Defoliation Experiment

Ok, so I have read up a bit about defoliation and discovered that there are a lot of different opinions on it, so, I thought I might as well try it with the Critical Super Silver Haze I have been growing over the past few weeks. The main problem with these types of experiments is that you have no idea what the plant would have otherwise looked like if you had not defoliated, however, I will still have a go.

Critical Super Silver Haze (fem)
approx 5 weeks since sprouted
Westlands Multi Purpose added JI 25% perlite
400w HPS

As you cans see, I have removed all but the bottom 3 fan leaves as I saw no point in cutting these off. Bottom leaves don't block light to tops to why remove them?

I will update every few days to keep you guys posted on how things are doing, and yes, it is a horrible sight to see your plant like this but hopefully it will pay off.

Any comments and suggestions welcome

That plant looks either over or underwatered and what looks to be some PH issues with the leaves. I'd work on that before trying to do a controlled experiment.

You could pull clones and da an actual side by side.
Or not.
Either way


**H@Ck ALLeRt**
Any info I give is based on what I would be comfortable doing.
Please get other opinions.

In nature plants don't live in plastic buckets but at my house they do or they get the f**k out.

Yea there is a lot of debate on this subject..... but most folks with big healthy plants DON'T defoliate.

Your plant look very ill, I would stop pulling leaves and sort out your environment and ph etc.

Here's a vanilla kush at 30 days from seed.....I didn't pull any leaves



....and a Strawberry Cough at 35 days from seed....I didn't pull any leaves...




I will check back in to see if your leafless plant magically does brilliantly

i have 2 main reason for trimming undergrowth.
1. the leaf and budsites that are too low on the plant to get sufficient light will become airy/leafy bud, thats why you try to focus wher the plant grows into x amount of tops.
2. timming undegrowth will improve airflow wich is always good.

When i grow roses, i cut the bush so that it will make a smaller amount of bigger roses instead of many small sized. same applies when growing most kinds of fruit. Apples to name one

er0senin said:

i have 2 main reason for trimming undergrowth.
1. the leaf and budsites that are too low on the plant to get sufficient light will become airy/leafy bud, thats why you try to focus wher the plant grows into x amount of tops.
2. timming undegrowth will improve airflow wich is always good.

When i grow roses, i cut the bush so that it will make a smaller amount of bigger roses instead of many small sized. same applies when growing most kinds of fruit. Apples to name one

Click to expand...

You talk sense bro! Yep lollipopping certainly works, better airflow and no popcorn.... but defoliation makes no sense + =

In my experience defoliation works, to a degree. you'll focus more energy on the budsites and those fan leafs. If I remember correctly those branches where the major fan leaf was cut off stretched less. I think. my brain is getting too old :/

I defoliate thats all Ill say. Debates get too heated for me when its just a plant.

Evo8Emperor said:

I defoliate thats all Ill say. Debates get too heated for me when its just a plant.

Click to expand...

I won't add anything to this debate but some pics for those of you that are interested.

Here's the three Cheese Quakes I have going now. I defoliated a week before flower along with some lst'ing and snapping a few branches.





After I was done



This was the next day



Here's about a week after



First week of Flower



End of second week stretch



End of third week



Middle of the fourth week

The plant looked very healthy before it was defoliated. I have seen a few of these types of pics and the plants look horrible right after the removal of leaves. And I did take this picture right before watering so she was drooping quite a lot. However, yes, the PH could be an issue.

may look horrible right after but look at those nice buds... i bet the user got very little popcorn buds

Here are some pictures which were taken 36 hours after the trimming, already looking better.
Please let me know of any advice you guys have

bpatpil said:

Here are some pictures which were taken 36 hours after the trimming, already looking better.
View attachment 2994549View attachment 2994551View attachment 2994552 Please let me know of any advice you guys have

Click to expand...

Here is the best advice I can give you...STOP DEFOLIATING YOUR PLANTS !!!

I understand that it could harm the plants as you are simply removing the solar panels of the plant. However, so many people have said how it has worked great for them.
But still, would you recommend just LST'ing and/or topping?

bpatpil said:

I understand that it could harm the plants as you are simply removing the solar panels of the plant. However, so many people have said how it has worked great for them.
But still, would you recommend just LST'ing and/or topping?

Click to expand...

Yes, yes I would.

bpatpil said:

I understand that it could harm the plants as you are simply removing the solar panels of the plant. However, so many people have said how it has worked great for them.
But still, would you recommend just LST'ing and/or topping?

Click to expand...

Fuck YEAH I recommend LST/topping. Haven't done LST yet as the sky is the limit, literally.

I've been looking into main lining and I think it's over hyped. YEAH it'll do good if you have height limitations and maybe plant limitations but I don't see how vegging for almost 2 months just to get 4-5 Oz's when you could do something like 12/12 from seed and get more quicker...

op, i'm all for trimming, i do it every grow, but, i always let them get established first. the root-mass has to develop so the plant can, so the roots can, lol... what goes on under-ground directly effects what goes on above ground, and vice-versa. confused now, lol...

I already LST'ed before defoliating and right now the tops are growing good (I will update pics tomorrow). I have no height limitations in my grow area though. So in your opinion, what is the best way to maximize yield if there are no height or width limitations?
Thanks

you may not have width/height limitations, but you have light limitations. no sense in growing a plant that your light can't handle. even with 1000 watts, the light will only penetrate so far into the canopy. to really max out your yield, try vertical and a standard hood.