should i defoliate my plant?

joeparak

joeparak

Active Member
hey guys this is my girl and she is 6 weeks old and 2 weeks into 12/12 schedule with some pistils growing here and there
i flowered it early and the growth was kinda stunned during the first week but now looks like it took off growing again
should i defoliate my plant or is it a bad idea?
its kinda my first flowering grow and im worried cause the pistils are buried within the growth tips is that normal?
 

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chemphlegm

chemphlegm

Well-Known Member
yes, defoliate but only if you aim to provide less photosynthesis to your plant.
You will successfully decrease all of its necessary energy required to fruit properly.
Your plant will look bald and mutilated, and you'll be back here asking for help to save the 6 grams you might harvest..

hope that helps:leaf:
 
Roger A. Shrubber

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
i hate to say one way or the other. i've been experimenting with it,but have been unable to do a side by side with the same strain, same pheno. my conclusions so far? i've been removing SUN leaves (the big ones that grow on long stalks and hang over everything) at the beginning of flower, and again about 3 weeks later. i don't touch any of the smaller leaves, i don't strip the plants to nothing but stems and buds. i think i've been getting better results. a lot of the smaller popcorn shit lower on the plant seems to be filling in, actually growing its own little stalk instead of hiding under the buds above them, and they're hard, instead of whispy little dandelion buds. not sure if its effecting the size or density of colas, but it doesn't seem to be hurting anything. until i can do a side by side on clones from the same mother or seeds from the same lot, i can't say for certain, but my opinion now is, i don't think it hurts and may be beneficial, as long as you don't go crazy with it
 
Roger A. Shrubber

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
i actually took botany 101, and 102. and i say it may not be that bad a thing.
everyone seems to go to extremes. i aint saying strip a plant to a twig with some buds on it. i'm saying i think that "sun" leaves are less efficient than "shade" leaves, that you don't need that reservoir of nutes like an outside plant does, that inside plants get more than enough to eat already, and the smaller more efficient shade leaves may be a better choice than letting the big dino leaves hang over the whole plant and block the smaller more efficent leaves. sun leaves seem to me to be a function of vegetative growth, and possibly not of flowering growth
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Roger A. Shrubber said:
i hate to say one way or the other. i've been experimenting with it,but have been unable to do a side by side with the same strain, same pheno. my conclusions so far? i've been removing SUN leaves (the big ones that grow on long stalks and hang over everything) at the beginning of flower, and again about 3 weeks later. i don't touch any of the smaller leaves, i don't strip the plants to nothing but stems and buds. i think i've been getting better results. a lot of the smaller popcorn shit lower on the plant seems to be filling in, actually growing its own little stalk instead of hiding under the buds above them, and they're hard, instead of whispy little dandelion buds. not sure if its effecting the size or density of colas, but it doesn't seem to be hurting anything. until i can do a side by side on clones from the same mother or seeds from the same lot, i can't say for certain, but my opinion now is, i don't think it hurts and may be beneficial, as long as you don't go crazy with it
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Are the plants crowded? Or is it possible there is some air flow issues in the canopy?

I only have this lower bud problem if my plants are not spaced out well enough. If enough room the bushiest plant will have good dense nugs all the way to the bottom of the plant pretty much.

Many growers use a fan below the canopy to remedy this but I always feel it makes less happy plants in my room as it just disturbs them too much for my liking.
 
MichiganMedGrower

MichiganMedGrower

Well-Known Member
Roger A. Shrubber said:
i actually took botany 101, and 102. and i say it may not be that bad a thing.
everyone seems to go to extremes. i aint saying strip a plant to a twig with some buds on it. i'm saying i think that "sun" leaves are less efficient than "shade" leaves, that you don't need that reservoir of nutes like an outside plant does, that inside plants get more than enough to eat already, and the smaller more efficient shade leaves may be a better choice than letting the big dino leaves hang over the whole plant and block the smaller more efficent leaves. sun leaves seem to me to be a function of vegetative growth, and possibly not of flowering growth
Click to expand...
Those leaves roles change as the plant changes.

I also see some strains that stay green with fertilizer til the end and others yellow and eat their leaves some no matter what I do.

So I am not sure unless there is clear reason to remove a leaf that the plant is still using there could be any benefit to less photosynthesis.

They let you know when they are finished with them. I pull them when and if they snap off easily.
 
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