Defoliation: Hi-Yield Technique?

[il19z8rn4li1]

Yes,

When I defol I start in VEG.. I dont time it really.. I let the plant tell me when.
I look for NEW potential Bud Sites that might look like they will spring up nicely if
giving direct light.


When defol'ing from veg time... you can increase the # of MAJOR colas your plants have at a VERY short height, IE: can get every bit of 15 major cola sites with a 12" tall plant that might only be 2-3 weeks old.

 

[Nondual]

You don't want to pluck while they are in stretch in flower. It's suggested to wait till the end of stretch upteen times in this thread. Then again around 45 days. But in reality the thread speaks of starting in veg too. Even though many folks have seen very nice yields starting at the end of stretch.

Which method has worked best for you?

I was very happy with the results I achieved. They look pretty good don't they? I'm a big fan of heavy pruning just a little different than what some are doing here.

 

[Bassy59]

Which method has worked best for you?

I was very happy with the results I achieved. They look pretty good don't they? I'm a big fan of heavy pruning just a little different than what some are doing here.

I am doing it in veg in my clone grow. Then I wont hit them after flip till end of stretch and 45 days just like the op dictates.

In my current grow I didnt touch anything during stretch. After stretch I started plucking to clear light to get lower but I do not consider it "Defoliation: Hi-Yield Technique" as titled by the op. Nor have I even gone so far as to say I "defoliated" them in flower. Sure I took a lot of leaves off, but I didnt defol as far as definition goes in this thread.

 

[Nondual]

In my current grow I didnt touch anything during stretch. After stretch I started plucking to clear light to get lower but I do not consider it "Defoliation: Hi-Yield Technique" as titled by the op. Nor have I even gone so far as to say I "defoliated" them in flower. Sure I took a lot of leaves off, but I didnt defol as far as definition goes in this thread.

Well one of the issues I had in an 8' x 18' x 6' high 4,800 watt room was dealing with a very stretchy strain. What I did was hack them up a few weeks into flower, let them stretch a few days more then beat them back about a foot lower into some trellis netting and let them finish any remaining stretch so all the tops were poking above the canopy. No way could I go back into that room and make any adjustments once they were woven into the trellis so I had to time things to set them up considering the enviro I was dealing with. Basically at the end the only thing I could do was open the door and look in cause no room to move and do anything.

I did not follow the OP's program and guess what I did was off topic to this thread. I'm glad people are getting good results.

 

[Bassy59]

Well one of the issues I had in an 8' x 18' x 6' high 4,800 watt room was dealing with a very stretchy strain. What I did was hack them up a few weeks into flower, let them stretch a few days more then beat them back about a foot lower into some trellis netting and let them finish any remaining stretch so all the tops were poking above the canopy. No way could I go back into that room and make any adjustments once they were woven into the trellis so I had to time things to set them up considering the enviro I was dealing with. Basically at the end the only thing I could do was open the door and look in cause no room to move and do anything.

I did not follow the OP's program and guess what I did was off topic to this thread. I'm glad people are getting good results.

Plan ahead my friend. We know on avg stretch is going to be 2x to 3x. Thus we top before going into flower to allow for said stretch. Adding stress when they are stretching is going to have some effect. Maybe not tons, but doing a big defol 2/3rd's the way through stretch is not going for the best result in this technique. But that's entirely opinion, based on what keef and others with really good results have done of course.

Defoliating during flower really doesnt have much to do with height requirements too btw. I mean de-leafing them wasnt going to make them any lower. It may have stunted them from stretching, but it wasnt going to make them get lower. During this most robust of times, you may have actually hurt them from growing the buds they would have wanted to grow had you defoliated just 7-10 days later.

 

[Bassy59]

Here's my clones 5 days ago b4 pluck, after pluck, and then today, 5 days later:

 

[Bassy59]

bah gotta ad the 5 days later pic.

To all you experienced at this from veg, how's it look?

 

[grassott's dad]

bah gotta ad the 5 days later pic.

To all you experienced at this from veg, how's it look?

They are looking great mate. IME I'd cut down on the feed for a few days until they leaf up some more. Also, keep the lights as close to the tops of the plants as you can without burning them. Due to less leaf I think you've done wonders for the plants because all them leaves would have given you problems with airflow and RH in your crop.

Also, when I defoliate I think that 18/6 veg lights are best. Plants need the dark period to recover. That's my theory. Leaves seem to be nice and perky just after lights on in veg. What's the room temps? Try and keep between early - late 70'sF if you can.

