Popcorn buds: which to strip off?
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Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
I always keep all the lower larf buds on the plant and use for cannabis tea.
Shaggn
Well-Known Member
I've removed nodes/defoliation in flower and haven't had anything herm. That being said could keep and use for hash/baking goods!!
One can do that, or they smoke the same as the bigger buds. Personally I leave anything that not going to restrict air flow and cause me other potential issues. Same as I don't trim very tight as it's my preference personally and "bag appeal" have little meaning if you not selling it. So one of them do whatever you find works best for you, or in some cases works for that specific Strain as they can be like people and have their little odd quirks
Enjoil
Well-Known Member
Sorry brother this was the only way I could find you... I was wondering what happened to the little tab that let you msg other members on 420? I can’t find that start conversation button... that’s what I was thinking of... can you help me please. Best way to avoid popcorn buds is to lollipop and feed well...One can do that, or they smoke the same as the bigger buds. Personally I leave anything that not going to restrict air flow and cause me other potential issues. Same as I don't trim very tight as it's my preference personally and "bag appeal" have little meaning if you not selling it. So one of them do whatever you find works best for you, or in some cases works for that specific Strain as they can be like people and have their little odd quirks
I"m on a PC only so no idea if on a phone, but on PC you hover over members name and below the number of messages and media they have there is three tabs for "Follow" "Ignore" and "Start Conversation". Same options are there if you click members name and look at their Profile.
Grandma Weedstein
Well-Known Member
No offense but I’ve never seen a plant hermie from removing buds or leaves at any point. I don’t see why this would occur. Is there any research on this topic?
SoGnotSOG321
Well-Known Member
When they get like this
Results may vary.
Results may vary.
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
Stress can make a plant hermaphrodite.
Sometimes a person can go overboard with defoliation and cause stress.
PaleSun
Well-Known Member
One idea I've heard about is that by removing lower bud sites the plant will put more energy into the top flowers. Next summer I'm going to try Sour Diesel fem, in a Manifold pattern and just let the tops grow flowers.
Grandma Weedstein
Well-Known Member
It makes common sense but I wonder if people have actually compared this theory against a control...
I don't think removing them gives you a bigger harvest. Just puts the energy that would have been used for those little guys into the bigger ones above. So.The top buds will get a bit extra. I flower outdoors only so the sun gets into the bottoms. Even if they are small they smoke the same and are great for hash or extractions. Try on one plant and compare to another. Then you can decide what works for you.
Southerncough
Well-Known Member
I believe it's all relevant to light. The amount of light penetration (PAR) should have a lot to do with how far down to lollipop. If your light doesn't reach more than a few inches into your canopy, then your buds will be smaller from there down, etc. Which will have different results between the sun, a T-5, HPS, or LEDs, even how strong each one may be. I've also heard of people adding supplemental side lighting and making the popcorn buds fatten up like their sisters up top.
Grandma Weedstein
Well-Known Member
The idea of harvesting the top colas then letting the buds underneath fatten up seems interesting but wouldn’t work outdoors in my case. I am usually chopping based on adverse weather rather than ripeness.
PaleSun
Well-Known Member
Right you are, and for the home gardener is doesn't likely matter either. Maybe it's just gardener's pride having a whopper big crown cola on top of each branch.
BTW Grandma, it's not for everyone but I've been experimenting with 'Blackout Tunnels' to get outdoor flowering going sooner in shorter growing seasons...and the trimming work that comes after.
Grandma Weedstein
Well-Known Member
I’ve thought about covering my hoophouse to mimic shorter days in summer but goddamn that sounds annoying.Right you are, and for the home gardener is doesn't likely matter either. Maybe it's just gardener's pride having a whopper big crown cola on top of each branch.
...and the trimming work that comes after.
Maybe not the first day or the second day, but after a week or two, all the covering and uncovering would just become unbelievably obnoxious. I got enough chores around here!
I guess you’ve got a lot more patience than I do. If I was smarter and more mechanically inclined, it’d be cool to set up some kind of automatic pulley system.
Then again, I suppose you’d really only need to worry about it for about a month or so, right? Have you found the extra effort worthwhile?
I usually don't bother trimming those. Just go into a separate tub. I use that tub when I do hash making demo's at events. Also for edibles for events too. The size plants I grow are too big to worry about trimming them. No time for that shiz.
PaleSun
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty lazy in the summer. I pulled a black plastic tarp over my plants growing inside a 'Hoop Greenhouse'. Got an unnecessarily large harvest. Sometimes you just can't give this shit away. 
I'm trying to work out a couple 'Cool Climate' practices for outdoor Growers. The biggest challenge seems to be poor weather before the buds are matured. This year I'll use the 'Blackout' plastic for 2 weeks. Just before the local natural flowering would start by itself. Hopefully then get trichomes turning amber before the weather is too cold.
Yup, I'm on your side there. Couple times I've harvested off the top 1/3 of the plant and then left the lower part to make more buds for "Production Grade".
