When/How Much Defoliation?

[grandvapor]

Hello friends,

I'm running a pretty unfamiliar setup this time around. Gave DWC another try, switched to LED, new nutrients, and a new strain.

So far, it's been growing like clockwork. I'm transitioning to flower, but the plant got extremely bushy and thick. I'm wondering if I'll get higher yields with some defoliation, or maybe even lolli-popping. I've been pulling off lower leaves when they are obviously getting little to no light, and I've pulled a few fan leaves off the upper canopy for better light penetration.

I'm just not sure if I should go a bit further. Anyone care to share their thoughts?

The strain is Nirvana Gorilla Glue #4 (indica dom), and it's in a 5-gallon DWC bucket.

Thanks!

 

[GeneBanker]

I dont full defoliate. I use the Nip Tuck method. Tuck leaves I can behind nodes. Trim any heavy shade offenders. I do lollipop as a preference. Its not necessary. This is a highly debated subject around here, and the best advice I can give is play around with it, and see what works best for you. You will hear great points on both sides. Read it, consider it, make your choice. Cheers on your grow man.

 

[Trichometry101]

If it casts a shadow on bud sites get rid of it.

Or grow 2 plants differently and learn something. You'll automatically be smarter than 99% of growers, if you try 2 different tactics

 

[Cold$moke]

Your a little bit further then me

But i would lose any under growth not in the light.

Im going to be defoliating for the next 2 weeks

You can follow along here

https://www.rollitup.org/t/cold-mokes-frost-heave.959456/

Tucking is good but at some point you cant tuck everything .

Ill be doing a side by side so peeps can see

Half defoliated hard the others not so much .

Im just talking about the scrog the others side is freestyle lol

 

[grandvapor]

Your a little bit further then me

But i would lose any under growth not in the light.

Im going to be defoliating for the next 2 weeks

You can follow along here

https://www.rollitup.org/t/cold-mokes-frost-heave.959456/

Tucking is good but at some point you cant tuck everything .

Ill be doing a side by side so peeps can see

Half defoliated hard the others not so much .

Im just talking about the scrog the others side is freestyle lol
View attachment 4099632

I was wondering how in the world someone scrog's DWC... I am always pulling out the net pot to inspect roots, top off the water, etc. I also have been changing out all the water every 7 days. Thought about building a scrog net system into my 5-gallon bucket net pot.

 

[Lordhooha]

I was wondering how in the world someone scrog's DWC... I am always pulling out the net pot to inspect roots, top off the water, etc. I also have been changing out all the water every 7 days. Thought about building a scrog net system into my 5-gallon bucket net pot.

Hell I change my water maybe 3 times a grow, it just tops off and keeps going. On the 27 gallon totes I use it’s easy to make an access door to flip open and check stuff out and do water changes.

 

[Lordhooha]

Plus I have rdwc since it’s all connected to a res outside of the room I can do water changes and check my ph and all that without stepping a foot into my hydro room.

 

[grandvapor]

Plus I have rdwc since it’s all connected to a res outside of the room I can do water changes and check my ph and all that without stepping a foot into my hydro room.

Yeah I need to do something different next time. I switched from GH to AN nutrients and now I don't have to PH my water every freakin' day. 3 gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket is getting slurped up super fast, even just during the transition. By the end, I'm going to have to top off this bucket 2-3 times I day I bet!

 

[Cold$moke]

I ran AN for years .... youll find after you start dumping loads down the drain.

No problems with an but i like my new nutes much better and they are MUCH. Cheaper

I was wondering how in the world someone scrog's DWC... I am always pulling out the net pot to inspect roots, top off the water, etc. I also have been changing out all the water every 7 days. Thought about building a scrog net system into my 5-gallon bucket net pot.

My lids are set up to where i can pivot them up to check roots pretty easy

Although the plant does start lifting the net off the ground in time

 

[xtsho]

Hello friends,

I'm running a pretty unfamiliar setup this time around. Gave DWC another try, switched to LED, new nutrients, and a new strain.

So far, it's been growing like clockwork. I'm transitioning to flower, but the plant got extremely bushy and thick. I'm wondering if I'll get higher yields with some defoliation, or maybe even lolli-popping. I've been pulling off lower leaves when they are obviously getting little to no light, and I've pulled a few fan leaves off the upper canopy for better light penetration.

I'm just not sure if I should go a bit further. Anyone care to share their thoughts?

The strain is Nirvana Gorilla Glue #4 (indica dom), and it's in a 5-gallon DWC bucket.

Thanks!

This thread sure took another path. It's funny and I'm as guilty of doing it as anyone else.

