Cutting Fan Leaves ..Not the Stems but the Leaves Themselves

[Just Be]

I know that this is done when cloning and the reasons for doing so make total sense but I'm wondering if there are people out there that have cut a set of fan leaves in half to allow more light into a certain area when tucking just doesn't seem to be enough. Search results here on RIU brings up no mention of it (that I could find) so I figure that it's not something that's commonly done. The reason I ask? Because I went out on a limb (no pun intended) and cut two sets of fan leaves in half on a 24 day old auto. She looked a little stressed at first but she sprang back after a few hours.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

I chopped just about all of my big fan leaves last night after transition, and I didn’t see any stress, if anything all 5 of my babies seemed happy to not have those big guys sucking nutes my budding areas will need. Gonna feed tonight from the top to aerate, and then see how they are looking in the morning, if they have dried enough to feed that is.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

But thinking on that, I feel like your plant will try to repair the leaves you cut, potentially lowering yield?

 

[Just Be]

I chopped just about all of my big fan leaves last night after transition, and I didn’t see any stress, if anything all 5 of my babies seemed happy to not have those big guys sucking nutes my budding areas will need. Gonna feed tonight from the top to aerate, and then see how they are looking in the morning, if they have dried enough to feed that is.

I actually did this plant's first LST this morning and then a few hours later cut those leaves in half. In hindsight, what I saw might not have been stress and it could have just been the awkwardness that we see when someone gets a really bad haircut.

 

[Clumpyoyster]

Any big fan leaves I pull off mid to late veg especially lower ones. I try to keep the ladies bush trimmed and do a major defoil right before flip then again another strategic defoil around week 3-4 flower. I always lollipop my plants right around week 4 veg

 

[Just Be]

But thinking on that, I feel like your plant will try to repair the leaves you cut, potentially lowering yield?

I certainly hope not. They're two of the largest leaves and will probably wind up going once others start filling in more.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

I find chopping the uppermost section of little growth makes the rest of the lower plant spring a lotta different budding stems.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

But that’s about when you feel your plant is tall enough to go into bud, leave em in veg another week or two, and the swap em over.

 

[Just Be]

But that’s about when you feel your plant is tall enough to go into bud, leave em in veg another week or two, and the swap em over.

This is an auto so its internal clock is ticking away no matter what I do to her.

 

[Nizza]

cutting leaves should be avoided if you have the proper light penetration. As a rule of thumb LEDS are 1-3 feet or so and HID can be anywhere from 2-4 feet depending on the wattage.

I cut leaves off to avoid mildew/increase airflow. Alot of people don't realize leaves are translucent and the leaves that are "shaded" beneath them still get plenty of light.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

What’s funny is this is my first grow, but my dad has grown for a very long time and passed his knowledge onto me, and him and his buddies crossed the two strains that made train wreck way back in the day.

 

[Just Be]

...Alot of people don't realize leaves are translucent and the leaves that are "shaded" beneath them still get plenty of light.

Thanks for the input. I'm one of those people and will refrain from doing this again in the future.

What’s funny is this is my first grow, but my dad has grown for a very long time and passed his knowledge onto me, and him and his buddies crossed the two strains that made train wreck way back in the day.

That's very cool. I can think of a handful of people (myself included) whose fathers didn't pass anything but genes onto them.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

Well, anyways, I think I am off for a nap, gotta make supper at 5:30, lights on at 8:00, that leaves me a bit of time to sleep maybe.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

I'm running soil with photos. Been chopping leaves more with every cycle. These weren't topped and are in week 5 after three week veg from cutting.

 

[Just Be]

I'm running soil with photos. Been chopping leaves more with every cycle. These weren't topped and are in week 5 after three week veg from cutting.View attachment 4482781

But have you cut leaves in half with the stem still attached?

 

[PadawanWarrior]

I find chopping the uppermost section of little growth makes the rest of the lower plant spring a lotta different budding stems.

It's called topping. I usually top, and then LST or mainline mine.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Yes. When the cat chewed a few or I thought it was blocking light. Not any real harm. But definitely no improvement. It becomes a drain instead of a food supply. Remove the whole leaf as close as possible to the stem.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Here is my six month from mother. Super cropped. Mainlined. Whatever you call it. We just call it maximum yield.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

"6 month from seed." Needs a serious haircut. But I'll remove foliage until it looks almost bare. Two weeks and I,m back to this. One tent and one short summer holds me back. GRRRR.

 

[Ganja_Farmer_420]

So grow a full plant, chop it, cut it, let it grow a whole new plant?