Experiment #1 Direct Light on Fan Leaves vs Bud Sites

simple experiment involving flowering two small clones as small as possible and removing all fan leaves except for a few on one side of the plants


the experiment would be to only allow direct/bright light on the fan leaves of one plant, leaving the bud sites in shade/low light, while the other plant would be the opposite with direct light on the bud sites and shade on the fan leaves


this for duration of flower and compare the results

With outdoor plants in my experience sun on the fan leaves has always been more important then sun on the bud sites. Today I removed a large yellowing fan leaf that covered a bud site. The bud was as large or larger then other buds nearby that received direct light. There's other reasons the fan leaves are important, besides the energy they harvest from the sun's rays.

The fan leaves protect the critical parts of the plant from rain, wind and herbivores. Powdery mildew, aphids, thrips, mites, slugs, nutrient deficiencies, etc. usually go for the fan leaves first. They're useful 'instruments' you can read to learn what dangers your plants are facing. Without fan leaves the damage is going to hit the stalk, flowers, and small leaves that are the valuable parts. They're an early warning system that allows you to treat your plants for problems before they get out of control.

Rain is a big problem in my region, a fan leaf covering a major leaf sometimes makes the difference between a moldy bud and a harvestable bud. After a storm the fan leaves increase the surface area of the plant allowing it to shed water quicker through transpiration. When I'm planning a major leafing I wait until the sunny period after a rainfall rather then before.

I'm not trying to influence the results of your experiment, it's important to conduct it without bias to get useful results. My observations have been outdoors which is different from indoors. There's plenty of reasons to remove fan leaves and I'm constantly pulling them when I'm in my garden, outdoors it seems like plants have an infinite number of fan leaves. I'm interested in the results of your experiment. After learning the basics of growing the only way to improve is by observation and experience.