In 2 weeks time you will notice plenty of leaves on the plants and they will be nice, short and very very bushy with budsights/branches everywhere.

Nice defoli job. I'd love to see them again in a fortnight from now

 

[Bassy59]

temps are good, rh is fine, water temps fluctuate because I cant run this to my chiller as I have a grow near the end of flower on it now. Water temps aren't horrible mind you, just not ideal sub 68.

I really need to get the equipment I'm plannin on so I can setup and move to tent when my current grow starts drying.

 

[Wav3F0rm]

That's my experience of it too. The quality of the lower bud is far better.
I don't de-fol until the stretch is finished, and after that I'm careful only to pluck leaves from the centre of the plant.
Leaving fan leaves that don't block light i.e fan leaves on the outside of Kolas (colas I'm not sure of the spelling) combine this with flowering cuttings and you can get 10/12 fat kolas with minimum training.
That's my tuppence anyway.

i do this same thing in micro sog, sometime trim lower fan leaves before stretch is finished, i get amazing results with this method, and leaves fill in inside buds, just more compact structure as well as buds seem to really grow with light exposure. my thread is in the micro forum under "micro SOG results", there are some pictures.

peace

 

[catman]

Here is what I just did. I had been feeding with a fairly constant EC and nutrient regimen, and when they plants got near week 3 since 12/12, I noticed the EC climbed for the first time. Read this advice from a spectacular grower who said the increase of EC is a sign of reduced nitrogen intake. Seems to be a sign the stretch is over in a sense. So, I just started off fans at the start of the leaf, trying to imagine how they would block light. I've always thought the explanation that removing leaf allows for more direct sun light to the buds was too simple to be true, but I'm now operating under that mentality. With so much foliage on this acapulco gold X cinderella 99 cross I just decided to cut off anything that was showing signs of suboptimal health or were of a large size or would prevent dirt light penetrating from my vertical bulb.

Before

After

With only a 600w bulb, I'm surprised at the structure of flowers towards the bottom of the plant already and I'm just going on a hunch that I should leave larger fan leafs on towards the bottom for more surface area to absorb the smaller amounts of light. I cut off the nodes towards the very bottom of the plant in veg so I'm going to leave everything else on... except the two flower tips I accidentally cut off.

I'm doing a side-by-side with a mother plant and her clone at the link in my signature with pertaining to how much leaf should be removed and with regards to the age/size/structure of the plant.

 

[il19z8rn4li1]

Here is what I just did. I had been feeding with a fairly constant EC and nutrient regimen, and when they plants got near week 3 since 12/12, I noticed the EC climbed for the first time. Read this advice from a spectacular grower who said the increase of EC is a sign of reduced nitrogen intake. Seems to be a sign the stretch is over in a sense. So, I just started off fans at the start of the leaf, trying to imagine how they would block light. I've always thought the explanation that removing leaf allows for more direct sun light to the buds was too simple to be true, but I'm now operating under that mentality. With so much foliage on this acapulco gold X cinderella 99 cross I just decided to cut off anything that was showing signs of suboptimal health or were of a large size or would prevent dirt light penetrating from my vertical bulb.

Before

After

With only a 600w bulb, I'm surprised at the structure of flowers towards the bottom of the plant already and I'm just going on a hunch that I should leave larger fan leafs on towards the bottom for more surface area to absorb the smaller amounts of light. I cut off the nodes towards the very bottom of the plant in veg so I'm going to leave everything else on... except the two flower tips I accidentally cut off.

I'm doing a side-by-side with a mother plant and her clone at the link in my signature with pertaining to how much leaf should be removed and with regards to the age/size/structure of the plant.

Very nice. That is really going to be a pleaser that baby there.

600watt = best size bulbs :-D

 

[grassott's dad]

Some great defoli jobs going on there guys. I'm currently fighting temps. Its cold in the barn and my temps average under 70*F, so I've not defolied my latest girls just yet. Snipped off a few fat light blocking leaves here and there though, still in veg.

 

[Bassy59]

Here is what I just did. I had been feeding with a fairly constant EC and nutrient regimen, and when they plants got near week 3 since 12/12, I noticed the EC climbed for the first time. Read this advice from a spectacular grower who said the increase of EC is a sign of reduced nitrogen intake. Seems to be a sign the stretch is over in a sense. So, I just started off fans at the start of the leaf, trying to imagine how they would block light. I've always thought the explanation that removing leaf allows for more direct sun light to the buds was too simple to be true, but I'm now operating under that mentality. With so much foliage on this acapulco gold X cinderella 99 cross I just decided to cut off anything that was showing signs of suboptimal health or were of a large size or would prevent dirt light penetrating from my vertical bulb.

