Ill show a picture when i harvest with weights in a week or so. The buds outgrow the foilage as you can see in the picture. Doesnt matter if you defoliate or not you will have bud growth that will be bubble hash in the end as its going to be too far from the light unless you net it.
Looks like you have way more than a week or so to go. Looking closer to double your estimate left, but it's hard to tell with the lighting.
I find every new grower has this need to defoliate major as i did too. Then you grow 100 plants later and you do less and less until you realize hey i get the same amount or more if i dont defoliateand then you are a seasoned grower. It takes time to realize but any long term grower whos tried both will tell you the same.
Ya i only pick dead or severly damaged leaves now and i dont defoliate to “bring light” to nodes. Most times its bottom leaves from wind damage. My little fan is aggressive bringing in fresh air from holes in floor by concrete in my grow chamber.
Do you lollipop in bloom too and at what stage?
I lolipop before flower occurs. Basically the goal is to clean up any of the lower branches that are going to be auxiliary sucker branches and have the plant focus on the top main branches. If I need to take some branches that I don't like or aren't growing well I will chop them in the first 21 days (3 weeks) of bloom.
Minus 20-30% yield when not defoliating in my experience. Buds just do not get as fat and heavy.
Ok i got you. I appreciate all the advise you giving. I was a lil hesitant, but now I feel comfortable in my decision to do so.
Totally agree, often growers miss this step and there plants become too bushy, resulting in mold, bugs etc in the canopy.
Too many leaves creates bugs in your grow space?
More airflow less bugs & disease. I once had fungus gnats, i then put a 16" oscillating fan below the plants to blow air across the pots, I no longer have fungus gnats. So yes, leaves block airflow, no airflow = more bugs and more chance for diseases from things stagnating. Most pests do not like lots of airflow and wind which is why they hide under the leaves and deep in the canopy and rootzone.
