Defoliating for higher Yield a.k.a Intense Pruning

MISSPHOEBE

Well-Known Member
I am hearing its GOOD to defoliate A LOT of leaves........
I am hearing it is a terrible Idea......

Some say it makes their buds more dense - harder - and bigger.........

Some say it can only harm the plant - stress - etc

It seems to make sense that defoliating leaves would concentrate energy towards the bud sites!
BUT
It also seems to make sense that taking away ENERGY supplying Leaves would NOT be a good idea at all!

Has anybody done side by side comparisons?

Using Clones from the same plant...... Defoliating half of them and leaving the other half so comparisons can be made to...... health...... and bounty of harvest...... and density of buds etc.........

Anyone done this ???
 

MellowFarmer

Well-Known Member
I find that if you ask 10 different Growers the same question you will get 10 completely different answers! Blame it being forced Underground for so long... I have been frustrated by the same, I have yet to experiment - Anyone?
 

scroglodyte

Well-Known Member
it will make the plant want to put on more leaves and direct energy AWAY from bud formation.....imo.
the plant "thinks".......hey, something is eating my leaves! must make more leaves.
 

dapio

Well-Known Member
I say it improves yield dramatically especially with higher wattage lights and bigger plants.
 

cues

Well-Known Member
I have to remove lower leaves and branches but I scrog so I guess it's a bit different.
 

MISSPHOEBE

Well-Known Member
I find that if you ask 10 different Growers the same question you will get 10 completely different answers! Blame it being forced Underground for so long... I have been frustrated by the same, I have yet to experiment - Anyone?

It is a funny topic.......

and seems to be 50/50 really........

50% say YAY and the other 50 say NAY

LOL

I'm thinking that perhaps it doesn't make that much difference then!

Since no one can decide which one is better - maybe the plant manages *with and *without its leaves....... JUST FINE!

LOL

I really want to try this thou.......
I have Great White Shark Clones- all from the same plant. Side by side I could then Use Defoliation on half and leave the others alone.......... and see if there really is ANY difference whatsoeverrrrrrrrrrrrr..........

Could Be FUN!

;)
 

ANC

Well-Known Member
As far as I have heard, there can be benefits, but there is a catch, you need to do it 2 weeks before flowering sets in, so you need to be familiar with your strain and phenotype, to get the timing right.
Doing it before or after will have negative effects.
 

Rj41

Well-Known Member
In most cases, removing a bunch of live leaves is not a good thing. Pruning/trimming to control size/shape/etc. is a different story.
Those that think their plants do better by removing energy producing material are just wrong.
There is no debating that, so don't even try.

Think about this - where does a plant turn to when it can't find a needed nute? It starts feeding on it's self using up stored nutes. If a gardener is removing leaves, that means there are fewer leaves to re-use the stored nutes from. At night, where do you think your plant gets it's energy from? Hint: not from photosynthesis.
Plus, even if a leaf is only receiving a small amount of light, it still produces energy for the plant.

Seriously, don't believe everything you read on the stoner sites. It's coming from a bunch of stoners.
Most of the threads I read are a mixed up jumble of soil and hydro information combined into a mess on misinformation.
There are some people that know their shit, but they're few and far in between. And a lot of them won't post in the public areas because so many idiots jump in and flame them with their mythical nonsense.

If you truly want sound gardening advice, gardening forums are the only way to go.
 

Gr0wGreen

Active Member
only remove leaves that are not recieving sufficient light. if some of you guys came out from under the rock that is rollitup you would find that this isn't even being debated anymore.
 

dankerous

Active Member
only time I remove leaves is 2 weeks before harvest any main fans(not smaller one) get removed this lets in more light and also makes the plant produce more resin as a natural defense, doesnt effect yield,does make for more potent pot
 

MISSPHOEBE

Well-Known Member
only time I remove leaves is 2 weeks before harvest any main fans(not smaller one) get removed this lets in more light and also makes the plant produce more resin as a natural defense, doesnt effect yield,does make for more potent pot
Hey Dankerous!

Yes I am just 2 weeks from Harvest and have removed many of the larger leaves!

I still feel torn both ways......

I get the itch to remove leaves

But my head says - its not a good idea.........

But I want to Trim my Foliage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I really want to do side by side comparisons........ and perhaps I will on my 4th grow....... because I have some GWS clones all from the same plant... and I want to find out if there is anything to this.............. just because my urge says PRUNE and my brain says DON'T TOUCH..........

:D
 

cues

Well-Known Member
In most cases, removing a bunch of live leaves is not a good thing. Pruning/trimming to control size/shape/etc. is a different story.
Those that think their plants do better by removing energy producing material are just wrong.
There is no debating that, so don't even try.

Think about this - where does a plant turn to when it can't find a needed nute? It starts feeding on it's self using up stored nutes. If a gardener is removing leaves, that means there are fewer leaves to re-use the stored nutes from. At night, where do you think your plant gets it's energy from? Hint: not from photosynthesis.
Plus, even if a leaf is only receiving a small amount of light, it still produces energy for the plant.

Seriously, don't believe everything you read on the stoner sites. It's coming from a bunch of stoners.
Most of the threads I read are a mixed up jumble of soil and hydro information combined into a mess on misinformation.
There are some people that know their shit, but they're few and far in between. And a lot of them won't post in the public areas because so many idiots jump in and flame them with their mythical nonsense.

If you truly want sound gardening advice, gardening forums are the only way to go.
So you don't agree with removing lower leaves and branches in a hydro scrog?
 
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