Remove or don’t remove leaves during flower?

[CC420710]

Hey everyone it’s me with my millions of questions. From what I have read it seems to be a debate during flower on whether to trim most the leaves. So what’s everyone’s opinion or experience with this topic? Are the leaves taking away from buds so should remove so buds get all the attention or are the leaves helping provide backup for the nugs? If that makes sense. On with the answers?

 

[billyboy]

Defoliate, once, really well, during the early part of the flower, when they need it, if they are very healthy, provided you planned and trained for that type of grow. Only take fan leaves.

Like this:

 

[alltatup]

CC, I did pretty serious defoliation on my last grow, and you can see the results here: https://forum.growweedeasy.com/forum/growing-community/308857-grow-ten-atu

https://www.growweedeasy.com/nebulas-flowering-stage-defoliation-tutorial

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Great job Billyboy those will love the haircut, won't bother them a bit

 

[CC420710]

It's crazy the controversy on this topic. On my 420 forum, everyone says don't you need those leaves. I had one try to say we don't do it outdoors so why would indoors let mother nature do her thing. ?but it was my thought that you trim to mimic nature because their leaves always fall but idk

 

[alltatup]

Indoors they don't need as many leaves to store nutes because we feed them so well. Also, exposing the buds as far down as we can to light makes them grow bigger!! I will keep refining my technique, but I was quite happy with results on the last grow.

 

[Tersky]

I say it largely depends on the health of the plant but defoliation can be done in early flowering. I usually do it after it's stretch, once i have an idea of the full height. However dont take off too much as the plant will have a harder time recovering. The general idea is you want to provide light for the lower buds but the more you cut, the longer it takes to recover. the more energy it spends recovering, the less it has for producing buds. If your plant is healthy and robust however it can take more punishment and recover from some pretty intense defoliation. You should do lst and defoliation in the veg cycle to see how well it responds. then you may have a better idea of how much you can take off. Im currently growing two old seeds (still waiting on my bean order) that are not very healthy so my defoliation will probably be lighter this grow...unless it gets a second wind.

 

[HappyDaze]

Everyone looks at it from their own bubble. Someone growing in soil indoors with a small light source can get away with a single well timed defoliation because the pace of leaf growth allows it. Another person growing in hydro with a big lamp and full on climate control is probably going to need to do it a couple of times because growth is so fast. Outside growers have 4 times the light penetration, so they don`t worry about bud shading...but they should consider some defoliation to mitigate pests and fungus.

I look outside the weed community for info as much as I can and I look to nature. Tomato growers defoliate and they do it to make $$$, so by extension, we should at least be experimenting with the practice. In nature, cannabis plants are constantly stripped of leaves by critters, strong wind and insects, and they have built in response mechanisms to compensate, so why not trigger them.

 

[CC420710]

Well said

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Totally agree with you HappyDaze. Photoperiod MJ plants outdoors or indoors can take a lot of punishment. I don't remove enough of the inner branches and tiny bud sites by the looks of others who do. I am so use to just letting them grow au natural just top and LST when nessesary outdoors. I have supper cropped like my tomatoes do themselves when they get to tall and heavy they lay on the rings.

 

[billyboy]

Here are the girls from post #2 six days later. I should note I am Feed-Water-Water up until the defoliation during flower, and then I switch to Feed - Water - Feed. And switch from MH to HPS 600w.

 

[SoOrbudgal]

Look great

 

[homegrown]

I started my grow fairly simple and followed LST for my first grow..The Fems had to be defoliated twice during veg cause the growth was so thick..and i did a final defoliate the first week into flower

 

[kingfish]

Billyboy, I like your style. I will try your way with my current grow.

 

[Sww]

I think defoilage or not plant is more sympathy. Cutting excessive leaves are beneficial. It allows more air and light and less baggage for it to bloom. The folk that disagree are passiver types.

 

[M85]

Week 3 & week 5 if needed