Is it risky to remove fan leaves 5 weeks into flower?

Dogenzengi

Well-Known Member
Uh huh. That is why cannabis is the only plant in the world that is grown for the purposes of maximum flower production where people cut off perfectly good photosynthetic vegetative growth because they think that crippling a plants ability to make food will result in improved yield.[/QUOTE
:bigjoint:
 

Dogenzengi

Well-Known Member
Bull shit.

Without proper technique this will cause more harm than good.


Defoilation is only helpful in certain situations and reccomending to a new grower is not advised.

I will say if the op tries it, it would be smart to trim one and leave one. Look and see the difference.

About the only time I cut a leaf is in thick canopies and mold is a risk or the leaf is dead already.

Unless it is a a scrog or other training with very thick canopy there is no need.


A pic would really help to see if it even needs it.

OP,
Follow this guys advice and do a side by side, that is if you want to waste a plant.
Begginers should stick with kiss.

I will only remove a dead lead or a leaf that is pressed between two buds that could capture moisture and lead to mold.
Remember fan leaves are photosynthetic (create energy )
and
they transpire
( the plant sweats and breathes thru the leaves)
 

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
OP,
Follow this guys advice and do a side by side, that is if you want to waste a plant.
Begginers should stick with kiss.

I will only remove a dead lead or a leaf that is pressed between two buds that could capture moisture and lead to mold.
Remember fan leaves are photosynthetic (create energy )
and
they transpire
( the plant sweats and breathes thru the leaves)
You kind of hit on something.


I'm all for growers experimenting. I have myself. I encourage it. I surely don't fit in a box. I grow with t5. I grow autos and photos. Tried every grow style out there.

I just don't want some new grower falling for the idea hacking off a bunch of leaves will improve yield and mess their whole crop up.

Like you said, try it with one or two plants at a time. I would encourage a new grower to just grow a few grows without advanced training methods. Topping or lst to start. Especially if new to growing plants at all.
 
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Huckster79

Well-Known Member
I too only take ones that are really crammed together causing air flow blockage (i scrog net good sized girls that are LSTed flat topped , put two scrog nets over em right at flower, one right at current height other 6 to 8 inches above to catch stretch) some areas between the nets get just jammed, i thin those out a bit. Not thinning them looks unhealthy in that situation, but i take as minimal as i can.

I also take them if they fade out real bad later in flower, but yea no reason to take a healthy green leaf just to take it...
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Thank you for your proof of concept. Not just talking, but showing this form needs more of you, happy growing.
Thank you. +Rep. I always attempt to show pics and results with whatever my opinion may be. Because I do attempt things. Try different techniques. And none of that matters without the hard evidence to prove it.
Cheers. Happy Growing!
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
To each his own. Different things work for different fellows. I love some fan leaves. I lolipop even my 4 footers to encourage less buds per plant. This focuses everything on fewer bud sites and results in mostly top shelf bud with limited larf. Now I agree nobody beginner or not should just start hacking away at a plant.

But if it did not work why would people like who who have grown for years do it?

Why would there be huge threads on training and defoiled techniques with proven results.

Just because you opinion is one way does not mean everyone has the same results as you or has not had better results doing something different than you.

That is the journey with this great plant. It can be grown 1000 different ways with 1000 different growers and with some simple skill it will be successful with any variation. But glad so many people are trying to help!
Nameste!
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
This we can agree on. I would assume OP would do his due diligence and research how before he went hacking away at his plant.
Or ask someone like he tried to do and got 6 opinions lol. That's why I say to each his own. Find something that works for you as a grower. Maybe use others attempts successes and failures into account when building your technique.
 

Huckster79

Well-Known Member
Or ask someone like he tried to do and got 6 opinions lol. That's why I say to each his own. Find something that works for you as a grower. Maybe use others attempts successes and failures into account when building your technique.
Completly agree... i often try to take the different opinions and try to tiangulate a balance between them as the starting point for finding my own technique
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Completly agree... i often try to take the different opinions and try to tiangulate a balance between them as the starting point for finding my own technique
Absolutely. I think a lot of growers asking questions on this site do not realize that they are the best judge when it comes to tending their plants. Whether they seek advice on these forums or not. So due diligence is needed when attempting anything new in your garden. With the truck loads of info available online for free. None should go uneducated to a point that they can make a decent call on their tending. Now not taking direction and being a cowboy will either end in disaster or a new technique for you to take advantage of. Your a smart fella.

Cheers and Happy Growing!
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Actually, there is a reason why defoliation works for some people and why it doesn't work for most.

It's got alot to do with lights and/or humidity.
I'll upload photos from my very last defoil before harvest. I spread it out for about 20 days once I know I have no males or hermies to deal with. Found 1 Hermie this run and 1 very robust male. I do a little at a time each plant over the 20 days. I'm going to make a why TO defoil thread tomorrow. Very tired and have to get up early. I have thought about it all day and think I might have some un thought of questions. And I know some head scratchers for sure. Like I have been saying the whole thread. Things depends on the grower and depends on their courage and research. Happy Growing! And Cheers!

