When to prune (lollipop)?

[sexybudandnugs]

So I have this afgan that's crazy to trim, takes me hours. I "topped" my other strains that were growing to tall to make them the same height. So i'm going to prune my afgan "lollipop" style. Never pruned, I usually just let it grow crazy. But I ain't trimming it again!!! So I was thinking of lollipoping to get a few BIG buds.... and save time in the future (probably increase yeild, too). Now when should I turn the plant into a lollipop? Right now it is growing like crazy. From the beginning of veg? Right before bloom? During bloom?
I saw the links and videos from the other post but still don't know when. I saw pics (by cops online) but the plants were almost done.
THanks guys.

 

[sexybudandnugs]

Oh yea, one more thing......

Can I leave big FAN leaves on the bottom of the plant?? I figure it will have more energy for the buds.... I will got all branches with bud sites but leave big fan leaves on the bottom... sound good?

 

[sexybudandnugs]

bump

 

[lysol]

Yes leave the leafs on the plant, do not trim them except if you were scrogging and were trimming leaf tips to increase lightflow to near by buds. Leave them on if possible you spent your whole veg seasin havin em pack nutes into the leafs they will consume 7th - 8th week of flower when you see your plant yellow, they will need them later.

 

[fatcat]

yeah dont take off any leaves unless they are getting in the way of bud. The reason the fan leaves change colors at the end of veg and while flushing, is because the plant is taking the stored nutrients from them and using them to build bud. I have taken 2 clones, pruned one 2 weeks before veg, left the other alone, the pruned one got 2.5 oz and the unpruned one got 3. the pruned one got really purple, but wasn't as potent as the unpruned one.

 

[sexybudandnugs]

Well I ain't trimming them when they are done.. it is crazy.. i don't want that many "popcorn buds"

 

[Eminem]

you lollipop a couple weeks into 12/12. But lollipopping is primarily for a SOG. IMO lollipop means you trim all lower growth, up to the top 2 branches. I do mine around day 14. I just went in and retrimmed a room that was in day 30 to get rid of popcorn producing branches

If you arent SOGGING, you still want to trim the lower growth, just not all the side branches. I leave the side branches, just trim bud sites off the lower part of the branch. Basically no bud sites lower than 12" from the top of the plant. Anything lower than that is going to be popcorn.

 

[Standaman]

I was too scared to trim mine in the 1st and 2nd weeks of flower and now i got some stray popcorn but i guess i'll let it grow but if Eminem has done it in day 30 which i'm guessing is flower, then i still have time?

 

[shallrelicme]

If you are doing a tight SOG you can trim any branches that grow longer than 1 inch up to the 3rd week in flower without stunting it in my experience. Don't mess with the fan leaves, they are the plants fuel tank.

 

[Eminem]

my bad. I wouldnt take a full plant at day 30 in flower and lollipop. I just took some plants and removed some of the lower growth. Currently I have a mix of SOG and non SOG as I dont have enough plants to fill the room so I am adjusting.

If lollipopping, do it around day 14.

I did remove some bud sites from my non sog plants at day 30. These were sites that were 12"+ below the tip of the plant and IMO they werent going to get enough light.

I leave the lower leaves on as well

 

[bdomina]

you obviously never want any cover so thick with leaves that it restricts airflow. if my undergrowth is looking dead i trim it. no air and rotting veg = mold and bugs. so far so good. this is probably more critical to cab / closet grower where you are dealing with a little bit of space.

and rarely will i cut fan leaves up top unless it is impossible to tuck it back , you know if it is getting in the way of the flowers.

 

[Standaman]

It may be going off topic but i gotta ask, what do you do with fan leaves that are covering budsites? I move them about every other day so they get light, but i guess cutting fan leaves is not the way forward