Aggressive "Defoliation" Pruning Technique Test

Wolverine97 · Mar 7, 2011

SimplySmokin said:
Okay, so got through the "missed" FIM trim, Thanks for the industry terminology on that too BTW Canon, so today was my first defoliation. The article said between 6" and 8" is the proper time to begin the process.

The only guiding bit of info I could use from the article, talking to others, and a little common sence applied, was to cut the leaves that are shading a growth tip. This turned out not to be so many with these small of plants I guess but upon counting leaves it turns out to be right at about 50% . The plants thus far are remaining relatively the same with the exception that the Tatanka defoliation plant got off to a bit of a better start and actually looks like its about 3 or 4 days advanced from the control plant.

Tatanka ( Plant with the lathe are the plants to be defoliated)
7"- 8" Tall
6 Tips
5 Leaves removed
View attachment 1479576
View attachment 1479583 View attachment 1479581 View attachment 1479588 View attachment 1479584
* The defoliation subject has sprouted a sucker branch from beneath the soil line that I decided to give a couple of days. If the contol does not sprout one by then I will remove it since it was sprouted before the first defoliation and therefore was not an influence of the test so should be cut to keep the test starting point as much to identical as possible. If anyone feels differently please post within the next 2 days.

Purple Erkle ( Plant with the lathe are the plants to be defoliated)
5"- 6" Tall
8 Tips
11 Leaves removed
1 Leaf Tip Trimmed
View attachment 1479580 View attachment 1479578 View attachment 1479579 View attachment 1479585

So whatcha think.., agressive enough ??

For experiments' sake, I'd like to see someone continually, severely defoliate a plant starting at 8" or so. It's stated in Mel Thomas' Cannabis Cultivation that continued and severe defoliation can induce a marijuana plant to turn polyploid. I've never tried it, but I'd sure be interested to watch someone else do it. He basically says that you remove every damn leaf that pops up, except the very tips of each branch, as each branch grows out a new set of leaves, you remove the previous set. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Subbed because it's interesting.

Canon · Mar 7, 2011

Wolverine97 said:
......... continued and severe defoliation can induce a marijuana plant to turn polyploid.QUOTE]

Not sure what your talking about. Polyploid is like altering cell structure? How would it show in a plant? (sorry for being stupid,, would like to learn - thanks)

SimplySmokin · Mar 7, 2011

Canon said:
Duh,, yup!. - sorry (F-ed Up!)

As for your defoliation?
Well, you're going in a different direction than me and don't want to 'taint your ambitions with suggestions that may alter your intents.

Without a plan to LST & super top/bend yours will be way different.

Will find your test interesting to follow. I've never grew a plant using only defoliation before. After yours, I just may.

Looking like you're off to a good start.

Thanks again Canon. Nope..., no plans on LST with these. Want to see what the effect on just the defoliation has... and since there isn't a wrong way in a test of this sort thing, I'd welcome suggestions along the way. If nothing else, they always prompt discussion. andthats a good thing. ;-)

SimplySmokin · Mar 7, 2011

Wolverine97 said:
For experiments' sake, I'd like to see someone continually, severely defoliate a plant starting at 8" or so. It's stated in Mel Thomas' Cannabis Cultivation that continued and severe defoliation can induce a marijuana plant to turn polyploid. I've never tried it, but I'd sure be interested to watch someone else do it. He basically says that you remove every damn leaf that pops up, except the very tips of each branch, as each branch grows out a new set of leaves, you remove the previous set. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Subbed because it's interesting.

Well thx for getting subd wolverine. Always nice to have another set of eyes and a diffrent point of view on these things.

SimplySmokin · Mar 7, 2011

Canon said:
Wolverine97 said:

......... continued and severe defoliation can induce a marijuana plant to turn polyploid.QUOTE]

Not sure what your talking about. Polyploid is like altering cell structure? How would it show in a plant? (sorry for being stupid,, would like to learn - thanks)

Click to expand...

Like it says in the world of the overmedicated... " Only dumb question is the one you forgot." As for the Polyploid, I'm not sure but isn't a polyploid where the leaves emerge with only either a single blade or three blade leaves ?

See.., another one of those, "uneducated" and wanting to learn questions. lol

Canon · Mar 7, 2011

SimplySmokin said:
Canon said:

Like it says in the world of the overmedicated... " Only dumb question is the one you forgot." As for the Polyploid, I'm not sure but isn't a polyploid where the leaves emerge with only either a single blade or three blade leaves ?

