LEMONlemon123
Active Member
Hello, we have the 4th week of flowering, I'm wondering if I should defoliate and make a nice exposed cola, or is it too late? I want to tear off the fan leaves, what do you think
Defolation question
- Thread starter LEMONlemon123
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Phytoplankton
Well-Known Member
I’ll give you my take, I’m not a big fan of heavily defoliating. I take off a few leaves, but I’m pretty strategic about it. Those fan leaves supply energy to the plant/buds. Others will disagree, I’ve never seen any legitimate studies on whether it actually helps or not, so it’s really your call.
SnidleyBluntash
Well-Known Member
If it’s your first time or you think you could run into trouble, leave a lot of leaves. If you are a pro have it dialed in 100% you won’t need them. But do you have strong wind in there, because if not and leaves are touching, they can get water stuck in between 2 leaves and that cause problems.
TankHankerous
Well-Known Member
Defoliating will help with air circulation and achieving lower RH during flower
TankHankerous
Well-Known Member
Another fan would be good to get air moving in the tent. Periodically removing big fan leaves growing toward the middle seem to go a long way in regards to lowering the amount of transpiration we have to deal with when the lights go off. I'd rather pluck a bunch of leaves and lower my RH, thereby lowering the risk of bud rot
I dont like doing much in bloom i always defoliate and top several times and tie down and bring up the bottoms in veg so its done your chancing doing it in bloom you can stress em if possible i always try not to stress em much in bloom i wouldnt defoliate outside i only do some leaves that shade otherwise i leave it alone i find the more vigor a type has usually means the faster it will recover also when i first started growing i used to defoliate heavier now i dont bother as much just whats needed to suit and no more but i get it if you doing sog mind you
Cpappa27
Well-Known Member
A good fan and dehumidifier will also provide better airflow and lower RH. Dont defoliate, its counterproductive to bud growth which is what you're after. I've actually found from the language many use when they talk about defoliation, that they defoliate because they like a nice clean, neat, uniform plant, and not really because they think it makes bigger buds. I think I am going to put this to rest in March after my current grow finishes. Do ten plants from clone 5 I wont defoliate, 5 I will defoliate and then we will see results of final weight.
go go kid
Well-Known Member
what lights do you use?
LEMONlemon123
Active Member
I see different opinions, I think that I will only remove some fan leaves because I am actually afraid of lack of air flow and mold in the future, but I will not do it too hard, I hope that it will not harm them, because they look quite nice
Cpappa27
Well-Known Member
Dont forget when the plants are transpiring more then they are also sucking up all that water and nutrition and utilizing it. Cut off 1/3 of the leaves and now you have 1/3 less transpiration and 1/3 less uptake of nutrients, which equals 1/3 less stored energy for bud production later. Notice at the bottom of each bud set there is a large fan leaf that stick out. Now you can literally do this experiment yourself. Pluck off the all large fan leaves on one branch from each bud set. Just the large fan leaves . Now at the end when you harvest, those buds on that branch will be noticeably smaller.
I use a digital 600 hps mostly its a bit old school but it works fine i can turn it up or down to suit too which is handy when its a warm summer or run it higher in winter what about you you led or ?
go go kid
Well-Known Member
old school omega ballast 250/400/600 watt mh and hps, just baught a duel hps/mh to see if its worth useing.
i need the heat too.
so its digital ballasts that allow you to dim the bulb? i was under the impression you couldent dim hps or mh. ill have to look into it a bit more.
but i have 70/150/1000w for cuttings, the light go's over the top of my aerocloner perfectly, 1000 w for flowering if the mood takes me
Aye the ballast allows it you also use dimmable bulbs it will shorten the life a bit of the bulb but idc i never use a bulb more than two runs anway so its fine mines works at 250/400/600/and a 660 boost function too ive had no issues with it its miles better than the old ass magnetic ballasts that made you paranoid your gonna burn yer house down
LEMONlemon123
Active Member
I know that leaves store energy and act like solar panels to produce energy, but I think that removing 10-15% of the leaves (the large ones that fall on top of each other) will improve air circulation and illuminate the lower parts of the plant
Cpappa27
Well-Known Member
I dont agree but to each their own.
go go kid
Well-Known Member
yes, after reading ppl's views on the subject, i think if i grow one big plant instead of 9 semi SOG clones. i will give it a try if needed.
ive been quite lucky, as i grow 24hrs light , so its on constantly and you get realy close branching, tempting fate realy, but so far ive been lucky
ive been quite lucky, as i grow 24hrs light , so its on constantly and you get realy close branching, tempting fate realy, but so far ive been lucky
go go kid
Well-Known Member
if you cant controle the RH and air circulation in your tent, i dont think you have much choice in the matter
ALPHA.GanjaGuy
Well-Known Member
leaves absorb the light, colas do not