Aggressive "Defoliation" Pruning Technique Test

Where people are unwilling to experiment the controversy will continue ever on.

I use some defoliation techniques for a couple reasons in my own small indoor op:

1. To help control the rapidity of growth in veg (by slowing the photosynthetic process).

2. To place a controlled amount of stress on the plant which activates natural Jasmonic acid (stress hormone) and increases trichome development in flower.

From what i've seen it's best applied from early veg until flowers begin to form, giving them a break during the first couple weeks of flower for stretch and bud site development.

Just my $.02, FWIW...

Good luck in your experimentations! And good on you for coming to your own conclusions through practice and experience. No one can argue you out of knowledge gained with your own two hands.

Peace, pot and prudence!

collective gardener said:

SimplySmokin,

Thank you for taking the time to conduct this test, and share it with us all. Did I read you correctly that the leaves chosen for removal will only be those that shade a growing shoot?

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Thx collective.., and yepper only those shading a growth tip, which I'm finding leaves very few.. most around the very bottom of the plant. After this one I've gotta try tthe every damned leaf thing.

Well first off like to say thanks again to all those following. I've learned already from the comments and suggestions. So anyway, I finish harvesting this lil Tripod PURPLE BUDDHA (Very hapy with BTW)


and decide things are lookin a bit shady so I get the plants and the scissors and this is what happened.

TATANKA-
6 tips
5 leaves removed
5-7" tall
BOTH BEFORE -


CLONE AFTER BOTH AFTER



PURPLE ERKLE -
LOTSA tips ( I'll try and get an accurate count for next update)
11 leaves removed
1 leaf tip removed
8" tall

BOTH BEFORE


CLONE BEFORE CLONE AFTER


Sorry for the delay in posting this but was waiting for the new modem to arrive UPS after the last crapped out. It already appears as if I'll have to trim em back again tomorrow.

Reporting, ? , Any other pertinent info anyone thinks I should be including here that I am not or if you think I need to adjust the torture ?? Suggestions appreciated.

Nice buds there! just make sure not to pinch off budsites. only fan leaves.

YungMoolaBaby said:

Nice buds there! just make sure not to pinch off budsites. only fan leaves.

Click to expand...

Hey Bro.., good seein ya.

Ya... I did the one tip cut at the start of the test... now its on its' way. Just about to go down and cut some more... Update today..

As for the bud... really happy with it.., I have the density about double from the first Buddha.

Does it smoke good? SMOKE REPORT SMOKE REPORT!!!

YungMoolaBaby said:

Does it smoke good? SMOKE REPORT SMOKE REPORT!!!

Click to expand...

lol..., i'll have about a week before It'll be close to ready so I'll be sure and update on it. The past 2 have been great taste..definately taste the purps influence.., and a great head buzz and body high with legs..., definately hae this strain in my rotation.

Damn, all those plants look happy as could be. Great job man.

So, I decide it's time for another trim, I think this is gonna be every day or two for awhile now.

One thing that I have noticed that is happening as a direct result of the defoliaion is that the Purple Erkle's (indica) cell elongation has slowed to pretty much a stop while the control continues a normal rate of vertcal growth. The Tatanka however appears to show no direct effects from the defoliation.

TATANKA
Leaves Removed - 10
Leaf Tips Trimmed -2
Hieght - 11"

BOTH BEFORE BOTH AFTER DEFOLIATED


PURPLE ERKLE
Leaves Removed - 16
Leaf Tips Trimmed -1
Control Hieght - 8"
Defoliated hieght - 6"

TEST BEFORE BOTH BEFORE


DEFOLIATED TEST BOTH AFTER LEAVES SMALLEST LESS THAN 1"


BACK IN THE VEG ROOM ( I liked the pics here better to show more )

Errr,,, think I see a issue coming up. Think "air flow" down the road.
That's going to be tight in there.

Canon said:

Errr,,, think I see a issue coming up. Think "air flow" down the road.
That's going to be tight in there.

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Well Canon, its a bit tight but this lil grow room has been growing for about a year now through seeral evolutions. The smaller pots are going to the chamber under the bench to be considered a seedling chamber. As for the air flow concerns, there is a ledge at the top of the gray paint on the left of that picture that measures about 2' x 2' that runs the lenght of the basement around the backside of the flower room ( the black wall on the back of my veg ) that makes a plentum for drawing in and exhausting. Should work well based on my esperience with airflow in potatoe warehouses using plentums. Nice observation though.

