I dont have a reason to tell them not to. This topic is about an experiment in defoliation, why would it be part of my obligation to inform new growers not to defoliate? Secondly, there's plenty enough of anti-defoliation in this forum and I'm presuming that we are all adult here and intelligent enough that we're capable to search for answer/s that we need and make our own individual decision.
Appreciate your offer. I would certainly ask question/s if I have specific problem.
If you really want to know the background of this grow.
I started with 8 plants in a 2x2 grow space, SOG style, all are in 4x4 rockwool. Due to the storm, plants went through 5 days without power(meaning no light, no aeration, etc). After 5 days of no power, plants started to have issues, 3 died and I nurtured the remaining 5.
My original target for this grow is an oz a plant that would be 8oz for a 2x2 area. Now that I have 5 plants remaining, I would be happy to get 5oz. But from the look of it, I might even exceed that. Is there a problem with my grow at this point? I dont think so.
Yes because of what the plants went through, they all have 'similar' multiple issues. Which brings me to my point that cannabis are very resilient plants and I'm quiet surprised that it didnt went hermie on me.
If cannabis can endure 5 days without power, I wouldn't be surprise that cannabis can handle defoliation and still come up with acceptable yield.
It's in a hybrid hydro system
I already posted this but, I mix my own nute, I have no loyalty to any brand.
temp range 75-80 top of canopy
humidity range 57-65 at this point of grow
Hope that answers your question
While your plants are fine, will finish and yield well.
The 5 day's of no power is, or more accurately, has been a problem in relation to each plant reaching potentials.
It also created a vector for increased phenotypical environmental expression. Each plant has changed in it's own right. Each has moved it's growth in some way.
As far as your experiment goes. I respect your doing what you want for yourself. I'm not so respectful of you doing it here, without having done one for yourself ahead of time.
Take minute of thought here. The idea of what your doing has a broad area of ways to actually apply it.
Removal of large fans. This can be limited or expanded to many area's of the plant.
Removal of bud fans
Removal of all leaves
Where do you draw the line? By following online examples? Did those folks doing that change plants in those "original" posts?
So many variables.
Back to the thought part, as it relates to plant growth.
You have 2 basic theories at work here. Seems as though that is where the lines are drawn for the opposing trains of thought.
#1: Leave the leaves, as they're the factories doing the work of plant biology as far as growth.
#2: Defoliate by what ever method, and the plant will increase growth to that area to "recover" from the loss. (Here comes that variable on how much and where to do it)
Do you agree with that?
I commonly see people remove some larger fans nearer the finish, and mostly around budding. Mostly they say for more uniform ripening of the buds on branching.
I know several defoliators that believe they get higher yields (by weight) from the practice. They do! Thing is it's mostly from increased bud density and not increase in bud size.
Lastly on this, I see some growers defoliate everything on the plant in a very different way then most have seen here.
These folks tend to veg for a longer period and top regularly, to get many "mains". Others will simply use a weaker lighting source (T5's are what I'm familiar with in this practice). This gets the side branching to be a more equal height. These tend to be 28-36 inch plants at this stage.
While they are doing this. They remove
every sucker branch off the main branch. Once the plant has been put in bloom. They then remove every bud site as the bud develops,
below the main bud.
They leave as many of those lower fans as they can!
This does increase the final remaining bud size... It can be quite impressive, and makes for some impressive yields,
if done properly and retain enough "mains".
The question then is; Do you have the time and skill to do this properly? What do you want out of the final product? Does this adversely effect the possibilities of plant potentials in relation to potency?
I have not really seen any adverse effects on potency that are worth mentioning on this style.
Let me make an observation on what your doing.
I don't agree that it would increase much, if anything. While you haven't "technically" removed all the leaves from the buds (you left leaf parts).
You
have limited the plants ability to properly function at an optimal level. Thus, no gain and maybe some loss in some way..... I prefer to grow for potentials.
I'm not posting this as any type of "argument" to what your doing.
Simply adding expanded information on the practice and the opinions I have on it.
I still say that "what you've done" has been done before and basically proven false. Hence, the earlier comments on it being a waste of time - here.
I would hope this has given rise to new idea's and routes to take in any further experiments.
I
do understand your quest for knowledge by trying. I feel you could have answered this chosen method by looking for the answer
but, it was your choice to proceed.
Many of those who don't respect your choice, feel it's simply something that's been attempted here before and see it as just another defoliation thread.
This whole defoliation thing. Kinda makes me want to do a "Mains only" plant run to compare. Thing is it's #'s and space limits, not to mention strain rotations that keep me doing what I do to keep my patients supplied.
You continued with your "experiment" post, even with all the negative feed back. Props for that!
"I mean we're all adults here but sometimes it seems a bunch of kids running this place. So what, if the OP posted something or stated something that's disagreeable? Cant we just not respond in rational manner why you think it's wrong? I've seen plenty of threads here that I dont agree. Sometimes I offered my point of view and a lot of times I just move on."
I hope my response in this post. Fits the above view.
Have fun at any rate....Even though I feel I know the outcome.