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Defoliation: Hi-Yield Technique?
- Thread starter k33ftr33z
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i realy think all the people who are against trimming fans should grow a plant in the cold winter months and watch as the plant only grows single bladed fans,in search of more light for the buds its trying to produce... so whilst you guys are saying fans produce buds im seeing my plant tell me that light directly upon bud sites is what it needs...
B
bipotato
TickleMyBalls, have any pictures of high-yielding plants you'd like to share with us? Tucked ones.
J
jrosek
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J
jrosek
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jrosek
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Y
Yankee Grower
Or BTI (Bacillus thuringiensis israelis) otherwise known as Gnatrol or just buy some mosquito dunks.
J
jrosek
Ok... I just remembered why i retired.
Dorje113
Member
I can't see your pics... could you try to use the "attach files" button below the post, I can always see those. TIA..
I think there's an "ignore" feature somewhere...
You can get rid of fungus gnats by mixing perlite or sand on the soil surface to help it dry out quicker. You also need to have an oscillating fan running at least only when lights are on. I'm surprised how well this worked. I had a major gnat problem but I haven't seen one in weeks.
But lets please keep this thread on topic. Move gnat talk to the infirmary.
But lets please keep this thread on topic. Move gnat talk to the infirmary.
Degeneration
Degeneration
OK, we officially have erosion of civility. I knew it would get lively.
I know that the case has been made that there is no harm in defoliation as is evidenced by the photos. It was never intended to imply that is is the only way or that going all leafy was a negative except in the case of overcrowding. I am the first to admit that there is slight heft advantage to the top bud cluster only on fully leafed out plants. These are methods that I'm comfortable with for many years. I can say that I have built and succeeded on almost any kind of setup and methodology imaginable. The current design and method was arrived at through trial and error and rigorous adherence to challenging any procedure or hardware that could be made more efficient or to enhance yield.
Degeneration
OK, we officially have erosion of civility. I knew it would get lively.
I know that the case has been made that there is no harm in defoliation as is evidenced by the photos. It was never intended to imply that is is the only way or that going all leafy was a negative except in the case of overcrowding. I am the first to admit that there is slight heft advantage to the top bud cluster only on fully leafed out plants. These are methods that I'm comfortable with for many years. I can say that I have built and succeeded on almost any kind of setup and methodology imaginable. The current design and method was arrived at through trial and error and rigorous adherence to challenging any procedure or hardware that could be made more efficient or to enhance yield.
Side by Side
Side by Side
Several posters have suggested that they would like to see a side by side. Unfortunately it is not as easy as that. Defoliation allows plants to intertwine. It is not advisable to defoliate and train one and allow the neighboring plant to leaf out and get tall. The leafy one will shade out direct and reflective light and the comparison would be invalid.
Anyway, this is not some kind of horse race for height or cola size. It's a way to maximize production in a limited amount of artificially lit space.
Side by Side
Several posters have suggested that they would like to see a side by side. Unfortunately it is not as easy as that. Defoliation allows plants to intertwine. It is not advisable to defoliate and train one and allow the neighboring plant to leaf out and get tall. The leafy one will shade out direct and reflective light and the comparison would be invalid.
Anyway, this is not some kind of horse race for height or cola size. It's a way to maximize production in a limited amount of artificially lit space.
I've only seen reversal a couple of times ever but it could not be attributed to this. I think that is a genetic thing. Some try to attribute something like that to stress but in a dynamic gene pool it would be quite logical to have a few that tended to reversal or hermaphrodism.
As for sensitive varieties, I have noticed that this technique actually tends to bring the vigor out of sensitive varieties. Even sensitive varieties usually start to charge once they develop substantial root systems and structure. Like I sad earlier, this is a process of preparation in order to level the playing field for all the candidates that are placed in a bud unit. Those sensitive ones just need some preparation.
One of the trickiest management challenges in SOG is getting all your candidates uniform on placement day. This method mellows out the demands of such a tightly managed schedule. Using fewer and larger plants and subjecting them to training allows far more flexibility in the size, age and structure of the candidate.
This technique has been used continuously on several varieties for years. No sign of stress or unusual behavior have been observed.
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observation of the technique and alternate techniques and reporting on that observation is absolutely a contribution to this thread. this is a dangerous technique, I just don't want to see all of these people jumping on and "raping" their plants of leaves as another user put it. k33ftr33s has pointed out it's not that simple, but you know how people are looking for the new quick cheap way to boost yield. this method would be very counter productive in the wrong hands and has the potential to seriously hinder a crop's production.
not all contributions to a thread have to be mindless "this looks awesome i'm gonna try it!" comments. you don't like grow theory debate, get the fuck off the forums.
TickleMyBalls - So your friend that you've watched do this and discussed it with, he did it the same way as k33f describes here? Pruning at intervals from the start of the plant's life? There is a difference between debating grow theory, and belittling someone else's attempt to spread some controversial info, especially when it's not something you have experience with.
no, it's saying that I watched multiple growers use this technique, discussed it's merits, watched them change their technique and yield more than they had been with the same strain and the defoliation method. I said I have never used it because it doesn't apply to me, because unlike my friends that have used it, I'm not trying to pack a large amount of nugs in a small area. my plants have room to stretch out and soak in the fake sun.
like i said, this can be dangerous in the wrong hands. beginner growers looking to boost yields can ruin crops instead. punish me. give me some negative rep.
like i said, this can be dangerous in the wrong hands. beginner growers looking to boost yields can ruin crops instead. punish me. give me some negative rep.
yes, they had learned this method from other growers in the area, and when they told me about it I was pretty shocked. they had it down to a science, strip leaves and x number days of veg, strip leaves at x number days of flower, pinch stems to promote growth. i don't remember it all exactly. they even had it written down for different strains. all I know is we talked about the leaves role in bud production and they decided to try tucking the leaves out of the way and only stripping fan leaves that got little to no light. doing this increased yield.
"Dangerous" A little overstatement. I have given due warning that the curious should tread lightly and learn this gradually. There is no danger in learning or risking a little for potential greater yields.
Besides you have not stated your yields/sq ft. or gpw so the foundation of your position may be that you are satisfied with less yield.
While I use this method day-in day-out, at the very least, most growers should have a working knowledge and confidence in plant manipulation or they will become victim of overcrowding at some time. Squeamish handling of plants is a sure sign of the freshman.
You seem to have taken it upon yourself to be the voice of caution while at the same time giving examples of growers who have supposedly tried and debated it yet it seems those growers experienced no "danger". Surely they suffered no ill effects or there was nothing to debate. Surely they suffered no serious hit to production or again, nothing to debate. If it was all a failure in their hands, again no debate. So if there was such a debate results must of had some merit...care to elaborate?
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