes uptake increased, they also produce higher amount of trichs, I understand that dropping humidity to 40% or a bit less will increase trichs production, on my last run, no defol, humid 38%, extra trichs, this run, defol from 4th week on slowly, humid 50% to 60%, extra trichs....

anyone experiencing the same?

 

[4Rare420RX]

Great thread. On my side, dealing with mainly Indica's we pick of the main fans on Day 11 in flower with a followup 5 1/2 weeks in. When you deleaf, the plant responds with more vigor in the ensuing week hence the awesome shots shown in this thread. Great post!