Defoliate or not?
- Thread starter moviefn1
- Start date
SouthCross
Well-Known Member
Leave them alone. Leaves are storage for nitrogen. If there's a deficit, it'll pull it from the leaves. Starting around the 6th week to the 7th week in flower. The bigger leaves will start to have the nitrogen drained (yellow). That's if low nitrogen fertilizer is used.
In week 8-to-9. Most of the bigger foliage leaves have died. Only the upper and smaller leaves around the bottom buds remain.
It's a natural process. Leave it alone.
In week 8-to-9. Most of the bigger foliage leaves have died. Only the upper and smaller leaves around the bottom buds remain.
It's a natural process. Leave it alone.
OrganicGorilla
Well-Known Member
Leave those solar panels attached to the plant. It needs them for photosynthesis.
zypheruk
Well-Known Member
@moviefn1
I Defoliated from early veg but only grow small plants ie 2ft wide x 2 ft high, or scrogs either way I do selective defoliation.
Image below is day 41 of 12/12 plant is a Dinafem OG Kush and size as above. Does it look like defoliation has caused any problems.
Each to their own, everyone grows their own way.
I Defoliated from early veg but only grow small plants ie 2ft wide x 2 ft high, or scrogs either way I do selective defoliation.
Image below is day 41 of 12/12 plant is a Dinafem OG Kush and size as above. Does it look like defoliation has caused any problems.
Each to their own, everyone grows their own way.
chemphlegm
Well-Known Member
perhaps your definition of defoliate differs from others'? your plants would not be accused of being defoliated by me for instance, they look fine and well developed. horticultural practices, bud stacking, pinching, topping.....not so much called defol even if leaves are removed
zoic
Well-Known Member
I concur. I selectively defoliate in flower if there are buds not receiving light well. This seems to be a point of contention for many growers but there is evidence that indicates the pros and cons more in depth. I did it differently across 4 plans in flower and the all seem to be doing much better than I was expecting
http://www.growweedeasy.com/defoliation
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
How could you tell if you don't have an untouched example? Any of the better done comparison I've read, clone vs clone, same medium and nutes, show that as long as you have enough light, defoliation hurts yields. It's a crutch for lack of light and poor environment.
People get hung up on defoliated vs not defoliated pics, which of course make buds look bigger when they aren't covered in leaves. The final weights tell the truth.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
Another worthless article. Without side by side harvested weight comparisons, it's all anecdotal.
zoic
Well-Known Member
Oh I do agree that it is all anecdotal. This thread, other threads, other websites, blah, blah. blah. Anecdotal evidence is where the ideas to experiment further come from. Those experiments lead to observations which people pass on trying to find some commonality so meaning conclusions can be made ...... from anecdotal information.
I breathed. Did you see it?, or is that anecdotal information. WORTH, wears a different face for everyone. so FWIW, I only trimmed 2 leaves from one of my plants during defoliation. That plant seems to be producing much less than the rest. To me it really does not matter if someone did direct comparison on two identical phenos because there are so many possible phenos I cannot validate the method as FACT.
I breathed. Did you see it?, or is that anecdotal information. WORTH, wears a different face for everyone. so FWIW, I only trimmed 2 leaves from one of my plants during defoliation. That plant seems to be producing much less than the rest. To me it really does not matter if someone did direct comparison on two identical phenos because there are so many possible phenos I cannot validate the method as FACT.
too larry
Well-Known Member
I'll fess up. I didn't read it. I'm just killing time until lunch. {sorry. sometimes I have a bad truth telling problem}I am really wondering if ANYONE ELSE besides me actually read the article I linked. I have already learned a few things and I am not finished reading it yet. Just sayin .....
chemphlegm
Well-Known Member
even if plucking 12 leaves made a heavier harvest thats irrelevant. simple things like vegging a little longer will do the same, adding c02, watering less, better substrate, cooler temps, lower rh, UV light......not everyone grows for more weight, after all anyone can grow large colas of useless cabbage, I'd rather have an ounce of grade A than a pound of b grade, but thats just me prolly. I'm not allowed to let anything but Grade A to leave here, so I grow for Grade a, and that does not include indiscriminate leaf removal in veg or flower. although, I do skirt my girls often right before flower, and that is for real defoliation right, so FTW
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
IDK how much you've researched, but I've done mine. Any of the grows that were clones, side by side, same everything, showed negligible results. I've read a couple with multiple clones where they defoliated half and the finished weights were all about the same and all over the place, some defols were light, some nondefols had more weight. Again, environment probably plays more of a factor. If you need to defoliate, you're crutching a plant that is capable of more.
Why veg something out just to cut it back because you don't have enough light? Cutting off the food reserves and primary energy sources, damaging the plant, which it then needs to heal from. Just put them in flower sooner, at a point your light can fully perpetrate them. No crutches, no damage, no healing. Just full healthy pants going into flower.
I read it, I wouldn't have called it worthless otherwise.I am really wondering if ANYONE ELSE besides me actually read the article I linked. I have already learned a few things and I am not finished reading it yet. Just sayin .....
zypheruk
Well-Known Member
I personally defoliate to thin out foliage to let light and air get into the plants, 90% of the time I'm growing in a scrog (not a plant support that we see being called a scrog on here way to often) and a proper scrog requires defoliation.
Defoliation is not for every stile of growing, but in the last 20 years I can say it has never hurt my indoor yield, but has saved binning buds because of mould etc while scrogging. Some people hate it some people love it. Each to their own. If it works for you that's all that matters, if it doesn't move on and try something else.
Well that's me done on this subject as it has been debate over and over for years.
Defoliation is not for every stile of growing, but in the last 20 years I can say it has never hurt my indoor yield, but has saved binning buds because of mould etc while scrogging. Some people hate it some people love it. Each to their own. If it works for you that's all that matters, if it doesn't move on and try something else.
Well that's me done on this subject as it has been debate over and over for years.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
Well...... not really. Leaf removal is applicable with certain training methods during veg. Topping, manifolding, scrog, all require some level of leaf removal, trimming lower leaves and shoots also stimulates vertical growth. The difference is they grow back new ones in veg. and it doesn't effect yields, unless they aren't given time to recover.
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
Touché!
