Pre flower prep work

[Aweedtec]

Hello,
Yet again I have searched and I cant find a thread so I am assuming I am probably not knowing the lingo to use to get a proper search going possibly. Because the information on this site is extensive.

To the point.

I am about to switch to 12/12
I just topped two spots on my Sativa dominant plant yesterday.
The others I have done nothing to but water.

My questions are.... Any good videos anywhere on defoliating and when I should do it?
I have no clue what to not cut versus what to cut.
Will i stunt them and should I wait to switch the cycle until a few days after defoliating before switching to get the
most out of the stretch period?
Do I need to flush them before adding Dr Earth bloom?

My nutes are only Dr earth. In veg I mixed 1/4 cup per 5 gallon and that is all they got this time around.
But when I go to use the Bloom stuff, I cant mix the 1/4 cup per 5 gallon so I have to baby it into the soil I am guessing.
Will this harm anything with the other organic nutes already in the soil?

Thanks for all the advice from everyone through this. I believe by the time I am done with the second grow(not this one) I will have a good idea of even if I should continue or not.

My concern is doing something that causes me to lose the stretch on the smaller plants. But if the large one stretches too much it wont fit under the light anymore.

My friend I was sending photos to since they were tiny came to see the plants about 5 days ago and said, "Damn, the photos do not do these plants any justice." Now they are probably 60 to 70 percent larger than 5 days ago.

 

[Phytoplankton]

Your plant looks really nice! Just my opinion, but I'd wait a few days to a week after topping before flipping to 12/12. With those nutes, flushing is not necessary (or desireable) flushing is only used to reset the soil after either a lockout from salt build up or overfertilization. I've never seen any hard data on whether defoliating helps or hurts quality/yield, but remember that those fan leaves are the solar panels for the plant, so do you really want to deprive the plants of power just as it's going into flower and needs increased power? Certainly you can judiciously take some fan leaves off to increase air flow through the canopy, helps to keep the environment for PM and other nasties less than optimal, and it can allow more light to bud sites, but don't grow crazy!!! Remember too, that the plant will draw resources (micronutrients, Ca, Mg, etc.) from those fan leaves as flowering progresses.

 

[Aweedtec]

Your plant looks really nice! Just my opinion, but I'd wait a few days to a week after topping before flipping to 12/12. With those nutes, flushing is not necessary (or desireable) flushing is only used to reset the soil after either a lockout from salt build up or overfertilization. I've never seen any hard data on whether defoliating helps or hurts quality/yield, but remember that those fan leaves are the solar panels for the plant, so do you really want to deprive the plants of power just as it's going into flower and needs increased power? Certainly you can judiciously take some fan leaves off to increase air flow through the canopy, helps to keep the environment for PM and other nasties less than optimal, and it can allow more light to bud sites, but don't grow crazy!!! Remember too, that the plant will draw resources (micronutrients, Ca, Mg, etc.) from those fan leaves as flowering progresses.

Your grow journal looks great.

My issue with me going in there and popping leaves off is.... I dont know which ones to pop off. For instance,
The ones growing down from stems? Its like all the very low branches stretching out at the bottom have this one leaf that grows out about 2 inches from where the new growth is forming and it aims directly downward as the branch its on is semi straight and then curves upward at the end. Would that leaf be one to pop off?
OR, in the middle? Is there a general rule to follow to not cut something that may be needed during the flowering stage.

I do understands those huge leaves need to stay. But the one plant (front right) is sativa dominant and a bit stunted. It was in a crappy pot for too long and those leaves got a bit dry but still seems ok. Then the plant started doing better once it was moved into a 5 gallon pot.

 

[SmokingWings]

My concern is doing something that causes me to lose the stretch on the smaller plants. But if the large one stretches too much it wont fit under the light anymore.

Looking at the photo there should not be a problem with the plant stretching so much that it will not fit under the lights.

Even if it starts to get close you could do a basic training technique called 'super cropping' to bend over the tall stalks so that they stay below the light. While it is often used as a way to increase yields it works get to keep tall growing plants under control.

https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/us/blog-bigger-cannabis-yields-with-super-cropping-n815

 

[Aweedtec]

Looking at the photo there should not be a problem with the plant stretching so much that it will not fit under the lights.

Even if it starts to get close you could do a basic training technique called 'super cropping' to bend over the tall stalks so that they stay below the light. While it is often used as a way to increase yields it works get to keep tall growing plants under control.

https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/us/blog-bigger-cannabis-yields-with-super-cropping-n815

That's wild how they kink that plant. I think I will try that on my next grow. But on this one I will probably tie them down.

 

[Th3Grow3rNooB]

Good advice here ! On the flip side, great utilization of that closet mate haha ! Sure to be more rewarding then hanging clothes or storage xD