[Chunky Sloth]

I'm kind of a tweak about stressing my plants. I am that dude making his friend shine a spotlight all around his tent to check for light leaks. Anyways, I always defoliate about 50% of the fan leaves before flower. Atleast all of the ones with purple stems. Some of you on here go crazy, and have amazing results. Also, I've just switched to LEDs and feel like less leaves will help light pen alot. So in short, what's people's opinions on defoliation techniques (frequency, amount removed each defoliation, etc).

Thanks,
Sloth

[Junk]

It's a balance of losing a prime solar panel, or getting light to lower bud spots. From my limited experimentation, it seems to take away from the main colas, but it puts that into the lower or side buds. I've tried not doing it at all, or doing some as needed during flower and I find the latter to be better.

It doesn't make sense to remove a solar panel on the plant. But we are growing the plant for a very specific purpose, and some defoliation seems to help with that.

But what do I know.

[Nico Farmer]

Hi,
I never defoliate my plants.
Sometimes, I cut 1 big leaf who stop light and makes shadow on buds, but leaves are like solar captors and allow photosynthesis, sugar and glucose production.
Less leaves, less production.
Bless

[jedi5891]

If you have an understanding to how a leaf works and its role for the plant, yes the solar panels, then you'd hesitate in hacking half its energy source off. I agree some plants will not mind it so much and other plants will, but if you pull a shade leaf off from where there are budding sites, then your reducing the energy these sites get. You can train a plant to have a more open structure using string, ties and LST and also better than hacking off the energy converters, instead bend them down under branches allowing light to penetrate further.
My go to grow master is Jorge Cervantes and he is the first to say this is not a good idea. Each to their own though, this is my opinion on the subject.
Peace
Namaste

[St. Phatty]

Sometimes when growing indoors, I would tuck & occasionally tie leaves 'out of the way'.

The leaf (if it's getting light) is not just an energy source. It's also a food source (stored energy).

I also used to trim the occasional fan leaf if it outright blocked an internode (growing tip) that I found interesting.

Now I realize, an alternative, especially indoors, is LED spot lighting on the growing tips that get masked by the fan leaves we are talking about removing.

[HereIgrowagain]

I defoliate heavily and constantly right up to 2nd week of flower, I do ok I think.

[Loc Dog]

What about removing yellowing top leaves, about 2 or 3 weeks before harvest?

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.ph...0&postcount=24

[Paddi]

Do what makes you feel good.


In the end, the result will not vary very much.


P

[HereIgrowagain]

Originally Posted by Loc Dog

What about removing yellowing top leaves, about 2 or 3 weeks before harvest?

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.ph...0&postcount=24

They stay at that stage. At least mine do.

[igrowone]

i was a defoliating sceptic, didn't like the idea
however, doing micro grows and it did seem that the big fans weren't optimum for small spaces
and was amazed just how good defoliating can work
you pay a price with a slowed down plant, but 2 weeks later?
you really are filled in completely, except it's a tighter plant, and much better in a micro grow
my 2 coins