Defoliation Experiment - Side by Side Sister Clones

The topic of defoliation seems to be one with some interesting theories. On RUI it seems to be frowned upon, maybe even a topic of*intense hostility and immediate aversion. Is defoliation top on the George Carlin list "The 7 Forbidden Words of the Botanical Right"? If so why, what is the science behind both sides and where is the documentation for both sides?

I'm going to bite, I have selected a very nice strain I've grown for a couple years now. It is Alquimista, a Samsara seed. I have a nice mother plant of this strain, she is 17 weeks old and these will be her second set of taken clones. I will be setting all parameters of the test in a later posting. Both clones will be kept in the same environment, be the same age and taken from 180° from the same level and position on the mother plant.

I will provide a detailed post of the strain soon and post information, photos and videos as I go.

I hope you enjoy and get involved. Please share your true opinion, but keep in mind we are all at different levels of knowledge and experience. Share with us but keep it civil and don't attack someone because they have a different idea.

So I suppose it wouldn't be bad form to suggest we have this in two threads? The first (this one) being instructional and discussion based, the second will be of the results. This way we can keep the clutter from the butter.

subbed....

I have ptojects already plugging all of my holes but I would love to watch.
Maybe I will get in on some outdoor experiments after all we need to answer that question also.

charface said:

I have ptojects already plugging all of my holes but I would love to watch.
Maybe I will get in on some outdoor experiments after all we need to answer that question also.

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My thoughts as well.

Here is a link with the basics on Alquimista:

http://en.seedfinder.eu/strain-info/El_Alquimista/Samsara_Seeds/

I've grown and harvested the Alquimista three times in the last two years. I choose it because of is strong genetics and fast finish.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the strain of choice.

Here is the actual mother I'm taking the clones off:

nice looking plant..

subbed up

Its pretty.

This plant was also defoliatus'd.

Here she is 15 days ago:

UncleReemis said:

So I suppose it wouldn't be bad form to suggest we have this in two threads? The first (this one) being instructional and discussion based, the second will be of the results. This way we can keep the clutter from the butter.

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I like this, I will clone this topic! And the yields will decide (who's gonna set up the odds?). I'll have it up soon.

Prop's Dr Reemis

profterpen said:

I like this, I will clone this topic! And the yields will decide (who's gonna set up the odds?). I'll have it up soon.

Prop's Dr Reemis

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Thanks I say we just have it open submission, don't really see a need for a roster since it isn't exactly a contest between users individually, but rather whether something is beneficial or harmful. What do you think, prof? And dannyboyyyyyyyyyyyy where you be

Subbed eager to see the results

I agree, I think there needs to be a discussion thread such as this and a results thread. As yet there are no hard and fast rules about this technique and people have got their own methods of doing it, and for those people it would be interesting to compare notes and see what works for them. It will help to dispel a few myths about this technique too, such as the requirement of solar panels on your roof.

This thread should also carry a warning that it might contain images of severe defoliation which some viewers may find disturbing, and will be rated at 18+. Please be aware that no plants in this thread were harmed in a malicious way.

profterpen said:

Here is a link with the basics on Alquimista:

http://en.seedfinder.eu/strain-info/El_Alquimista/Samsara_Seeds/

I've grown and harvested the Alquimista three times in the last two years. I choose it because of is strong genetics and fast finish.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the strain of choice.

Here is the actual mother I'm taking the clones off:

View attachment 3018128

Click to expand...

Certainly am sub'ed.

In terms of strain choice, my only thought is that the shorter flowering time will give the girl a little less time to benefit from defoliation-- I imagine (no evidence to back my theory) that defoliating sets the plant back a bit in its development, but having a larger proportion of the plants vegitation closer to the light compensates for this over time. The more time, the greater chance the plant can overcome for the setback.

Please provide some details about the grow including wattage, style (sog? supercrop?), plants per sq. ft., etc. Because of my unsubstantiated theory, I tend to thing lower wattage grows would benefit more from defoliation.

BTW-- I appreciate your giving this a shot. Many growers here will never change their minds (or techniques) based on experiments like this; every experiment can be dismissed as a fluke or whatever. But some of us here show up to learn. Kudos.

I would like to start by dispelling a myth that plants slow down when you defoliate them, the two pictures were taken just 4 days apart and I had just topped the plant in the second picture so there is some top growth missing.

I'm getting everything around and as I set the test variables a few things have come to mind. I've decided there has to be 4 plants.

Plant TDE-001: She will be untrimmed, left to grow natural. Code name: The Controller

Plant TDE-002: She will be our full blown, leaf and stem removal girl. Code name: Sinéad O'Connor

Plant TDE-003: She will be the first of two that will have her leaves trimmed in half and only have selected stems removed. Code name: Susan McKendrick*

Plant TDE-004: She will be trimmed just as plant 003 but I will be giving her different nutrients. The reason is; first in real life I only trim mother plants, and when I do I feed them different. For the test to cover all points I think this is necessary. Code name: Sharon McKendrick*

I would also like to hear any thoughts you all have.

This should be fun.

now we are getting somewhere! subbed!

Nice start. Anxious to see how things progress. Let me know if anyone needs anything. I had a different idea about how this would evolve but no matter, it's only important that it does