Should I remove certain fan leaves?
- Thread starter phatnugz420
- Start date
You’ll hear different opinions on fan leaf removal in general.
In your case- It will be a net loss imo. 90% of the good bud is produced higher up the plant so you’re removing your best leaves to try to give light to your worst buds. Those leaves provide many important functions.
Nature knows what it’s doing for the most part. Think it would cover up its flowers with leaves? Generally it sorts itself out. Yes if you remove that leaf the buds down there might grow a little bigger or riper. At what cost? If you leave it, the plant has taken no damage so does not have to waste time healing, retains its leaves, and will put its energy into producing good flowers up top, in the prime location for flowers, as plants have been doing for millennia.
If you feel like there’s something wonderful down there being blocked by that troublesome foliage, you can bend it out of the way- or certainly you can remove it as well if you want, of course.
Whichever way you do it there will not be a huge difference in yield as long as you don’t get too carried away.
In your case- It will be a net loss imo. 90% of the good bud is produced higher up the plant so you’re removing your best leaves to try to give light to your worst buds. Those leaves provide many important functions.
Nature knows what it’s doing for the most part. Think it would cover up its flowers with leaves? Generally it sorts itself out. Yes if you remove that leaf the buds down there might grow a little bigger or riper. At what cost? If you leave it, the plant has taken no damage so does not have to waste time healing, retains its leaves, and will put its energy into producing good flowers up top, in the prime location for flowers, as plants have been doing for millennia.
If you feel like there’s something wonderful down there being blocked by that troublesome foliage, you can bend it out of the way- or certainly you can remove it as well if you want, of course.
Whichever way you do it there will not be a huge difference in yield as long as you don’t get too carried away.
Weaselcracker is 100% correct.
Though, I don’t see that plant as being in flower.. so if you are looking to get that fan leaf out of the way to make more tops then go for it. Assuming you have plenty of time to veg the plant out more and let those tops actually come up to canopy height. If you’re just removing the fan so the lower shoots get light and you’re planning to flower soon.. I would suggest the opposite; remove the shoots and keep the fan leaf.
Though, I don’t see that plant as being in flower.. so if you are looking to get that fan leaf out of the way to make more tops then go for it. Assuming you have plenty of time to veg the plant out more and let those tops actually come up to canopy height. If you’re just removing the fan so the lower shoots get light and you’re planning to flower soon.. I would suggest the opposite; remove the shoots and keep the fan leaf.
Oh yeh very good point about it not being in flower. 
That’ll teach me to pry my eyes open wider in the morn before posting.
OK- save that post to re-read when in flowering then.
That’ll teach me to pry my eyes open wider in the morn before posting.OK- save that post to re-read when in flowering then.
Billotto
Well-Known Member
It's my first grow so take this with a grain of salt. I've removed lots of my fan leaves along the way on the recommendation of an experienced grower I know. I'm still not sure what the end result will be on the colas but they seem to be doing well so far. Lots of bud sites on one of them anyway.These have around 6 weeks left.
saltybluegrass
Well-Known Member
Nice looking girls!!
Billotto
Well-Known Member
Another reason I like to keep the plant a bit sparse is to try and ward off budrot. It's my main concern at this point. I figure if there's less foliage, there would be more airflow betwixt the branches which should, therefor, deter mold. Then again, I could be barking up a dead dog's ass here.
Besides, haircuts are a special bonding opportunity for me and my girls.
Besides, haircuts are a special bonding opportunity for me and my girls.
Air flow is definitely half the battle in fighting mould and can work wonders even if your humidity is high. And since the lower shaded growth isn’t going to produce much anyway it’s usually removed for that reason, and to give the viewer something to fuss over. Actual mold will not generally attack that growth though, it will appear in the larger buds in late flowering, usually hiding in the center of the best ones. 
Bud
Well-Known Member
Can the leaves b tucked instead of being chopped off? That’s what I try to do with those big ones.
Stoned Redneck
Well-Known Member
years ago folks called the big fan leaves "suckers" and we pulled them off as we thought they were sucking nutes out...duh ,little did we know.I like the idea that the leaves are nute banks that are used as needed.i don't pull any leaves till they start curling up.. One thing i have learned about growing weed ..there seems to be a 100 different way to go at it and they all seem to come out ok regardless..Just have fun with em and don't worry too much.
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