MAGpie81
Well-Known Member
I have two autoflower Banana Kush, sprouted on Jan. 18th (stated earlier in other posts but was confused).
I will call them “1” and “2”.
Gave them each a good bend in the stalk early on to slow growth some, and they began to flower around week 4 (white hairs formed in abundance).
2 suffered a mishap and lost her head around this time but recovered and branched out.
1 grew quicker and in sort of a triangle fanned out with two branches on the side and one main stalk.
I never did any real trimming or defoliation of either, as I read that autoflowers need all the light they can receive from their leaves to carry out vegetation and flowering simultaneously in their pre-“programmed” lifespan.
On April 5, 11 weeks in, I decided that they did need a trim, and decided to go very heavy on 1, to test out “Shwazz” or heavy defoliation theory. I think under particular circumstances this could provide some benefit, and honestly the main cola area on 1 was getting extremely bushy, restricting both airflow and light to the buds.
2 had less of this problem, as it branched out more due to losing its main head early on, and the low stress training I did on it. Still I went ahead and gave her a haircut but much less of one, just a little lightening up.
1 seemed to take its trim okay the first couple of days but then necrosis set in and I had to cut a couple branches fearing at first that it was botrytis. Thought I would be taking down the whole plant and hashing the immature buds within days of that. I did not. There are still some necrotic spots but just yellowed and dry leaves. Hasn’t spread, so leaving her for now. The heavy defoliation has yet to cause the “explosive bud growth” often touted by those who use such techniques, but I also didn’t go by any calendar or particular process.
2 is looking great after her lighter trim job! Can definitely see the calyxes beginning to swell on her and pistils naturally turning red (unlike with 1 where they reddened due to abuse/stress.
I think both will make it to term, but 1 may come down a litte earlier as it seemed to be about a week ahead of 2 ever since 2 got accidentally topped.
So, at least in the case of my autoflowers, heavy defoliation aka “Shwazz” was a failure on plant 1, whereas a little trim for airflow seems to have helped or at least unhindered on plant 2.
Comments welcome.
I will call them “1” and “2”.
Gave them each a good bend in the stalk early on to slow growth some, and they began to flower around week 4 (white hairs formed in abundance).
2 suffered a mishap and lost her head around this time but recovered and branched out.
1 grew quicker and in sort of a triangle fanned out with two branches on the side and one main stalk.
I never did any real trimming or defoliation of either, as I read that autoflowers need all the light they can receive from their leaves to carry out vegetation and flowering simultaneously in their pre-“programmed” lifespan.
On April 5, 11 weeks in, I decided that they did need a trim, and decided to go very heavy on 1, to test out “Shwazz” or heavy defoliation theory. I think under particular circumstances this could provide some benefit, and honestly the main cola area on 1 was getting extremely bushy, restricting both airflow and light to the buds.
2 had less of this problem, as it branched out more due to losing its main head early on, and the low stress training I did on it. Still I went ahead and gave her a haircut but much less of one, just a little lightening up.
1 seemed to take its trim okay the first couple of days but then necrosis set in and I had to cut a couple branches fearing at first that it was botrytis. Thought I would be taking down the whole plant and hashing the immature buds within days of that. I did not. There are still some necrotic spots but just yellowed and dry leaves. Hasn’t spread, so leaving her for now. The heavy defoliation has yet to cause the “explosive bud growth” often touted by those who use such techniques, but I also didn’t go by any calendar or particular process.
2 is looking great after her lighter trim job! Can definitely see the calyxes beginning to swell on her and pistils naturally turning red (unlike with 1 where they reddened due to abuse/stress.
I think both will make it to term, but 1 may come down a litte earlier as it seemed to be about a week ahead of 2 ever since 2 got accidentally topped.
So, at least in the case of my autoflowers, heavy defoliation aka “Shwazz” was a failure on plant 1, whereas a little trim for airflow seems to have helped or at least unhindered on plant 2.
Comments welcome.