On an after thought to your post. My room is 40 humid all the time with temps of 72 to 77 with the lights on and or off depending on when my cheap acs kick on. I clear way for bud sights and remove leafs so they can get direct light and maybe the plant will think hey I better grow buds before all my leafs are gone. If done over time I don't think much chance of Hermie. As I haven't had any in a good while until this crop and with doing it over 3 weeks I doubt there is any stress my plants don't miss a beat. Like I said lots of thought today and will follow through with a thread in the am.

Also seems like you are interested and know your stuff .

Flipped 16 days ago. So it's day 9 of bloom. 60 day veg. No nutes in 22 days. Starting bloom schedule tomorrow with the few that need watered and will continue with the others as they progresses through the week. If my plants are unhealthy and defoil is a terrible idea. Why do I do it? True miss out on about a lb of larf....so what. Every single bud site on the plants has a nicely grown bud no matter if it's 40 in from the light of 12.

Because there is no waste going to my larf. Every bud except about 2 buds per plants is nice hard dense bud. I recently left a site due to bs. And bs caused a hickup with freedom. But the lawyers have it figured out and it's only a matter of time before I'm worry free.

I understand larf and sugar leaf great for hash. I don't like the new hash it is to harsh. I like old school pressed Afghan hash. But that's me. I would rather smoke top cola chronic green pot. So to each his own ONCE again lol! Thanks for the chat like my slow brain getting excited sometimes!


I love trading war stories and having someone with knowledge to bounce things off of!
NAMESTE!

Sorry for edit noticed tons of spelling errors. Fairly medicated lol.
 

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Haze the maze

Well-Known Member
Sweet baby Jesus so much misinformation with no backing, I shall instead point you towards proof. http://www.growweedeasy.com/marijuana-defoliation-tutorial

Rule of thumb and I have done it personally, remove no more than 3-5 blocking leaves a day after week 3-4. I go as far as removing weak @ss lower branches aka popcorns and see no I'll effects the plants just keep on growing.

MOST IMPORTANTLY your plants must be healthy to do this. No nutebruned to hell, sick or starving.
Ha knew it. Groweedesy is MY BIBLE The answer is there.
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Ha knew it. Groweedesy is MY BIBLE The answer is there.
Yes sir. I do it the same except I plan ahead on the last defoil and take only small leafs that are eventually going to block bud sites. The 2 defoils before the last I take bigger not huge leafs that's are blocking up the space. I try and take the least healthy looking leafs but it ends up not to matter most everything is healthy.

People lollipop small plants in sog every day. I do sorry of the same thing but I veg longer and have multiple terminal branches on each plant. So I trim each terminal on each plant as if it were its own plant not hooked to the very large stem. This way it grows fewer bullshit buds and wat more main colas. It helps me see inside and look for any problems. It takes my chances of mold from little to no way in hell.

Like I have been saying this whole thread. Find what works for YOU. And then come back after harvest with results so we know if the shit you did worked. I do things based in results not hunches. Much knowledge in this site and glad you and many others are interested in what is possible with this lovely plant. Nameste!
 

SPLFreak808

Well-Known Member
I'll upload photos from my very last defoil before harvest. I spread it out for about 20 days once I know I have no males or hermies to deal with. Found 1 Hermie this run and 1 very robust male. I do a little at a time each plant over the 20 days. I'm going to make a why TO defoil thread tomorrow. Very tired and have to get up early. I have thought about it all day and think I might have some un thought of questions. And I know some head scratchers for sure. Like I have been saying the whole thread. Things depends on the grower and depends on their courage and research. Happy Growing! And Cheers!

On an after thought to your post. My room is 40 humid all the time with temps of 72 to 77 with the lights on and or off depending on when my cheap acs kick on. I clear way for bud sights and remove leafs so they can get direct light and maybe the plant will think hey I better grow buds before all my leafs are gone. If done over time I don't think much chance of Hermie. As I haven't had any in a good while until this crop and with doing it over 3 weeks I doubt there is any stress my plants don't miss a beat. Like I said lots of thought today and will follow through with a thread in the am.

Also seems like you are interested and know your stuff .

Flipped 16 days ago. So it's day 9 of bloom. 60 day veg. No nutes in 22 days. Starting bloom schedule tomorrow with the few that need watered and will continue with the others as they progresses through the week. If my plants are unhealthy and defoil is a terrible idea. Why do I do it? True miss out on about a lb of larf....so what. Every single bud site on the plants has a nicely grown bud no matter if it's 40 in from the light of 12.

Because there is no waste going to my larf. Every bud except about 2 buds per plants is nice hard dense bud. I recently left a site due to bs. And bs caused a hickup with freedom. But the lawyers have it figured out and it's only a matter of time before I'm worry free.

