D
she distributes her energy better. it doesnt matter if the bottom nugs get light or not, they are just as dense as the top. the sacrifice is that i dont get arm sized colas, but over all she has a great yield.
And this:
looked like this:
before being defoliated again.
Grown under weak floro lighting, it takes (3) to (4) days for a fully stripped plant to look like the last picture above.
this should give people some indications on timeline if they go this route. It's way quicker if you veg under HID lighting. These plants are in straight perlite so it'll take longer if you're in peat.
Many people may not go as extreme as this. But my posts in this forum kind of give a "worst-case" scenario. This has applications not only in production plants but also for mother plant maintenance and for canopy management.
With horizontal lighting it is desirable to have an even canopy height. The more plants you have the harder to achieve. Selective fan leaf removal (off the top nodes) can help you equalize your canopy.
the plants in the red beer cups in my photos are in veg.
I am demonstrating the difference in structure between a plant that has been prepared since early veg for a while (on the right) and one that has just begun treatment (on the left).
The plant that has just begun the preparation process (the first pic on the left) would "normally" be allowed to grow untouched.
It is a good proxy for an untouched rooted clone as that is the structure that would carry forward for a few days or a week and then be flipped, if we were going to flip a bunch of small plants jammed in tightly together.
As experience is gained, it is easier to recognize that the plant on the right will have more bud on it at harvest than the plant on the left if they are thrown into flower.
Fortunately the plant on the left will be prepared and developed a while longer before it is moved into the flowering space.
I agree that it is hard to give a description without photos.
If you decide to attempt the method as described in this thread by K33ftr33z (the author) please be sure to begin in early veg.
If, when you grow, you decide to remove leaves only in flower, you are applying a method but it is not the method as described by K33ftr33z.
The stem connecting the leaf to the stalk is called the petiole. This is an advanced technique that is definitely not mandatory in order for you to produce a respectable harvest.
Those of us who are still here after 2,000 posts are plant geeks interested in optimizing things.
Thank you.
A plant is like a business growing and making a product (chemical energy) from light, the leaves are where transactions happen and where the energy to grow and make bud or any other tissue comes from. The energy from the leaves can be used for whatever the genetics and environment dictate. Some plants will just make leaves and grow, like a growth oriented business making more seeds with more volume (this is all about reproduction after all). Some will 'focus' more on direct seed production using the energy to make seed more like a business that distributes profits as dividends instead of reinvesting in growth.PEOPLE, IF DEFOLIATION HARMS THE PLANT, IF IT REDUCES THE YIELD AND QUALITY.... HOW DO THOSE OF YOU WHO GROW WITH CUTS (NOT FROM SEED) EXPLAIN THE ABILITY OF MOTHERPLANTS TO MAINTAIN POTENCY AND QUALITY THROUGH REPEATED CUTTING OF NEW NODES ??????????????????????????
Close, it's actually 3 6500k and 2 2700k(42 watt). Those three plants were the same strain, all topped and then tied down. After that I defoliated one plant. If I hadn't, it would have grown into the lights by now even with more lst. By stripping the fan leaves it slowed vertical growth down to a crawl but as you have pointed out, it also decreased normal inter-node spacing and increased branching.you have (3) plants parked directly under what appear to be (5) 6500K CFL bulbs.
Actually, that is plain water with liquid karma a few times in my own amended soil mix. Plants love it.you appear to be feeding fairly strong as your plants look very healthy and deep green.
Yeah this is why I have stated if you have limited room for the veg stage or flower for that matter you can control the height of the plant. I actually needed to do this with my last run. I just flipped that plant a few days ago, while I have had the other two plants in flower for almost 5 weeks, they are halfway done.I have (46) plants spread out under (4) 32W plant and aquarium bulbs and they are more than twice as far away from my canopy. they are supposed to burn at 3600K (more red) which hopefully slows veg growth for me.
im not saying that this 'defoliation' thing doesnt work or anything (i have doubts but the whole idea isnt my thing so im probably biased), but i think it should carry some kind of warning that it is an advanced technique.
y'know there are people doing this on their first grow and that cant be a good idea. they have no frame of reference and no idea if its working better than any other, lower stress method. many people have this idea that the more they 'do' the better it will be - thats why so many people over feed etc. one of the best things you can learn to do is to leave your plants alone to grow.
i have to say that now someone has decided to make it a sticky it looks like the method has been approved and endorsed - and i think it will end in tears for many inexperienced growers who are desparate to 'be in control' of their plants - when in most cases the plants know better.
sincerely
VG