plumsmooth
Well-Known Member
It took me years to recognize the application of Defoliation? But due to a combination of a ridiculously crowded and a potentially bushy strain (Golosa by Delicious Seeds) and... unfortunately Powdery Mildew, in my Environment, I now realize the importance of certain degrees of Defoliation on certain strains. 
Purple Punch my current favorite strain to grow (characteristics) seems to be way on the side of not needing much defol but certainly needs a lot of LST! and although some people seem to not like stretch, I think stretch makes things a lot easier to manage and creates better air flow, even if it reduces yield somewhat. Here is my Tropicana Cherry, it was an ideal wide growing (lateral) and not too tall Veg plant for my LST single plant grow style. However now after two weeks or so in flower it is not stretching enough and I have had to defoliate a bit more than I would like.

Can I keep going without losing too much yield. I am not sure if the flowering nodes on this strain are putting out enough leaf mass to make up for the defoliation? But even if I were to break even and neither lose or gain that would still be Good for me, as like I mentioned, I need to keep good air flow and avoid crowded to manage PM in my area! Thank you for looking... And of course trimming now is less work later.
One thing I do not completely understand is how much the Plant can transfer light energy to where it is needed; for example if a bud cluster is shaded, can it get its photons light energy etc. from somewhere else on the plant within reason?

Purple Punch my current favorite strain to grow (characteristics) seems to be way on the side of not needing much defol but certainly needs a lot of LST! and although some people seem to not like stretch, I think stretch makes things a lot easier to manage and creates better air flow, even if it reduces yield somewhat. Here is my Tropicana Cherry, it was an ideal wide growing (lateral) and not too tall Veg plant for my LST single plant grow style. However now after two weeks or so in flower it is not stretching enough and I have had to defoliate a bit more than I would like.

Can I keep going without losing too much yield. I am not sure if the flowering nodes on this strain are putting out enough leaf mass to make up for the defoliation? But even if I were to break even and neither lose or gain that would still be Good for me, as like I mentioned, I need to keep good air flow and avoid crowded to manage PM in my area! Thank you for looking... And of course trimming now is less work later.

One thing I do not completely understand is how much the Plant can transfer light energy to where it is needed; for example if a bud cluster is shaded, can it get its photons light energy etc. from somewhere else on the plant within reason?
