Prawn Connery
Well-Known Member
I've said it before, I'm not a big fan of defoliating. A little bit, such as removing fan leaves at branch junctions to let in light, is OK, but I resist the urge to remove a lot of leaves - especially around bud sights - as that's where energy (sugars, starches) and nutrient is stored, and the plant uses less energy to transport them to where they are needed compared to drawing fresh nutrient solution through the roots and xylem and photosynthesising more. I've noticed defoliating leads to more bud sights, but the buds tend to be smaller.