Before

After

With only a 600w bulb, I'm surprised at the structure of flowers towards the bottom of the plant already and I'm just going on a hunch that I should leave larger fan leafs on towards the bottom for more surface area to absorb the smaller amounts of light. I cut off the nodes towards the very bottom of the plant in veg so I'm going to leave everything else on... except the two flower tips I accidentally cut off.

I'm doing a side-by-side with a mother plant and her clone at the link in my signature with pertaining to how much leaf should be removed and with regards to the age/size/structure of the plant.

God I need a yield like that. Any guesstimates?

 

[Bassy59]

They are looking great mate. IME I'd cut down on the feed for a few days until they leaf up some more. Also, keep the lights as close to the tops of the plants as you can without burning them. Due to less leaf I think you've done wonders for the plants because all them leaves would have given you problems with airflow and RH in your crop.

Also, when I defoliate I think that 18/6 veg lights are best. Plants need the dark period to recover. That's my theory. Leaves seem to be nice and perky just after lights on in veg. What's the room temps? Try and keep between early - late 70'sF if you can.

In 2 weeks time you will notice plenty of leaves on the plants and they will be nice, short and very very bushy with budsights/branches everywhere.

Nice defoli job. I'd love to see them again in a fortnight from now

17" tall and a fortnight.

I will probably harvest in the next two days which will allow me to move these to flowering tent and my 600w LED, RDWC with chiller.

Before hand I'll take 8-20 cuttings I guess for clones too.

 

[fastgreen1959]

Im on the fence on this one, Ive done some defoiling but not to the extent that your describing, Im just about to start a Wilma 9 pot grow and ive got 10 beans, so the odd one out is the 1 that i will take all the fan leaves off, I will try to post pics once its on the go. Im new to this site but ive been growing for 30 years, but you never stop learning, Ive gone through most of the growing substrates out there so i think i can contribute some hard gained knowledge, as well as pick it up.

 

[Bassy59]

Im on the fence on this one, Ive done some defoiling but not to the extent that your describing, Im just about to start a Wilma 9 pot grow and ive got 10 beans, so the odd one out is the 1 that i will take all the fan leaves off, I will try to post pics once its on the go. Im new to this site but ive been growing for 30 years, but you never stop learning, Ive gone through most of the growing substrates out there so i think i can contribute some hard gained knowledge, as well as pick it up.

You do realize you're going against what the op states when you defol only 1 or part of a grow while not touching others in the same grow right? You cant do side by side comparisons unless you totally separate the lighting so the shorter defol'd plant does not get shaded out in any way nor have less light penetration because your light is x inches above the canopy of the taller ones which naturally means the shorter defol'd plant gets even less penetration. Penetration is what this whole thing is about.


Look at my pics over the last few pages, it certainly hasnt hurt them. And I'm a newby!

 

[Bassy59]

oh and also, dont think I'm going to grow those all to maturity in that tub. They will be getting transplanted in the next day or two, moved into my tent with 600w LED and on to flower.

 

[k33ftr33z]

OP

OP

Things look good from recent posters. I'll post some fresh pics soon.

 

[Bassy59]

keef, hoping you can throw some info on me here. I'm so glad you stopped in on this thread again. I have a few questions.

1. Having done a couple major trimmings during veg, then letting them grow out. As you get near when you want to flip, where do you want your foliage level at? It seems if you have a thick regrown canopy a little counter productive since you wont defoliate again until after stretch. Is this right? I just flipped 36 hrs ago, but did light defol a few days before. I didnt see anything specific that I could find that addresses this.

2. During stretch, before doing another major defoliation (at end of stretch), remove selective LARGE fans that are obviously shading such as pic #1 & #2 below?

3. I had to wait till harvest to move this grow into tent. As such, even though I topped, I still have 17-20" plants. A couple are not well trained and 4-stalking straight up with shorter side branches. I'm going to reach my height limitations in tent with stretch I'm sure (so glad I have LED so they dont get burned). As a preventive measure would you suggest supper cropping and if so can I still do this in early flower to send them where I want?

I know I overdid height in veg. I was limited by not being able to get them into flower room and space available to go wider in veg room (closet). My biggest concerns are height and overcrowding in my 4x4 tent once they bulk up and I am able to get them wide.