Is it safe to defoliate autos

My first grow. All autos. 3 big ones are 53 days and 32 days today. 3 gg#4s and 2 blueberry big devil. I just started defoliating about two weeks ago. I used lst and topped one of my 32 day old plants. It slowed for a day or two.

I defoliate all the time,,sometimes takes 20-30 leaves at a time,,,does it add weeks?? Absolutely not,,85 days is about my longest. Plants seem happier afterwards. I top them often too,,and lst,,never seem to add much to breeders times.If your plants are healthy and environment is good I have seen hardly any affects.

I lollipop the plants after the start of stretch and never had an issue

I cut all lower GROWTH tips, not fan leaves. If youve ever spent any time trimming your harvest, you get a good idea which part of the plants structure doesnt really ammount to anything at the end of the grow, it does seem beneficial to trim all these lower growths before or at the onset of flower

What type of coco

I lollipop my autos but I never defoliate. Defoliating is like going to your pantry and throwing away half your food. Plants grow in a christmas tree structure because of apical dominance and not because leaves are blocking bud sites...besides leaves feed the buds through photosynthesis...buds themselves don't photosynthesize.

I see instances where commercial growers practice this with success...but a novice with a few autos in a tent is better off leaving the leaves on..

I fully agree Mcstrats

Herb potman said:

I fully agree Mcstrats

Click to expand...

Thanks Herb Potman The thing is...some genetics can handle it and thrive because of it. But these are usually photos that are very stable. A handful of autos in a grow tent is going to do best when it is left alone....especially when someone has never grown that specific auto strain before and knows nothing about how it will respond to defoliating. There is a place for defoliating, but a lot of people seem to see it as a one size fits all approach. It can destroy your grow.

I'm not tying to talk anyone out of experimenting...just trying to tamp down the misinformation.

McStrats said:

Thanks Herb Potman The thing is...some genetics can handle it and thrive because of it. But these are usually photos that are very stable. A handful of autos in a grow tent is going to do best when it is left alone....especially when someone has never grown that specific auto strain before and knows nothing about how it will respond to defoliating. There is a place for defoliating, but a lot of people seem to see it as a one size fits all approach. It can destroy your grow.

I'm not tying to talk anyone out of experimenting...just trying to tamp down the misinformation.

Click to expand...

Autos in the hands of a good grower will almost require defoliation. But if you have to ask if it's ok to do, then it definitely isn't.

Lol. Ain't that the truth

The size of two autos under 600 watt can really make them grow outta control. I top and prune away quite abit but i leave the leaves

WinterSoldier89 said:

The size of two autos under 600 watt can really make them grow outta control. I top and prune away quite abit but i leave the leaves

Click to expand...

That is a lot of watt for two plants... Can I see picture of that? 1200 watts? Wow?

I got four girls I just put in soil... They are Gorilla Glue Autos. Doing a bit of an experiment. 2 different mediums and 2 different size pots. I only have 435 Watts to give them.. I think it could be more but my light won't disappoint. It sure didn't on last grow. I got 1 an 1/2 pounds in a 4X4 grow tent.

Let me introduce Betty. She is living in a 5 gallon fabric pot in Coco





This is Edith. She is living in a 5 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farm Ocean Forest





This is June. She is in a 3 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil




This is Norma. She is in a 3 gallon Fabric pot in Coco




4X4 Gorilla Glue grow experiment Begins!!!!!!!!

I wanna follow this

Herb potman said:

I wanna follow this

Click to expand...

I'm trying to get as many people as possible to follow this.. I want to win a light from Mars hydro... Pull up a chair Brother

Herb potman said:

I wanna follow this

Click to expand...

Truth is I'm really doing this for my own curiosity. I bought some coco from hydro store and the guy said people never go back to soil... Can't wait to find out myself.

my first try growing and i definitely defoliated my autos... and transplanted them. and ran my light on max wattage since sprouting... could be why they're so short? lol
they're 4 and bit weeks now...

I don't care what anyone says... Less is more especially Autos... Why defoliate? yes maybe a little to let bud sites get some of that light action, but Autos have no time too fuck around. Every time you F with them you slow their growth. Autos just don't have the time for it.

707Patrick said:

I'm trying to get as many people as possible to follow this.. I want to win a light from Mars hydro... Pull up a chair Brother

Click to expand...

WHat kind of coco are u using and did u mix anything in it ?

Herb potman said:

WHat kind of coco are u using and did u mix anything in it ?

Click to expand...

I used Cana Coco and mixed in perlite, gaia green 4-4-4 and gaia green 2-8-4 I used 3 table spoons of each per gallon of medium. I also added a couple cups of worm castings.