I understand larf and sugar leaf great for hash. I don't like the new hash it is to harsh. I like old school pressed Afghan hash. But that's me. I would rather smoke top cola chronic green pot. So to each his own ONCE again lol! Thanks for the chat like my slow brain getting excited sometimes!


I love trading war stories and having someone with knowledge to bounce things off of!
NAMESTE!

Sorry for edit noticed tons of spelling errors. Fairly medicated lol.
Nice... I'm more of a 9 blade fan leaf indica kinda guy, I shoot for quality and plenty of people here have taught me over the years that the more health your plant carries into late flower, the better the bud quality gets and so far i haven't been able to prove them wrong. No flushing & i feed to the end, most of my 7 gallon plants still have the starter leaves within the first 4 weeks of flower.

Have you ever tried that yet?
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Nice... I'm more of a 9 blade fan leaf indica kinda guy, I shoot for quality and plenty of people here have taught me over the years that the more health your plant carries into late flower, the better the bud quality gets and so far i haven't been able to prove them wrong. No flushing & i feed to the end, most of my 7 gallon plants still have the starter leaves within the first 4 weeks of flower.

Have you ever tried that yet?
I feed until the last feeding then I flush with 5x pot volume and wait until droopy before I chop. I can't grow enough to be honest. If it isn't spoken for before hand. 1 step in a caregivers shop and it's gone in 10 mins legit or not. Top organic colas from seed make the strongest medicine in my experience.

I found 9 blade leafs all over tonight. The happier the plant the more blades. I found a plant putting out even number leafs 6 and 8. Marked for reveg Incase it has retard strength. Last grow I had 11 slblade leafs. Searching for that elusive 13 blade lead off indoor!

Cheers and Happy Growing!
 

mr sunshine

Well-Known Member
I feed until the last feeding then I flush with 5x pot volume and wait until droopy before I chop. I can't grow enough to be honest. If it isn't spoken for before hand. 1 step in a caregivers shop and it's gone in 10 mins legit or not. Top organic colas from seed make the strongest medicine in my experience.

I found 9 blade leafs all over tonight. The happier the plant the more blades. I found a plant putting out even number leafs 6 and 8. Marked for reveg Incase it has retard strength. Last grow I had 11 slblade leafs. Searching for that elusive 13 blade lead off indoor!

Cheers and Happy Growing!
Flushing is a myth, bruh.
 

ALong14U

Well-Known Member
My lazy attempt at showing the trunk and terminal branches going up towards the canopy.

I super crop and top or attempt to fim if I've had enough medicine. Above each super crop the terminal branches turns into a giant knuckle. All growth is above is hearty thick and rugged. And I have squeezed the knuckle with fingers and finger nails just to see what they are like. Each time water squirts out and it's like it is swelled to the brim with nute and or water I don't know I'm not a botany major. I just know the results speak for themselves.

Thanks for liking the thread forgot to post the pics lmfao!
Damn meds..
 

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ALong14U

Well-Known Member
Flushing is a myth, bruh.
I know this. That is why I have made the same post you just did several times.
In my experience. The best time to add nutes is the last 3 weeks. Makes for more swelling and better smell. In the last 2 weeks it's even better I grow in soil so my changes to the plant take a while as far as feeding and what not. So if 1 week before I harvest I notice a littler over feeding is no big deal because I then chop soon after. The smell and taste is I the cure. Longer the better if done correct.


So I feed super heavy in the final 2 weeks. The only ” flushes " I do is 1 time 2 days after flip I put 3x the container volume of water through it and stop with any nutes because I have great soil and don't need a bunch of nitrogen being uptaken as they usually get it store it and use it through flower if I remember right but could be wrong . I feed 3 weeks from flip with no nutes just tap water set aside for 48 hours that is 6.5 200 or so ppm. 2 weeks into flower to be technical. Then week 4 from flip or 3 of flower. I start with bloom nutes in all amounts to get the plant re educated on its intake. Start at 1/3 because before the 3 week chill out they had nutes so they are not going to a be shocked if they are re introduced. Some of the best weed i have smoked ever has been from a plant highly stressed in veg. Then given 3 weeks chill time before flower before nutes or any kind of more stressful action is taken. Week 5 of flower I am at 800 ppm input with tap water of 6.5 and output f 5.9 to 6.2 and 300 to 400 ppm run off depending on some shit I don't know.

I then keep pushing until the end. My very final runoff is 900 to 1600 depending on strains and the plants and my meds of course lol. Later on the very last watering whether it is supposed to be water or nutes I flush the pot with 5x volume. I then wait until droopy occures and then cut and hang upside down. Letting the now crappy leafs droop over the buds towards the top of the plant. Hang for 3 days grab and shake a little most crappy leafs fall off I then hang 2 more days before I begin the bullshit of trimming. Defoil helps me again at this stage not having to clip whatever I chopped off before hand. Which we all know every squeeze of the scissors is precious!

Nameste!
 
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