Sparkticus
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Effect of Defoliation on Yield - Skywalker OG indoor scrog
- Thread starter OscarLaGrouch
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MaineMooseRider
Member
Well I have 3 of my 4 plants pruned. There was so much work on one last night that I still have one to do. Sitting and bending in to the tent to prune ends up making me hurt. I really hurt last night although I did vape a bag and it helped I just kind of fell asleep. Lol
I did want to mention that at first I thought when I pruned the plants might take a day or two to get over the stress of the pruning but instead I saw a lot more buds coming up and checking levels the drank a little but ate up the nutrients. I had to add nutrients to all the buckets. I will see how much they drank today but most likely I won't do anything to them because tomorrow is water change day.
I did want to mention that at first I thought when I pruned the plants might take a day or two to get over the stress of the pruning but instead I saw a lot more buds coming up and checking levels the drank a little but ate up the nutrients. I had to add nutrients to all the buckets. I will see how much they drank today but most likely I won't do anything to them because tomorrow is water change day.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear you are on top of it. When your plant stops wasting energy underneath, it applies it to the growing tips. I regularly grow bigger buds than anything in any shop. Lets keep this thread about this grow tho.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
Day 13
Had a little snafu last night two hours before lights out. I entered the room andbit was already dark. Wtf? Turns out i bumped a timer and lights went out early. I reset it. Lights come back on. Dont know how long it was dark for but since it was day 12, i soaked them with reverse and called it good. Its too easy to make one mistake that can ruin everything.
Had a little snafu last night two hours before lights out. I entered the room andbit was already dark. Wtf? Turns out i bumped a timer and lights went out early. I reset it. Lights come back on. Dont know how long it was dark for but since it was day 12, i soaked them with reverse and called it good. Its too easy to make one mistake that can ruin everything.
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
The myth of the supposedly ill effect of shading bud sites (such areas aren't capable of any meaningful photosynthesis) has been discussed with every new crop of newbies in every cannabis forum including this one. All one has to do is use the RIU search feature and you'll find all the defoliation hype and anecdotal evidence to last you a lifetime in a dozen threads.
Wish ya luck anyway Oscar.....but this and all other threads deemed "scientific" is hardly a scientific experiment. I'm testing Keyplex 350DP, this being a good example of a real scientific experiment http://www.keyplex.com/research-topics/Citrus/Timmer-KeyPlex-on-Greasy-Spot.pdf
Uncle Ben
Wish ya luck anyway Oscar.....but this and all other threads deemed "scientific" is hardly a scientific experiment. I'm testing Keyplex 350DP, this being a good example of a real scientific experiment http://www.keyplex.com/research-topics/Citrus/Timmer-KeyPlex-on-Greasy-Spot.pdf
Uncle Ben
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Cascadian
Well-Known Member
Had a "timer bump" incident happen to me only the dark period was interrupted by 3 hours of light which I read is worse than what happened to you, interrupting the light period with dark.
I didnt have any problems develop, they should be fine. I didnt use any reverse on mine. The timer is now in a much safer spot...
I didnt have any problems develop, they should be fine. I didnt use any reverse on mine. The timer is now in a much safer spot...
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
Thanks. Being that i have shit plugged in ubiquitously I had to put it on this one wall and it got bumped to off but not till after i left the room. I have since taped the slider to timer. it's always something...
Thank UB but I will take my chances. Being a researcher in the Botany/Cell&Molecular Biology space, I think I know how to run a simple High-School-science-fair-type experiment. I also know that bud sites are flowers, not leaves. I know that photosynthesis takes place primarily in leaves. Anecdotal 'evidence' is not enough for me. My hypothesis is not that the bud sites will photosynthesize but actually that the fan leaves go from being a 'source' of energy to a 'sink' for energy. My theory is to remove these at the opportune time so that they don't compete with buds for precious resources. If it is a waste of time, I will have satisfied myself. However, I like to pluck my plants of certain leaves. I want to know FOR MYSELF if that works or not. If you ask RIU 50 times you will get 50 different, dubious answers.
I see from your reprint that you are also a researcher. I've contributed much data to peer reviewed journals through my involvement in the lab at my university. We also have a citrus research station that delves into the various pests of citrus.
I'm trying to warm my boss up to the idea of letting me do some Cannabis Sativa trials eventually. So far it isn't going well.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
a few pics from day 13
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
I should say if you ask RIU 50 times you will get five answers that seem to make sense, five answers that contradict those five
and about forty troll responses/argumentative bullshit responses. Not 'answers'.
and about forty troll responses/argumentative bullshit responses. Not 'answers'.
MaineMooseRider
Member
My apologies. I will just watch from now on.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
Feel free to comment or ask questions about this experimental grow.
You can always start your own journal or thread. Its just that ppl lose interest if the thread digresses from the topic that drew them in the first place.
You can always start your own journal or thread. Its just that ppl lose interest if the thread digresses from the topic that drew them in the first place.
