Manifold question

[Keffka]

So I am approaching flower and am wondering, when defoliating before flower, am I taking growth tips out as well or just fan leaves?

This is my first time manifolding a plant so I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be focusing everything into the 8 colas only and removing all the growth tips below or if I’m just cleaning up for light penetration. I’ve attached an image to show where my plant is at before flower. Each cola has multiple nodes with growth tips reaching almost up to the canopy.

 

[Fuzzy Duck]

Don't remove any growth tips as this would sound like an act of topping ya don't want to do this at this stage of growth ?

Might of jumped the gun with the above mention ^ perhaps you was referring to lower side branches & if so I guess it doesn't really matter a great deal.

Ok defol ah not right know... first of all your bud sites have not formed & this normally takes a few weeks for flower sites to pop pistils etc.

This is around the 3rd week mark roughly allowing for individual grow conditions & when most of the flowering stretch is done etc this is when defol may take place with aprox of 25% of fan leaf's are removed depending on how leafy your strain is !

Defol the upper top 3rd of the stems this is where your main cola forms.

During the flowering period you may get some yellowing of fan leaf's from the lower levels up with this being reasonable normal.

2nd stage defol is the last few weeks of flowering or the ripening period of the trichomes & this allows for greater light allowance to the lower bud sites to pack on mass/ripen.


I do think some of these methods only offer marginal returns in the long run.




SIDE NOTE - looks like ya got a small Ca / Mg def going on & you may want to treat that issue before flowering gets on the way

 

[Phytoplankton]

I agree with @Fuzzy Duck, too early for defol, in fact I'm not a huge fan of defol. It has its place, but when the time comes remember the fan leaves are the power source for the plant, so use restraint in removing them, lower, older, damaged, or yellow leaves, that don't get a lot of direct light are the ones to remove. The fan leaves on the colas are powering the bud growth of that cola, so unless they're blocking other bud sites they are fine to leave on the plant.

 

[Keffka]

Don't remove any growth tips as this would sound like an act of topping ya don't want to do this at this stage of growth ?

Might of jumped the gun with the above mention ^ perhaps you was referring to lower side branches & if so I guess it doesn't really matter a great deal.

Ok defol ah not right know... first of all your bud sites have not formed & this normally takes a few weeks for flower sites to pop pistils etc.

This is around the 3rd week mark roughly allowing for individual grow conditions & when most of the flowering stretch is done etc this is when defol may take place with aprox of 25% of fan leaf's are removed depending on how leafy your strain is !

Defol the upper top 3rd of the stems this is where your main cola forms.

During the flowering period you may get some yellowing of fan leaf's from the lower levels up with this being reasonable normal.

2nd stage defol is the last few weeks of flowering or the ripening period of the trichomes & this allows for greater light allowance to the lower bud sites to pack on mass/ripen.


I do think some of these methods only offer marginal returns in the long run.




SIDE NOTE - looks like ya got a small Ca / Mg def going on & you may want to treat that issue before flowering gets on the way

Here’s a better image of what I’m talking about..

This is one of the 8 main colas. I am holding the growth that is coming off the main cola and am wondering if I am supposed to remove these so only the main cola buds? Is this what you called a “side branch”? Each main cola has at least 2 of them that are almost canopy height and a few others beginning to crowd in.

I’ve never grown under LED (nor have I ever trained) and was caught off guard by the amount of calmag consumption that happens. Outside with my hard tap water was providing enough for the plants and I didn’t even think about the difference. She’s been given two doses of calmag but I believe it may need a third, and I possibly may need to just add it to my watering every time.

 

[Keffka]

I agree with @Fuzzy Duck, too early for defol, in fact I'm not a huge fan of defol. It has its place, but when the time comes remember the fan leaves are the power source for the plant, so use restraint in removing them, lower, older, damaged, or yellow leaves, that don't get a lot of direct light are the ones to remove. The fan leaves on the colas are powering the bud growth of that cola, so unless they're blocking other bud sites they are fine to leave on the plant.

I posted an image showing explicitly what I was referring to. As I understand it, I’m supposed to ensure each of these main colas is given the resources and space for itself, however I have multiple growths coming off each cola that to me seem like they’re diverting resources from the main growth. Does that make sense? I’m confusing myself lol.

I want to know if those growths should be removed from the cola main to ensure the cola main receives all of its resources.

 

[hoonsince89]

I do the same as you have done... manifold, trim lower 3rd approaching flower. I'D LEAVE IT FOR NOW. I dont really take off any more untill about week 5-6 for big fan leaves, I then remove the big ones that cover large light pentration for bud sites. Around week 2-3 i pinch off all the larf (shit fluff bud) and do so as it continues to grow throughout flower.

I experimented taking quite abit off last time and believe it stunted it quite a few days, although it did have a cal/mag issue which could have been the route cause. -The general idea tho is to take off the large ones after the bulk of your bud has done most of its growing.

 

[Roy Growin]

I'd take them off and root them, stick them in a corner

 

[Keffka]

It was getting belligerently bushy, leaves were on top of other leaves, light and air were struggling to penetrate, and there’s been powdery mildew going around, so I trimmed her up by removing the 2 lowest side branches from each cola. I was trying just to bend the branches back to make room but there was a lot of growth.

She loved it. She exploded with growth this morning and her leaves are more turgid than they’ve been for a couple weeks, as well as, each leaf is now laying nice and flat absorbing the most light it can. I felt bad doing it lol but she responded so nicely I’m relieved it didn’t hurt her.

 

[JoetheChro]

It was getting belligerently bushy, leaves were on top of other leaves, light and air were struggling to penetrate, and there’s been powdery mildew going around, so I trimmed her up by removing the 2 lowest side branches from each cola. I was trying just to bend the branches back to make room but there was a lot of growth.

She loved it. She exploded with growth this morning and her leaves are more turgid than they’ve been for a couple weeks, as well as, each leaf is now laying nice and flat absorbing the most light it can. I felt bad doing it lol but she responded so nicely I’m relieved it didn’t hurt her.

Nice defo. I’ve got some manifold pics on another blower. Will find and send over.

Just try not to pick anymore for another couple of weeks, it will be tempting but let it recover