Reminds me, I have to update my grow room thread.., maybe tomorrow...

No, no, noooo.... Not the room,, the plant is going to get thicker than...

Be careful you don't "paint yourself into a corner" (give yourself nowheres to go when the bud / stretch happens).

Just something to keep in mind.

lol ok gotcha canon.. have about 5 of those going to the flower room the first of April.. Had to put the Tatanka in 3 weeks earlier than planned due to size.

Well first off apologies for this late posting. Seems my dino-pc lost its ethernet and part of the explorer files. Helluva time getin this straightened out.., but patience, persistance gotter done.. I did however maintain my test and kept the pictures so I'm back on track with the next post. Anyrate..,

PURPLE ERKLE:
Control - 11" Tall
Test - 6 1/2" Tall
22 leaves Removed

Additional Observation - Elongation remains at a stand still on the test plant although it appears to be a "condensed" version of the Control. The leaves removed get smaller every defoliation.




Tatanka:
Control - 13" Tall
Test - 12 1/2" Tall
22 leaves Removed

Additional Observation - Unlike the ERKLE, elongation seems not to have been affectd as of yet as both plants remain just about identical with the exception of the removed leaves. Removed leaves also get smaller with every defoliation.

Canon said:

No, no, noooo.... Not the room,, the plant is going to get thicker than...

Be careful you don't "paint yourself into a corner" (give yourself nowheres to go when the bud / stretch happens).

Just something to keep in mind.

Click to expand...

Preciate that Canon.., and yepper I dealt with it. Did some thinning down. Had a couple that were crazy thick. sent a Tatanka and now a GRAPE APE into flowerabout 2 weeks early cause afraid ofthe cieling. Had my last purple do an inch a day once into flower for the first 3 weeks,,, from 28" to 52" shes a buet. My misunderstanding did get me to start workin mon my intake and exauhst system to be ready for summer so I owe ya one for that too

TATANKA:
Control - 18" Tall
Test - 13 1/2" Tall
20 leaves Removed

Additional Observation - Test plant shows definate slowing in elongation as the Control gained about 5" above the Test.


PURPLE ERKLE:
Control - 13" Tall
Test - 6 1/2" Tall
27 leaves Removed

Additional Observation - Looks to me like this one, the test, may end up bieng a little baseball size bud at this point.



okay, all caught up and just in time. Sure to have to defoliate aain tommorow.

Serapis said:

I'm beginning to have a problem with this test, and it is bothering me, being a defoliation advocate. I've never supported near total defoliation. I do not see how that will help a plant, and your results are beginning to show that. All this thread is going to do, is give the leaf worshipers something to point to and say "see?", when in reality, those of us that do defoliate and train our plants to receive maximum light and yields do not treat our plants in this fashion. You are leaving just enough leaf material for the plant to survive. What hypothesis are you working on proving? At this point in your test, it almost seems as your goal is to back the side that claim any leaf removal is bad....


A fairer side by side grow is needed. Your defoliated plants are stunted badly and the yields will be minuscule because of it. You are not promoting growth sites with leaf removal, you are promoting death and stunted growth. At least that is the outcome I'm seeing here....

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LOL Well my friend, funny you should post this... as I was doing the defoliation on the 18th I figured I had a decision to make. Normally I like to veg for 90 days. when I look at the Tatanka I say maybe, but as in the update above, I believe I'll end up with a little baseball shaped bud on the erkle.

Now I have 5 Erkle in my inventory and although some decent plants they are such a small bush I don't think they'll prove out in yield. I could be mistaken but..., Anyrate, thh oldest erkle will be hitting it's 90 days the first of April so what I decided to do is complete this test then, actually 4/5, when the Erkle subjects will be at 60 days veg. I would probably do the the Tatanka at the same time but I need to clear some from flower first so that one will have to run the 90. And I must say, I still have some optimism for the Tatanka at this point. And face it the results after 60 should be obvious enough for the ERKLE and yepper, No sence beating a dead horse.

So whats up guys.., any varying opinions ?

im subed i wanna see how this turns out... but by the size comparison its not looking good. its like haveing solar panels then just covering them up lol no energy.... hmm lets put it like this its like takeing your plants solar panels lol

serphas im actually kinda on your side don't go correcting my spelling