Defoliation

[Vincechase]

Hey guys

Looking for some advice on my grow.

Set up details below:
Strain: SBG fem X 1
Grow space: 4 X 4 X 8
Medium: coco, 5 gal pot
Nutrients: GH flora series
Lighting: 600w HPS
Veg: long time

Looking for advice on if I need to defoliate or and or lollipop my plant.

She's just started week 3 of flower, I've been Taking a few leaves/ branches here and there since the last week of veg. But I'm worried she's still a bit bushy. ( See below )

Any advice would be appreciated

 

[StareCase]

Don't touch the top - but you can clean up all this stuff below the net:



Not much light is gonna reach down that far so it's gonna be weak shitty stems at best. Remove those weak sisters and let your lady focus on growing bud and not maintaining LARF.

 

[Tracker]

Looks nice. I like how low you stretched it out.

Some people here don't hardly defol at all, and some strip them naked.

When i defol, I clean out the undercarriage, which it looks like you've already done. Then, I selectively remove some of the highest big fan leaves to allow light to hit lower bud sites.

Good luck! Peace

 

[Star Dog]

Bud sites can only do a fraction of the photosynthesis than the leafs being removed from the top?

Cleaning out the lower stuff that doesn't make it to the canopy yes I'd remove it 3rd week 12-12 but I'd leave the top light collecting, food storing, gas exchanging, temperature controlling, energy making panels we call leafs

 

[Vincechase]

Bud sites can only do a fraction of the photosynthesis than the leafs being removed from the top?

Cleaning out the lower stuff that doesn't make it to the canopy yes I'd remove it 3rd week 12-12 but I'd leave the top light collecting, food storing, gas exchanging, temperature controlling, energy making panels we call leafs

Thanks for that! I'll try tidy up a bit down the bottom during this week. Do I clean everything, i.e strip the stems bare below the canopy?

 

[Star Dog]

Thanks for that! I'll try tidy up a bit down the bottom during this week. Do I clean everything, i.e strip the stems bare below the canopy?

Yes I strip everything low down, any shoots that don't make it to the light I remove and any leafs at said level.

I'd normally let them grow until the end of week 3 12-12 then remove the lower stuff.

 

[GanjaJack]

I never strip. When I harvest, I most times have the original starter leaves still on the plant. I find stripping plants, reduces my yield by about half. (Stripping is an acceptable technique depending on growing/training strategy, I just find that my variety does NOT like to be stripped. It doesn't mind the occasional loss of a few leaves here and there that are blocking light but, to fully strip they don't like that not one bit.

Instead what I do now is tie the bottom branches up and stretch those babies almost to the point of breaking , get them as close to the light as possible.

Moving branches a foot towards the light, can in some cases double the light they are getting, IF NOT MORE.

Only THEN will I cut leaves that are blocking light to the tops of the bottom branches..... I find most of the leaves I take are coming from the inside of the plant and tend to leave as many of the "outer" leaves as possible. Doing this, I end up with lots of tops and TONS of Kola's.

Normally taking about 12 dried Oz's on a single plant under a 1000w. Ever 90 days. DWC.

 

[Hobbes]

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I schwazee on days one and 21 of flower - severe defoliation.

I find that it increases yield.

Check out my journal linked at the bottom left of this post, lots of pics.

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Day 21



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[GanjaJack]

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I schwazee on days one and 21 of flower - severe defoliation.

I find that it increases yield.

Check out my journal linked at the bottom left of this post, lots of pics.

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Day 21

View attachment 4952214

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Yeh, if I do that , my plants hermie, it's not from lack of experience of doing it, it's from the experience of lacking that I avoid it.

 

[HydoDan]

Yeh, if I do that , my plants hermie, it's not from lack of experience of doing it, it's from the experience of lacking that I avoid it.

Your plants hermie from defoliation?? Never heard that before!

 

[VAjohn]

Your plants hermie from defoliation?? Never heard that before!

They can hermie because of any stress really. I would assume it depends on the strain/ pheno.

 

[Hobbes]

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I've done schwazee for 8 grows, 4 plants per grow (twice per grow), 32 plants in total (64 schwazees) of various strains and breeders, I've never seen signs of severe stress let alone hermieing.

I guess it would depend on the strain and breeder.

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[VAjohn]

I was growing blue dream. You gotta completely neglect those things to kill them. Very strong strain. I was getting everything ready from re-pot and dropped one really bad. Shrugged it off. That sucker Hermèd. Luckily for me I pulled it out of the room nice and easy.

 

[HydoDan]

I've never seen a grower caused hermie.. Genetics yes but not from stress..

 

[VAjohn]

I've never seen a grower caused hermie.. Genetics yes but not from stress..

The only reason why I believe it was stress was because I’ve never had seeds. That plant was a 10th generation clone. Never had any Herms. I’m not saying that was the issue. But it could’ve been. I don’t know. The discussion is interesting.

 

[Hobbes]

I was growing blue dream. You gotta completely neglect those things to kill them. Very strong strain.

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I love Blue Dream, just ordered beans yesterday from Dr Greenthumb. I hope you had another plant in the grow so you'd have some smoke.

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[VAjohn]

I got a perpetual SOG going. Three mothers. One Grandaddy purp, Blue dream and a sour diesel. All from ILGM for that matter. I would pop 5 to 6 and pick my favorite one . I searched through the Phenos.

 

[Vincechase]

I never strip. When I harvest, I most times have the original starter leaves still on the plant. I find stripping plants, reduces my yield by about half. (Stripping is an acceptable technique depending on growing/training strategy, I just find that my variety does NOT like to be stripped. It doesn't mind the occasional loss of a few leaves here and there that are blocking light but, to fully strip they don't like that not one bit.

Instead what I do now is tie the bottom branches up and stretch those babies almost to the point of breaking , get them as close to the light as possible.

Moving branches a foot towards the light, can in some cases double the light they are getting, IF NOT MORE.

Only THEN will I cut leaves that are blocking light to the tops of the bottom branches..... I find most of the leaves I take are coming from the inside of the plant and tend to leave as many of the "outer" leaves as possible. Doing this, I end up with lots of tops and TONS of Kola's.

Normally taking about 12 dried Oz's on a single plant under a 1000w. Ever 90 days. DWC.

Good to hear your take on it, I've mostly taken out the leaves that would never breach the netting, and as you've said I'd taken a couple of leaves from the centre to expose a couple more bud sites, besides that I think I'll leave it now.

 

[Vincechase]

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I schwazee on days one and 21 of flower - severe defoliation.

I find that it increases yield.

Check out my journal linked at the bottom left of this post, lots of pics.

.

Day 21

View attachment 4952214

.

Given this is my only girl I'm a bit hesitant to take it as far as that .

Good to see your girls are doing well though! Is that your current grow?

 

[Hobbes]

Given this is my only girl I'm a bit hesitant to take it as far as that .

Good to see your girls are doing well though! Is that your current grow?

.

Yes, 4 Kali Mist from Serious Seeds. I grew the strain 15 years ago and loved the high and taste, finally got around to her again. If you want to see the first schwazee check out my journal linked at the bottom left of this post.

I understand your hesitance, try it when you have a few plants to compare.

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