Prune large fan leaves?

[Cheeba]

G13 getting bushy after 5 weeks of veg (or 3 if I don’t count seedling time). Topped once, training to expose bud sites, plan to flip next weekend. Limiting veg time due to 53” tent height.

The large fan leave branches are staked, would it be beneficial to defoliate those leaves? If yes, where should I make the cut? Open to suggestions, also wondering how to train the 2 tops so their leaves don’t cover lower bud sites.

Great hobby and great forum, learning a lot, appreciate the knowledge sharing. Peace.

[USMCnoviceMedical]

Pics would help. From my own experience I like to leave the fans on till about third week of flower to help power the stretch.(this close to the flower switch)After that I cut all major fans and use string or zip ties to manipulate colas to get the most light up and down the bud sites.

Hope this helps

[Cheeba]

Forgot the pics, thanks

[USMCnoviceMedical]

Also if you have method 7 glasses hold them up the cam lens for a pic without all the purple.

[Eliot Pryor]

Very nice !! Personally I take off. Cut em off near the stem. I leave the small new ones. Good growing to you.

[Cheeba]

Thanks

[Rwise]

Tuck them under to reveal bud sites until 3rd week of flower.

[Cheeba]

Thank you Rwise

[Cheeba]

Then prune after week 3 F?

[Rwise]

If you wish, I let the plants do the work by causing survival mode (drying to the point of wilt), they shed leaves. These leaves are storage tanks for mobile nutes, if the plant eats them the nutes aren't wasted. The leaves will yellow then brown during this. I give each a gentle tug, if they come of they do, if not they stay another day.

[USMCnoviceMedical]

Yep what Rwise said. Looking good!

[SoOrbudgal]

Well me personally would remove the big fans the ones close to the tops. Ones on each side of the plant those biggest ones. 2 from each would be good then after flip give it time to recover and see the bud sites more hopefully they stretch up and remove a couple more big fans.

[Cheeba]

SoOrbudgal
Hey budgal,
Which leaves do you suggest, one of the circled in the pic below?
Thanks for explaining.

[SoOrbudgal]

Yes i would take those and it won't hurt your plants cause they look really healthy bushy. This may be a strain that gets short tight internodes and in my opinion it helps with those types of growths.

[Tersky]

This is kinda a growers choice situation. For indoors, my rule is if the leaves are large and blocking bud sites they go bye-bye as long as there are plenty of smaller leaves and the plant is healthy. I do this to allow the small bud sites to grow. I sometimes take leaves off a couple times a week in veg, though just one or two at a time. Over time you will learn what method works for you and what you feel more comfortable with. In the end, start off slow when defoliating and see how the plant reacts. If you take a few leaves off and a couple days later it has bushed out again then you can probably do small defoliation many times throughout veg to get your canopy as level as possible (along with lst). After you switch to flower and plant has stretched i would do one maybe two defoliation depending on how much taken each defol and then leave the rest to soak up light as that is the solar panel of the plant and you dont want to take too much that it hinders bud production.

It sounds more complicated than it really is and is something that comes with experience and can differ from plant to plant.

[Texasbob]

Great answer

[Cheeba]

Awesome advice, thank you Tersky

[Cheeba]

Early results from defoliation look good. After my initial post I thinned out one of the indica hybrids and she is responding well. Her 8 mains are stretching nicely in early flower and plenty of light on inside bud sites. I think she has a few white pistils?! Her sister is still pretty bushy and lagging, but healthy. Interested to see them blossom over the next 8-10 weeks. Def clipping more leaves after 3 weeks.

Thanks for the advice, peace.