Over defoliation and Naked plant
- Thread starter SamRD
- Start date
That doesn't look like its totally stripped. Nicely spaced out and looks fine!
I've been doing some experimenting defoliating lately as well. I usually scrog so it just gets too thick with leaves.
Finding that although necessary to a certain extent to thin out the canopy, it doesnt really help yield that much. You plants also end up with a crap load of smaller leaves anyway so kinda much of a muchness.
I've been doing some experimenting defoliating lately as well. I usually scrog so it just gets too thick with leaves.
Finding that although necessary to a certain extent to thin out the canopy, it doesnt really help yield that much. You plants also end up with a crap load of smaller leaves anyway so kinda much of a muchness.
BigFreeSpirit420
Member
I agree
newcayney2008
Well-Known Member
I always defoliate to let the light get to where the flowering is going to be. I was going to ask the same question as you but I am growing autos and I'm taking fan leaves early I think. But I'm doing it to get them out of the way of the stems that are going to produce. I know you need some of those big leaves for photosynthesis and keep the plant growing at full potential. I do think taking some also gives more energy to the flowers if it doesn't have to support those big fan leaves. This is not scientific by any part but it seems to work for me.
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SamRD
Well-Known Member
You're right, I think I'm just not used to looking at it like this, I usually leave more leaves. I'm excited to see how it turns out.
StareCase
Well-Known Member
Your results might vary ... but from what I observed, I don't recommend schwazzing. I yielded ~3 oz. lower than other grows where the leaves are left on. It seemed like the plants did more recovering of the fan leaves than they did beefing of the bud.
The practice of lollipopping - taking those lower down sucker branches/light starved leaves off - is a different story. I recommend that. Lollipopping redirecting the plants energy to the upper parts and lets them continue to beef up your bud instead of repairing leaves.
newcayney2008
Well-Known Member
Thank you very much for your input. I think that's mainly what I do is Lollipop. If that's what you call it. And I try to only take the fan leaves that are yellowing on their way out or definitely blocking the light from getting to my branches and soon to be flowering areas. Here is a picture or two of what I have done in this study. These are autoflowers. They sprouted November 24th and 25th. Please give your input on what you see.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Bout a lb
PopAndSonGrows
Well-Known Member
That's nothing. Look up "schwazzing" and prepare to be SHOCKED. Shit is disturbing, lol.
Jjgrow420
Well-Known Member
Defol and lollipop work in certain situations. If you're filling a canopy and want some airflow underneath lollipop can get rid of some useless larf under the canopy and help direct energy to the main tops if you're running a larger number of plants in your grow area.
I wouldn't pull too many leaves though, as this could retard growth for a while until some new foliage comes through.... Leaves are your solar panels eating up light and converting it through photosynthesis. It's the basics of plant growth. No foliage, little (slow) growth.
Some removal can be deemed necessary if it's shading out budsites or causing microclimates. But this would only be valuable in a packed canopy where you're more focused on the bud shape/size than yeild. (Tops only)
I wouldn't pull too many leaves though, as this could retard growth for a while until some new foliage comes through.... Leaves are your solar panels eating up light and converting it through photosynthesis. It's the basics of plant growth. No foliage, little (slow) growth.
Some removal can be deemed necessary if it's shading out budsites or causing microclimates. But this would only be valuable in a packed canopy where you're more focused on the bud shape/size than yeild. (Tops only)
SamRD
Well-Known Member
newcayney2008
Well-Known Member
I'm not saying you're wrong at all. But could you tell me how taking five or six fan leaves off of a plant when it is giving the bud branches more light and still has 2/3 or more of its growing time left?
SamRD
Well-Known Member
Is he talking to you, me or both?
xtsho
Well-Known Member
You never stated how many leaves you removed in your initial post. At the stage of flowering the plant you posted is at any defoliation is going to be detrimental to flower development. That plant could use more leaves not less.
newcayney2008
Well-Known Member
Okay, I won't take as many this time. I am trying to do what everybody else is doing and shoot for the best! Again that's why I'm here to learn more and do better every time.
Rurumo
Well-Known Member
The timing really matters too. If you strip a plant like that on day 1 of 12/12 you'll end up with a different yield than if you do on day 21. If this is your first grow, next time consider leaving more foliage intact and compare results. Not every plant will exhibit an "overcompensation response" which is what people are going for when they do this-there is no other reason to strip a plant. Whether or not a plant will "overcompensate" in response to defoliation is genotype specific (not all plants respond well to it, often your yield is reduced), so it's not a bad practice if you are doing a pheno hunt with a lot of plants and are looking for overcompensation as a trait you want to select for in breeding stock.
"Lollipopping" for ventilation, by removing the leaves underneath the canopy which are constantly in shade, is a totally different thing done for different reasons-reduced RH, increased air flow, pest/disease prevention-it's a great practice for most indoor grows. Overcompensation may be a secondary benefit to lollipopping in specific plants (again, genotype specific), because you may only need to remove 5-10% of leaves to trigger it (rather than strip the bush).
"Lollipopping" for ventilation, by removing the leaves underneath the canopy which are constantly in shade, is a totally different thing done for different reasons-reduced RH, increased air flow, pest/disease prevention-it's a great practice for most indoor grows. Overcompensation may be a secondary benefit to lollipopping in specific plants (again, genotype specific), because you may only need to remove 5-10% of leaves to trigger it (rather than strip the bush).
newcayney2008
Well-Known Member
Wow there's a lot of information you have just given me. I will run with your knowledge. I really try not to take too many leaves, but my OCD takes over especially when I don't take my Adderall LOL LOL then I stepped back and look at my plant and go oh FUCK!, and it does take three or four days for the plant to start generating and growing new foliage. Most of my Autos take a hundred days instead of the 70 to 90 as a general rule. I also learned last night that I am using totally the wrong soil ( Miracle-Gro Moisture Control) holds too much water in when watering, the chemical products they put in it kill the micro-ñutes, the time to release fertilizer they use are releasing their stuff as I'm adding my stuff so it's getting double or worse? I was told there was enough calcium in my tap water to surface and not to add Cal Mag? I have been using Advanced Nutrients three part and a little big bug in flowering. And I get freaking amazing results.! Better than I've ever thought I could do ever.,Mega crop one part or j a c k s. Next girl it will be Mega crop we will see how it goes. Thank you again.
Hollatchaboy
Well-Known Member
Leaves are what facilitate eating to the plant. Try taking away food from a body builder, and see how much muscle he stacks on.