charface
Well-Known Member
I have never "defoliated" but I agree with what you are saying.The whole problem is in the way defoliation is defined by the membership.
The progressive removal of suckers and branching to the point of only running the mains from well topped plants. Is not defoliation.
It does produce massive buds, with very dense structure and large yields, if the right strains are applied to this.
Removing the stem and other heavy working leaves, right down to the leaving only the buds sugar leaves, is over doing it = defoliation.
This produces smaller denser budding with far less bag appeal. Yield by weight can/does increase some. Or, by overdoing it - the way many do - reduce the yield and the bud size!
These 2 get confused, way too much.
Removing fans that block buds from light is only allowing the bud to ripen better. Too much of this will give you the above results. Many simply tuck the leaf under.
I, as the time nears (last week to days). Begin to remove some blocking leaves to have a more even ripening. I don't see this as any "defoliation".
Removing sucker branching = Pruning. Not defoliating.
Rule of "thumb". Do not "defoliate" as above.
With my scrog I remove way more leafs than would be normal in a standard grow and The yield is good.
In fact I was surprised how aggressively You can "Prune"
Again, I leave plenty leaf, maybe too much Mostly because I'm afraid to cross the point of diminishing returns.
If I don't aggressively and progressively prune even the lower portion of the main buds fall way behind the tips and that's with strong light.
I don't have a point, sorry
Edit, do I leave more leaves? or do I leave more leafs?