Should I cut lower fan leaves?

[Feisty1UR]

I can't find a definitive answer online... this is also my first grow.

My plants have 3 bladed fan leaves, and I'm thinking these are basically useless. Mostly the one at the back. The fan leaves are roughly 1/2 an inch from the ground and they are browning/dying idk... (I've topped them 3 days ago) don't want to stress them out.. Would this be beneficial for the plant? I was reading that it would improve growth above, and if I cut the leaves off I could bury the stem into the ground to promote more root growth! (This is just what I've read).

There's ALOT of small leaf development in the middle of my plant too, it's starting to get very very bushy, should I prune some of this away? Again, this is my first grow. So please don't judge me too harshly

On a side note, the plant on the far right is ALOT smaller than my other 2.(About half the size) Any reasons why?

 

[sunni]

What're you're asking is a widely and hugely debated issue on many growing forums
Why you won't find a black and white yes or no answer is because there isn't one it's largely based on personal preference in growing

however both sides argue their ends
And quite heatedly

Heres how I grow any plant under the idea of KISS
Keeping it simple for your first grow is your best idea
dont overwhelm yourself

Plant on right is probably just being a plant
i wouldn't worry yet just because she is a bit tinier

And as a personal preference photos in natural light please no one likes looking at the stripped bars yuck !

 

[MjAeJdIiK]

I wouldn't cut a fan leave unless I am also cutting the branch it powers..mho

 

[Feisty1UR]

What're you're asking is a widely and hugely debated issue on many growing forums
Why you won't find a black and white yes or no answer is because there isn't one it's largely based on personal preference in growing

however both sides argue their ends
And quite heatedly

Heres how I grow any plant under the idea of KISS
Keeping it simple for your first grow is your best idea
dont overwhelm yourself

Plant on right is probably just being a plant
i wouldn't worry yet just because she is a bit tinier

And as a personal preference photos in natural light please no one likes looking at the stripped bars yuck !

They just look like they need to be cut off imo, might be the natural farmer in all of us.. I know keeping it simple is the best option but I can only see how it would benefit the plant. If you compare those fan leaves to the rest of the plant it looks like they don't belong there. and in the end if they don't produce any bud... or hardly any. then what's the point?

Yeah, sorry about the black lines. didn't want to turn the lights off they take forever to start back up again.

 

[sunni]

They just look like they need to be cut off imo, might be the natural farmer in all of us.. I know keeping it simple is the best option but I can only see how it would benefit the plant. If you compare those fan leaves to the rest of the plant it looks like they don't belong there. and in the end if they don't produce any bud... or hardly any. then what's the point?

Yeah, sorry about the black lines. didn't want to turn the lights off they take forever to start back up again.

By this post you argue you should do it
So it's clear you pretty much made up your mind

I don't ever see the need to cut off healthy anything from a plant
And I garden a lot of plants so I can't understand your concept on the natural gardener in us since we differ view points

 

[Feisty1UR]

By this post you argue you should do it
So it's clear you pretty much made up your mind

I don't ever see the need to cut off healthy anything from a plant
And I garden a lot of plants so I can't understand your concept on the natural gardener in us since we differ view points

sorry i didn't want to make this into an argument over what's best, just hoping more people would jump in with their opinion... I just like the idea of taking the leaf off and planting it into the soil for more roots to grow. they're the only leaves that are browing/dying off. looking droopy etc

 

[sunni]

sorry i didn't want to make this into an argument over what's best, just hoping more people would jump in with their opinion.

It isn't an argument

Let me rephrase

You "argue" for doing it in favour of it
You say you only see how it benefits
So by that logic you want to do it and you know you do

So do it than
You had already made up your mind before you posted

 

[GrowinDad]

If you think you can cut off a leaf and clone from it, your natural farmer skills leave something to be desired

 

[Feisty1UR]

It isn't an argument

Let me rephrase

You "argue" for doing it in favour of it
You say you only see how it benefits
So by that logic you want to do it and you know you do

So do it than
You had already made up your mind before you posted

I want to know what the side effects of doing it would be, tis all I didn't mean argue, i mean an exchange of opposite views

 

[Feisty1UR]

If you think you can cut off a leaf and clone from it, your natural farmer skills leave something to be desired

I'm not looking to clone, when did I say that? lol

 

[GrowinDad]

"

I just like the idea of taking the leaf off and planting it into the soil for more roots to grow.

 

[Feisty1UR]

"

I mean the stem.... what's connected to the plant, the branch. that's not exactly cloning. I read it from somewhere and liked the idea.

 

[sunni]

"

He's talking about defoiliating his plants
He just misspoke in his post to me

 

[Feisty1UR]

Yeah my bad, should have made that a bit clearer.

 

[ryan1918]

I got 2 of the same strains going and I removed the lower leaves so that way I can see a side by side comparison and see which actually works

 

[johnny961]

I never pull anything unless it is all dried up & ready to drop. Like in late flowering or an early deficiency. The plant feeds off the fan leaves as it grows & helps provide energy for the plant to flourish. Like Sunni said Keep It Simple!

 

[Feisty1UR]

I never pull anything unless it is all dried up & ready to drop. Like in late flowering or an early deficiency. The plant feeds off the fan leaves as it grows & helps provide energy for the plant to flourish. Like Sunni said Keep It Simple!

Okay, I'll stick to the basics and leave em be. Cheers

 

[MickFoster]

For what it's worth - I top at the 3rd node after it has grown to the 5th node and remove all growth below the 3rd node - it removes all the very low growth that sits on the soil and interferes with watering. To answer your original question - There are no side effects to topping or removing growth at this early stage of growth. One of the posts indicated that you were talking about defoliating, but I didn't get the impression that that's what you were talking about.

 

[Jimmyjonestoo]

I never pull anything unless it is all dried up & ready to drop. Like in late flowering or an early deficiency. The plant feeds off the fan leaves as it grows & helps provide energy for the plant to flourish. Like Sunni said Keep It Simple!

This.

 

[AZPsyclops]

I have been a member for awhile and have seen and heard this before.
Its a 50/50 split.
I personally think that they grow those fans for a reason; to power the plant.
Trimming healthy leaves can only make the plant think it is under attack by insects and it will react to the attack.
If nothing-else it will slow production by having the plant dealing with the stress.