Uncle Ben
Well-Known Member
I just don't understand the common forum paradigm (most often parroted by noobs) that for some strange reason cannabis budsites need light to perform. Try convincing a commercial fruit, nut or grape grower in which at least 50% of the flowers/fruit/seeds are shaded by the canopy.
sikkinixx
Active Member
I agree with you but...
sikkinixx
Active Member
Interesting article in good old high times about leaves.
http://www.hightimes.com/read/nico’s-nuggets-understanding-anatomy-your-plants
http://www.hightimes.com/read/nico’s-nuggets-understanding-anatomy-your-plants
chuck estevez
Well-Known Member
your link( Invalid URL)
http://www.hightimes.com/read/nico’s-nuggets-understanding-anatomy-your-plants
Sparkticus
Well-Known Member
Man... I'm no help at all, lol. Being an avid grower of veggies, herbs, fruit, regular old flowers, etc., I can say that some plants (In my experience) like my beef steak tomatoes, absolutely produce bigger, better fruit when pruned (trim runners, minor defoliation). That holds true for a lot of my decorative flowers as well. These types of plants have a natural tendency to waste energy on unnecessary growth. Some plants, like my peppers, do not. I leave them completely untouched, except for pulling off old, dead/dying leaves. I've heard you can prune and top peppers for better results but, I haven't had good experiences. I grow multiple plants so, I'll top one and leave another alone as a control. Some of my plants I prune and it promotes flower bloom and growth along with general plant health, some I leave alone because it seems unnecessary or negatively effects functions.
I think the question is what category marijuana falls into and whether or not that changes depending on strain. In my opinion environment may also play a huge roll. Outdoor MJ plants (as a general statement and in optimal conditions) may not need as much pruning because they are receiving enough over-all energy to promote healthy growth to the entire plant. If every leaf is healthy and there is an excess of energy, none is wasted on promoting leaf health and all the energy produced continues to go to the most important function of any plant... flowering and reproduction. This is the natural function of things and what Uncle B is referring to with farmers, I think. You can correct me if I'm wrong and you're talking about greenhouse tree farmers, lol. Because indoors we are trying to replicate the sun moving through the sky (which is frankly impossible even with the best light systems), some pruning may do a better job of upping the energy received from synthetic light sources by helping it reach more parts of the plant. Which in this experiment, to me, seems to be the question.
I think if we keep Oscar's experiment to it's basic core (Skywalker OG strain, indoors, same nutes/stats etc.), we can say in the end that: Said strain, grown in THESE specific conditions, of which the only difference was defoliation, is a viable experiment. Trying to broaden it to marijauana in general or any other environment/strain/conditions would be invalid. A much, much broader experiment would be needed.
And of course anyone who grows successfully will tell you their way is the best, right? Haha. I live near farmers and everyone of them (while following basic protocol) has tweaks and tricks that they swear by. As long as you are getting good results...do what you do.
I think the question is what category marijuana falls into and whether or not that changes depending on strain. In my opinion environment may also play a huge roll. Outdoor MJ plants (as a general statement and in optimal conditions) may not need as much pruning because they are receiving enough over-all energy to promote healthy growth to the entire plant. If every leaf is healthy and there is an excess of energy, none is wasted on promoting leaf health and all the energy produced continues to go to the most important function of any plant... flowering and reproduction. This is the natural function of things and what Uncle B is referring to with farmers, I think. You can correct me if I'm wrong and you're talking about greenhouse tree farmers, lol. Because indoors we are trying to replicate the sun moving through the sky (which is frankly impossible even with the best light systems), some pruning may do a better job of upping the energy received from synthetic light sources by helping it reach more parts of the plant. Which in this experiment, to me, seems to be the question.
I think if we keep Oscar's experiment to it's basic core (Skywalker OG strain, indoors, same nutes/stats etc.), we can say in the end that: Said strain, grown in THESE specific conditions, of which the only difference was defoliation, is a viable experiment. Trying to broaden it to marijauana in general or any other environment/strain/conditions would be invalid. A much, much broader experiment would be needed.
And of course anyone who grows successfully will tell you their way is the best, right? Haha. I live near farmers and everyone of them (while following basic protocol) has tweaks and tricks that they swear by. As long as you are getting good results...do what you do.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
I agree wholeheartedly. We don't know. I don't know for sure. I had been tossing the idea around to do the experiment for awhile and I started a new grow with all one strain and separate and distinct tables so it's a perfect time to learn something. Uncle Ben is very knowledgeable and a researcher in Citrus at Florida so I believe him. However, curiosity killed the cat and I am a cat with a high tolerance for curiosity. I too grow a ton of veggies: herbs, lettuces, everything to make salsa (haha), flowers, lime, lemon and grapefruit. I just have to see for myself on the Cannabis Sativa Skywalker OG.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
Here's why: because the lower bud sites are smaller than the ones on top. ergo: more light is better.
OscarLaGrouch
Well-Known Member
If I had a field of grapes or nuts or whatnot I wouldn't bother defoliating anyway. too much work to do a field. grapes are like a few bucks per pound tho. I grow medicine that is worth a hundred times that so I can put in the handiwork to make it better, why not put in the handiwork to make it MORE? I only have 150 sq ft so it's not that much work. I'm gonna defol completely at the end so its really just a question of more work NOW vs more work LATER. is it worth it or not?
that's all I wanna know. and I'm gonna ask the only person I trust: myself.
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