But to the original question. I wouldn't bother with removing any other leaves. You've already removed more than I would ever do which is none. Those leaves on the bottom will just shrivel up and die. They'll fall off on their own. Let the plant do it's thing.

 

[grandvapor]

This thread sure took another path. It's funny and I'm as guilty of doing it as anyone else.

But to the original question. I wouldn't bother with removing any other leaves. You've already removed more than I would ever do which is none. Those leaves on the bottom will just shrivel up and die. They'll fall off on their own. Let the plant do it's thing.

LOL, yeah I tend to steer the conversation to various tangents occasionally.

Thanks for the input. There certainly are varying opinions on this topic. I like the idea of doing two, using different techniques on both and comparing results. I let this one get too big before switching to 12/12. I forgot how fast DWC is when you get it right.

 

[grandvapor]

I ran AN for years .... youll find after you start dumping loads down the drain.

No problems with an but i like my new nutes much better and they are MUCH. Cheaper

My lids are set up to where i can pivot them up to check roots pretty easy

Although the plant does start lifting the net off the ground in time

So far, I'm astonished with how well the AN nutes hold the PH. With General Hydroponics, I was getting swings of up to 0.5+- every day using RO water with 8 PPM. So far the AN water is holding rock solid at 5.80, every day.

But it IS EXPENSIVE. Even at 3/4 strength it's still 12ml of each part per gallon! It's certainly not potent. But the PH stability is amazing!

Mind sharing what you are using?

 

[chiqifella]

If it casts a shadow on bud sites get rid of it.

Or grow 2 plants differently and learn something. You'll automatically be smarter than 99% of growers, if you try 2 different tactics

this is dumb. light, plants, leaves, they dont work this way. A shadow within the light penetration depth does nothing advers to the surrounding plant materials. want more light then add more light already, not less plant for christs sake.

disconnect a spark plug to save gas?
cut off your hand so you can eat less

my best apples are completely shaded from the sun by foliage.

 

[grandvapor]

this is dumb. light, plants, leaves, they dont work this way. A shadow within the light penetration depth does nothing advers to the surrounding plant materials. want more light then add more light already, not less plant for christs sake.

disconnect a spark plug to save gas?
cut off your hand so you can eat less

my best apples are completely shaded from the sun by foliage.

So far it seems the opinions are slightly skewed towards less/no defoliation, but definitely varied.

 

[chiqifella]

So far it seems the opinions are slightly skewed towards less/no defoliation, but definitely varied.

You know, I secretly defoliate too. I chop tops off in veg when they hit my lights while awaiting a flowering room opening.
I remove every discolored leaf when they appear. I rip off all of the foliage beneath my light penetration point too.
so yeah, I'm a closet defoliator.....

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

i used to think the same thing, but after some experimenting on my own, i do what i call aggressive pruning. i do not remove all the fan leaves, but i do remove about 2/3 of them, and i do it twice, once when the plant has set bud good, and about 2 to 3 weeks after that, when they've grown back in pretty heavy. it's been my personal observation that i get up to 20% more yield doing this (although 10% is more common)

 

[grandvapor]

You know, I secretly defoliate too. I chop tops off in veg when they hit my lights while awaiting a flowering room opening.
I remove every discolored leaf when they appear. I rip off all of the foliage beneath my light penetration point too.
so yeah, I'm a closet defoliator.....

LMAO... I did FIM mine after the 4th or 5th node. Really turned this GG#4 into a bush!

 

[grandvapor]

i used to think the same thing, but after some experimenting on my own, i do what i call aggressive pruning. i do not remove all the fan leaves, but i do remove about 2/3 of them, and i do it twice, once when the plant has set bud good, and about 2 to 3 weeks after that, when they've grown back in pretty heavy. it's been my personal observation that i get up to 20% more yield doing this (although 10% is more common)

I did remove some low hanging fruit last night...

 

[chiqifella]

i used to think the same thing, but after some experimenting on my own, i do what i call aggressive pruning. i do not remove all the fan leaves, but i do remove about 2/3 of them, and i do it twice, once when the plant has set bud good, and about 2 to 3 weeks after that, when they've grown back in pretty heavy. it's been my personal observation that i get up to 20% more yield doing this (although 10% is more common)

20 % more return, but with with near 6 weeks of additional vegging(light) to recover. sounds like a trade off?

 

[GeneBanker]

You know, I secretly defoliate too. I chop tops off in veg when they hit my lights while awaiting a flowering room opening.
I remove every discolored leaf when they appear. I rip off all of the foliage beneath my light penetration point too.
so yeah, I'm a closet defoliator.....

We dont closet defoliate my friend. We give our girls a spa day!