removing/ trimming fan leaves during bloom
- Thread starter sparki
- Start date
stoner1984
Active Member
I'd argue this slightly, at least i'd argue that the fan leaves coming off the buds need light for the buds to develop.
I have just finished 2 bubblicous plants, after 3 weeks in veg i had 2 very stumpy plants from keepin th light so close so i decided to LST one of them and leave the other with all the bud sites under the main fan leaves. I only pulled and tied the branches away from the main stem on the other plant but enough to give each bud site a full spread of light.
Now my grow wasnt perfect and i've grow from seed so obviously genetics is an issue with my findings but the plant that was LST'd to maximise light has been considerably more prodiuctive than the other, more than twice as much infact.
I kinda expected this tbh, my therory stemed from having a flowering bush that is partly shaded in my front garden, it only produces flowers on the outside of the plant and doesnt produce many on the parts that are shaded for most of the day. I expect it does this to ensure its producing flowers in the most likely places to get pollenated ie outside the centre of the plants or in dark shaded areas.
After about 3 weeks of flower i tested my theory again by putting cfls close to one stem of the LST'd pland and i shaded one on the other side of the plant from the 400w hps above, i did this on the lower part of the plant so i could see any changes more, i found that the shaded branch hardly developed whilst the one with extra light is equal to buds on branches further up the plant.
I'm no scientist, i only did this to develop my skills as a grower and as stated beofore the grow wasnt perfect but the tests have affermed to me that the more of the plant that recieves light the more likely it is to grow, and i can think of many examples in nature that show this.
EDIT: Still cutting leaves off isnt the answer, bend, tie, add extra lights, just get creative. I'll be adding 10 cfls to my next grow along with the hps.
600wMediGreenGrower
Active Member
i never pull fan leaves, not ever, if their sick i just leave them drop off naturally, remember people we are all trying to immitate nature, the plant will shed its leaves if it needs to. only my opinion.
600wMedi
600wMedi
sparki
Active Member
ya i've concluded that supplemental lighting seems to be the best way to get rid of these shaded areas.
gabrownzfan
Member
hey tom
i have a question
i've seen some huge buds on plants that look just about ready for harvest - but they don't have any leaves - the plants are all buds - is there a time - say the last week or so - where pruning all the big leaves off WON"T hurt the plant? I have a plant now that is just about 7 weeks into flowering and it has huge leaves all over - better to leave them on? Or snip/trim them off for more light for the lower leaves?? Advice??
thanks bro
i have a question
i've seen some huge buds on plants that look just about ready for harvest - but they don't have any leaves - the plants are all buds - is there a time - say the last week or so - where pruning all the big leaves off WON"T hurt the plant? I have a plant now that is just about 7 weeks into flowering and it has huge leaves all over - better to leave them on? Or snip/trim them off for more light for the lower leaves?? Advice??
thanks bro
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
dude, the reason you dont see them is because the plants sucked all the energy out of them and put it into the buds and then dropped the leaves when it was done with them and it realized it was dying it cannabilised itself you could say and they take as much energy as possible from the plant and throw it all into a final bud growth spurt. .
diamondmine
Member
An example of a plant with too many leaves is possible with hybrids, because sometimes plants should not be bred together because you get a plant with bad structure. Seen it myself the plant did much better with hundreds of leaves removed, Because it was a bad hybrid. You only need so many leaves per bud, a certain ratio. You don't need 100 leaves per 10 buds, I don't care what your little "rule" is.
sparki
Active Member
yap, it was actually seeing my afghanis and headbands side by side that got me thinking about the bud/leaf ratio. when i started this thread, i was focusing mostly on the afghanis, nice there is way more leaves compared to buds...then compared to the headbands which produce the same size buds as the afghani with a fraction of the leaf surface area. i know im comparing different strains but the bud/leaf ratio is what got me thinking.
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
oh well, we tried to explain some basic plant botany to u guys but It seems your quite deadset on making such a noob mistake that hurts yeild annd potency drastically, i wish you luck (your going to need it....lol j/k, kinda)
sir rance alot
Active Member
On my first grow, I decided to cut off all of the buds and WOW!!! All I have to say is, I got some really awsome leaves to smoke... Those buds were taking up way too much light and I wanted some tasty leaves..
Damn People!!!! Just look at the major grows on these sites and see if they are cutting any damn leaves off... UH NOPE! You may see a few people trimming the very bottom of the plant to allow air flow but thats it. Even those cases are rare and they are usually strain specific. Those who are trimming major leaves off are usually around 4 to six plants and they are usually on their second grow..
Talk to people on their 4th or 5th grow.. You will begin to realize that those people know a little more than the average bear...LISTEN TO THEM!!!!!
Damn People!!!! Just look at the major grows on these sites and see if they are cutting any damn leaves off... UH NOPE! You may see a few people trimming the very bottom of the plant to allow air flow but thats it. Even those cases are rare and they are usually strain specific. Those who are trimming major leaves off are usually around 4 to six plants and they are usually on their second grow..
Talk to people on their 4th or 5th grow.. You will begin to realize that those people know a little more than the average bear...LISTEN TO THEM!!!!!
I had my first issue that required me to trim back my plants due to air circulation. It was a light trim and enough to let the back plants receive fresh air.
I took one plant that was blooming nicely and experimented with it by chopping it WAY back only leaving the buds and some surrounding leaves. It pretty much stopped in its tracks!!
Your best bet is to try and train the offending leaves out of the way if they are healthy. The plant is growing these leaves for a reason and they are sucking up light and adding to the plant.
I took one plant that was blooming nicely and experimented with it by chopping it WAY back only leaving the buds and some surrounding leaves. It pretty much stopped in its tracks!!
Your best bet is to try and train the offending leaves out of the way if they are healthy. The plant is growing these leaves for a reason and they are sucking up light and adding to the plant.
grow space
Well-Known Member
Completely agree on that leaves should not be removed!!!
But, are u saying also that scrog and other similar methods are un effective...
Right now on my grow room, many bug uppe3r fan leaves are folded carefully down, so buds could get most of the light, or just to continue grow upwards...Should i really then let the leaves be and let them shade the bud?!
tom__420
Well-Known Member
Yes let the leaves be, do you remove leaves from a tomato plant to get light to the tomatoes?
It is the same thing with marijuana, NO
It is simple photosynthesis, leaves are there to get the energy of the light
They take that energy from the lights that they gather with the leaves, the co2 and the h2o to make buds
It is the same thing with marijuana, NO
It is simple photosynthesis, leaves are there to get the energy of the light
They take that energy from the lights that they gather with the leaves, the co2 and the h2o to make buds
grow space
Well-Known Member
This is some heavy info, bust sound logic...i have just always thought that buds need direct light really bad...From now on, i let the leaves be free
But again...The same question-whats the point of scrog and similar grow methods?Thats the only big hole to me with this leaf question..?!
But again...The same question-whats the point of scrog and similar grow methods?Thats the only big hole to me with this leaf question..?!
grow space
Well-Known Member
Thanks tom.
darkdestruction420
Well-Known Member
it still wont let me rep you again tom-lol-as soon as i can i will be repping you for that last post. your posts in this thread have been golden. each rep worthy.
tom__420
Well-Known Member
wickedwidow23
Member
Can any one tell me how to harvest a plant and save her to grow again?
fallinghigh
Well-Known Member
The plant moves its leaves like you move your arm..do you think you know more than she does about what she wants. She wants the light on the leaves..photosynthesis happens through leaves not buds. buds are the product moving leaves..cutting...reduces energy reduces yield plain and simple