See.., another one of those, "uneducated" and wanting to learn questions. lol

Click to expand...

If that's right,, can't say I've seen it (yet). I'm going pretty heavy and while my larger leaves are about 1 1/4" max. length (whacking due),, they're still 9 & 11 bladed leaves.

Wolverine97 · Mar 7, 2011

Canon said:
Wolverine97 said:

......... continued and severe defoliation can induce a marijuana plant to turn polyploid.QUOTE]

Not sure what your talking about. Polyploid is like altering cell structure? How would it show in a plant? (sorry for being stupid,, would like to learn - thanks)

Click to expand...

Polyploidy is a genetic mutation where the chromosomes go wild, no longer exist only in pairs. In our case, it generally results in a mutant plant that can have huge yields. According to what I've read on the subject, once the point has been reached where polyploidy is induced, the leaves will start growing back as single blade leafs, often deformed, but the yield is where this condition is interesting. Polyploidy can be induced using colchicine, though I strongly discourage people from using it.

Again, I've never tried this, I'm merely relaying what I've both heard and read. You can find a little more info on the topic in Mel Thomas' "Cannabis Cultivation".

TheLastWood · Mar 7, 2011

Hmm that's interesting. I heard polyploid meant 3 lateral branches coming out of every node instead of the normal 2. Idk maybe I'm thinkin triploid?

Wolverine97 · Mar 7, 2011

TheLastWood said:
Hmm that's interesting. I heard polyploid meant 3 lateral branches coming out of every node instead of the normal 2. Idk maybe I'm thinkin triploid?

Yes, triploid. There's a whole lot more to the definition than what I did, or can, list. Google it, chromosome mutation is the simplest explanation.

collective gardener · Mar 7, 2011

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?

dudeoflife · Mar 8, 2011

The growth pattern is interesting, but I thought the defoliation aspect of the experiment was gonna wait until flowering... Don't see any material advantage for removing anything until you have a good mass of something to remove.

dudeoflife · Mar 8, 2011

...or just being literal minded. These plants are going to look pretty kewl. Took a second look.

TheLastWood · Mar 9, 2011

If you read the article he is basing his test off of, it says the defoliation works better on a plant that has been defoliated throughout its life cycle. Most probably because its accustomed to the torture and won't stress as much thus hindering flowering and you can promote growing shoots in veg morsoe than flower.

collective gardener · Mar 9, 2011

I hope this one goes full term.

dudeoflife · Mar 9, 2011

TheLastWood said:
If you read the article he is basing his test off of, it says the defoliation works better on a plant that has been defoliated throughout its life cycle. Most probably because its accustomed to the torture and won't stress as much thus hindering flowering and you can promote growing shoots in veg morsoe than flower.

Interesting!

Canon · Mar 10, 2011

SS -

Just did a update and flipped 12/12. Check it out.

gets crowded in there. ;-)

Wolverine97 · Mar 10, 2011

Canon said:
SS -

Just did a update and flipped 12/12. Check it out.

View attachment 1485939 View attachment 1485940 gets crowded in there.

You should try continued defoliation n one plant, as new growth pops up, pinch it off, supposedly if you keep doing that the leaves will eventually grow back misshapen at which point you stop and (again, supposedly) the plant has become polyploid.

Serapis · Mar 10, 2011

Those photos would induce a seizure in some people I think....

Canon said:
SS -

Just did a update and flipped 12/12. Check it out.

View attachment 1485939 View attachment 1485940 gets crowded in there.

Canon · Mar 10, 2011

Wolverine97 said:
You should try continued defoliation n one plant, as new growth pops up, pinch it off, supposedly if you keep doing that the leaves will eventually grow back misshapen at which point you stop and (again, supposedly) the plant has become polyploid.

Did you check the journal in my sig.?
Whole grow there, pretty much defoliated, topped, supertopped, FIMed, LSTed. All pretty much to the max. Maybe never noticed before on other grows like this,, but the leaves are getting weirder as time goes on. (Hmmmmm.... )
Comparing this style(?) on 4 plants from full indica to full sativa. Results (so far) have surprised me some.
Mentioned early on, "Growin buds, not leaves." Got some interesting PM's on that one. :lol: