Defoliation yay/nay?

[reggie1387]

Hi guys I’m currently 2 weeks into flowering (flipped 4/2/19) and I’m noticing my 3x atreum qb288 lights aren’t penetrating through to the bottom and the sides of my 3 plants. They are going well since going under the qb288. I know some people say yes to defoliation some say no. Also thinking of trimming off lower struggling branches/lollipoping? Thoughts on my plants?

1st pic of 3 plants.
2/3/4 lower pic of each plant
5/6/7 pic each plant top

 

[Major Blazer]

I think most defoliation debates are about yield but I don't think anybody debates the practical use case, for example I do it to keep humidity in check and it absolutely works for that. If you need light to break past the top canopy, I say go for it. Looks like you have some heat issues to address (just a guess) - at least one of them looks stressed

 

[reggie1387]

I think most defoliation debates are about yield but I don't think anybody debates the practical use case, for example I do it to keep humidity in check and it absolutely works for that. If you need light to break past the top canopy, I say go for it. Looks like you have some heat issues to address (just a guess) - at least one of them looks stressed

Thanks for the reply. Im having humidity problems now. I vegged with 2 600w meizhi LEDs and couldn’t get higher humidity so had to use a humidifier. Then made up my qb light frame to flower now I’m getting high humidity. So I’ve put damprid in the bottom until my dehumidifier gets here. Yeah I actually noticed the heat stress after checking on them today after 2 days due to work. It was hot last 2 days so I just lifted the light from 16” to 20” and see if that helps.

What humidity do you grow in?

 

[Major Blazer]

What humidity do you grow in?

If you mean my area's RH, right now it's 86%. On most days it's 85-98% around these parts. In my tent however, I am in late flower, and the RH is 49% @ 77* F, lights on. All my dehumidifying is done via extraction fan.

 

[hotrodharley]

Thanks for the reply. Im having humidity problems now. I vegged with 2 600w meizhi LEDs and couldn’t get higher humidity so had to use a humidifier. Then made up my qb light frame to flower now I’m getting high humidity. So I’ve put damprid in the bottom until my dehumidifier gets here. Yeah I actually noticed the heat stress after checking on them today after 2 days due to work. It was hot last 2 days so I just lifted the light from 16” to 20” and see if that helps.

What humidity do you grow in?

Lift the light higher. Start at 24".

 

[Logan Burke]

That's a beautiful plant man, I wouldn't go crazy trimming off leaves...I always try to bend and pull leaves out of the way as much as possible before resorting to clipping them off.

 

[KryptoBud]

You have a bug problem spider mites or thrips. Those white specks shouldn't be there. Sort that problem before they start really budding.

 

[reggie1387]

You have a bug problem spider mites or thrips. Those white specks shouldn't be there. Sort that problem before they start really budding.

Yeah I know it was pointed out this morning got onto it straight away and got to the with eco neem and eco oil insecticide and a few other goodies They look much better now.

 

[Apalchen]

I always seem to do better with defoliation, I don’t always go extreme but I always try and get better light penetration. If I don’t do enough, stuff gets larfy way higher up than it should. My best yields have been from crops that were heavily defoliate. But it’s scary plucking all your leaves off and I rarely can bring my self to do it. But as long as my plants are 100% healthy and my humidity is stable I do better the more I strip. I like day 21 and 42. I still strip big leaves and inside leaves regardless of humidity fluctuations. The only thing I’ve noticed is that if your humidity drops after strip you can get some tacoing due to the plant trying to slow down respiration. Hopefully my new room won’t have that issue, going sealed instead of venting which has worked great so far but has left me dealing with humidity fluctuations depending on the season.

 

[callies]

nooooooo leave it alone because its already stresses to the shit. normally id say yes but if your plant is already unhappy as it looks dont stress it more by stripping it
looks like its too hot in that room for the plant. them leaves are telling you something is wrong

 

[callies]

That's a beautiful plant man, I wouldn't go crazy trimming off leaves...I always try to bend and pull leaves out of the way as much as possible before resorting to clipping them off.

not beautiful.. stop being nice be honest its how people learn

 

[NGA]

All good growers trim their girl

 

[reggie1387]

Thanks for the reply’s guys. I know 1 of my plants wasn’t happy and was struggling with heat issues. I’m also having some troubles with high %humidity and lower temps 22C-26C. Since swapping from 2x 600W meizhi LEDs to the 3x 288 qb my dramas went from having a hot tent due to the LEDs and summer in Australia (tent temps 30C-40C) and needing a humidifier to get to %60-70 humidity while vegging. Now im looking at a dehumidifier and possibly a heater as it’s cooler in my tent due to the QBs and summers now coming to a end. I had been at work and hadn’t checked them for 2 days and it was hot as hell typical Australian weather. I lifted my light to the 24” recommended. Gave the plants a nice water and some kelp. I also found in them 2 days my plants got spider mites. So yesterday morning hit them with eco neem oil and eco oil insecticide. Checked them last night %99 of the mites were gone and plants were looking better. As of this morning this is how they look, and the plant that was struggling.

Once the plants are back to %100 I’ll give them some defoliation. Thanks for everyone’s reply

 

[callies]

Thanks for the reply’s guys. I know 1 of my plants wasn’t happy and was struggling with heat issues. I’m also having some troubles with high %humidity and lower temps 22C-26C. Since swapping from 2x 600W meizhi LEDs to the 3x 288 qb my dramas went from having a hot tent due to the LEDs and summer in Australia (tent temps 30C-40C) and needing a humidifier to get to %60-70 humidity while vegging. Now im looking at a dehumidifier and possibly a heater as it’s cooler in my tent due to the QBs and summers now coming to a end. I had been at work and hadn’t checked them for 2 days and it was hot as hell typical Australian weather. I lifted my light to the 24” recommended. Gave the plants a nice water and some kelp. I also found in them 2 days my plants got spider mites. So yesterday morning hit them with eco neem oil and eco oil insecticide. Checked them last night %99 of the mites were gone and plants were looking better. As of this morning this is how they look, and the plant that was struggling.

Once the plants are back to %100 I’ll give them some defoliation. Thanks for everyone’s reply

i stop growing in summer too hot in aus for that unless you run your ac 24/7 but that depends on if you want a $2000 electricity billl. aus and electricity cost suck. it is not worth growing indoors in aus over summer it will permanently be 28-30c in your tent even with good leds that produce less heat like them QBs plus its outdoor season. fill your back yard and produce a 6 month worth. unless you got them nosey neighbors that need to be shot or want to be for looking over the fences

 

[Jypsy Dog]

I find it's strain dependent. I grow a Strawberrry Glue that THRIVES on being striped down twice, preflower then 2 weeks later. Doubles her yield. 3rd generation clones. Did it to a Wonder Woman and she hated it.
Don't be afraid to try it... No matter what your told.

 

[reggie1387]

i stop growing in summer too hot in aus for that unless you run your ac 24/7 but that depends on if you want a $2000 electricity billl. aus and electricity cost suck. it is not worth growing indoors in aus over summer it will permanently be 28-30c in your tent even with good leds that produce less heat like them QBs plus its outdoor season. fill your back yard and produce a 6 month worth. unless you got them nosey neighbors that need to be shot or want to be for looking over the fences

Yeah the heat is just ridiculous. I have a old granny flat/shed and it’s tin roof and it’s so hot. I had a old school kelvinator ac in the window but it’s couldnt cool it down to even 30C. I went through different fans, DIY swamp coolers everything to get the heat out of my tent but it was pointless cause of the room temp. I did the same as you last yeah had 4 outdoor plants along my fence. But decided to give indoors a go. But I’ll stick to your suggestion next year I think.

 

[reggie1387]

I find it's strain dependent. I grow a Strawberrry Glue that THRIVES on being striped down twice, preflower then 2 weeks later. Doubles her yield. 3rd generation clones. Did it to a Wonder Woman and she hated it.
Don't be afraid to try it... No matter what your told.

I’m growing with thc bomb not sure how the strain handles it. In my picture about it’s actually 3 plants in single 5gal fabric pots. They are all so different plants. Left one is so much smaller it’s actually on top of 2 bricks to get it the same height as others. Right one obliviously doesn’t like heat much and the one at the front is just a mutant that’s twice the size that loves to be fed lol so it’s all a experimenting for me so I can only give it a go and work out what works best for each plant.
How much do you defoliate on your plants?

 

[callies]

Yeah the heat is just ridiculous. I have a old granny flat/shed and it’s tin roof and it’s so hot. I had a old school kelvinator ac in the window but it’s couldnt cool it down to even 30C. I went through different fans, DIY swamp coolers everything to get the heat out of my tent but it was pointless cause of the room temp. I did the same as you last yeah had 4 outdoor plants along my fence. But decided to give indoors a go. But I’ll stick to your suggestion next year I think.

i like indoors in winter free heater well kind of. i only stop for 3 months over the real hot summer. you can always take clones off your outdoors and ether reveg them indoors or take clones before autumn if you want to keep the strain alive but watch out for them bugs. bring bugs inside with the clones can happen and isnt fun. i like to keep my clones in a different room for the 1st two weeks if i took them from my outdoors. there is one big problem to consider though when deciding to do what i do. it is plant count.. outdoors take most of the year to finish so having 4 or more outside when having several indoors isn't really the best idea and can probably put you in jail for a while even if its only personal smoke. im 100% off to jail if the cops come knocking yet i never sell

 

[reggie1387]

What’s temps do you get here in Aus through winter? Since swapping to the QBs my temps have dropped just like the weather most days but my tent is about 23-25C when I got out and check them bout 930pm. I’m hoping I won’t need a heater through winter.
I think that’s how my bugs may of got inside the plants I grew outdoors last yeah started going to shit I continued to veg them inside before putting them back out to flower. Other then that I’m not sure. I didn’t have a filter on my intake fan but do now. But it seems to be mixed opinions on that to. Yeah it’s not worth the risk sometimes. I now just really enjoy growing it more then smoking it’s relaxing lol

 

[callies]

What’s temps do you get here in Aus through winter? Since swapping to the QBs my temps have dropped just like the weather most days but my tent is about 23-25C when I got out and check them bout 930pm. I’m hoping I won’t need a heater through winter.
I think that’s how my bugs may of got inside the plants I grew outdoors last yeah started going to shit I continued to veg them inside before putting them back out to flower. Other then that I’m not sure. I didn’t have a filter on my intake fan but do now. But it seems to be mixed opinions on that to. Yeah it’s not worth the risk sometimes. I now just really enjoy growing it more then smoking it’s relaxing lol

about the same. 25c in a 3x3x5ft ish tent. 2 6inch extract fans one as intake one as outtake plus a box fan. depends on your light though. i have been using old tec leds so i cant speak for QB and the heat as i haven't has 1st hand experience with them yet . if you grow in soil bug eggs love hatching out once it gets warm. i prefer dwc for indoors never any bugs. i dont see the need for a carbon filter on the intake side. i use custom made dust filter on my intake and a 6 inch carbon filter on the outtake to kill the smells. a good way to reuse your old carbon filters is to empty them out. cut them down by half (eg 6 inch to 3 inch) and pack them full of wool or cotton and use it as a dust filter doing that also helps stop light getting in your intake what is probably the most important part screw light leaks. you'll need to replace the wool or cotton every 6 months though