Do I remove fan leaves?

Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
Hey all, currently on my 3rd grow when the guy at the garden supply store tells me "You should remove the fan leaves that have purple stems because they are no longer doing their job." he was saying the nutes could be used towards bigger buds rather than the older leaves. Anyhow, is this a good idea? or matter of fact is their any logic to this?
 
Chronic Indica

Chronic Indica

Active Member
There are people that defoilate there plants but i think it's a waste of time. Btw, the guy at your hydro stpre doesn't know what he's talking about.
 
cph

cph

Well-Known Member
A plant needs leaves for photosynthesis, a branch that has a fan leaf will get bigger than a branch without. I also see the fans as food storage. If something goes wrong (bad PH, missed watering) and the leaves start to yellow it's because they start to use what is in those leaves. As was already stated he's an idiot.:peace:
 
flowamasta

flowamasta

Well-Known Member
i defoliate some, but that dude doesn't know his shit, purple stems can be strain dependent, or simply weather conditions, if your grow is too over crowded using a scrog style, then some minor leaf removal around the top canopy level can be beneficial, especially for the lower buds that will now receive more light.

i see this question over and over ad over..... the bigger the plant the more she'll handle some leaves torn off, if its a small plant, then the benefits will be minimal
 
VX420

VX420

Active Member
Leaves = Plant growth... Buds Do NOT make the plant grow. Do you think an Orange grows the tree, or does the tree grow the orange? The fan leafs grow the plant BUDS are the PLANT. Less Solar collectors= less bud... would you removes some of your lights to make the buds grow bigger? Then why removes the light catchers.
:idea:
 
Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
flowamasta said:
i defoliate some, but that dude doesn't know his shit, purple stems can be strain dependent, or simply weather conditions, if your grow is too over crowded using a scrog style, then some minor leaf removal around the top canopy level can be beneficial, especially for the lower buds that will now receive more light.

i see this question over and over ad over..... the bigger the plant the more she'll handle some leaves torn off, if its a small plant, then the benefits will be minimal
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well im currently in beginning week four flowering purple wreck and blue dream. growing in 3 gallon pots, 400 hps, 30"x30"x68" tent. (first two grows in my closet. these ladies started in closet. been in tent a week) house fan blowing on them and ventilations open.
blue dreamdownload (1).jpg download (2).jpg purple wreck download (3).jpg download.jpg
 
Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
Rcb said:
So tired of people posting about this doesnt anyone use the search?
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I can read the search but then I dont get to meet with people like you thanks. BTW. do you know why only the older stems appear dark purple?
 
Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
flowamasta said:
i defoliate some, but that dude doesn't know his shit, purple stems can be strain dependent, or simply weather conditions, if your grow is too over crowded using a scrog style, then some minor leaf removal around the top canopy level can be beneficial, especially for the lower buds that will now receive more light.

i see this question over and over ad over..... the bigger the plant the more she'll handle some leaves torn off, if its a small plant, then the benefits will be minimal
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Good looking out. I always did the same as you, a couple leaves here and there. And I thought the guy at the store was full of shit too.
 
VX420

VX420

Active Member
Sean Tom said:
I can read the search but then I dont get to meet with people like you thanks. BTW. do you know why only the older stems appear dark purple?
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Yes it’s lack of mg (No pics, from your descriptions) Mg like NPKis a mobile nutrient, so the plant takes it from one area to another. All mobile nutrients will come from older growthfirst. This is an easy indication of what your plant is lacking.
 
yesum

yesum

Well-Known Member
I take off fans that block bud sites. Leaves store nutrients but we do not need that as we have perfect soil or hydro unlike in nature, and they get all the nutrients they want. Fans do photosynthesis but if you take some fans off the buds will grow out more small leaves, I have seen this. Also the older fans become less efficient at doing their job.

So I am somewhere in between taking them off and leaving them. I do not believe in the idea that buds that do not get decent light will be as good as the ones getting direct intense light. I have not seen this personally but some say this is their experience.
 
crazyhazey

crazyhazey

Well-Known Member
only take off fan leaves if they're in the shadows completely, if not they're resourceful, much better to have more than less.
 
Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
thank you all. you all make valid points and give my brain more to go on. for now only going to remove leaves that leave others in the shadows.
 
crazyhazey

crazyhazey

Well-Known Member
Sean Tom said:
thank you all. you all make valid points and give my brain more to go on. for now only going to remove leaves that leave others in the shadows.
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there ya go, and if you wanna make it so you have fatter main colas rather than 20 small ones, clip starting branches while they're small so the plant doesnt send nutrients to new growth but rather those colas. lst may make it easier to make all your leaves efficient as well.
 
Sean Tom

Sean Tom

Well-Known Member
crazyhazey said:
there ya go, and if you wanna make it so you have fatter main colas rather than 20 small ones, clip starting branches while they're small so the plant doesnt send nutrients to new growth but rather those colas. lst may make it easier to make all your leaves efficient as well.
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great idea. I did actually lollipop the girls. also as new lower shoots try and grow i pinch them off with my fingers hopefully to grow larger tops. was my thesis. thanks man. +rep
 
crazyhazey

crazyhazey

Well-Known Member
Sean Tom said:
great idea. I did actually lollipop the girls. also as new lower shoots try and grow i pinch them off with my fingers hopefully to grow larger tops. was my thesis. thanks man. +rep
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thats the name of the game, keep the nutes/energy flowing to the upper nodes and branches.
 
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