Is it safe to defoliate autos

Axys

Well-Known Member
I defoliate all the time,,sometimes takes 20-30 leaves at a time,,,does it add weeks?? Absolutely not,,85 days is about my longest. Plants seem happier afterwards. I top them often too,,and lst,,never seem to add much to breeders times.If your plants are healthy and environment is good I have seen hardly any affects.
 

TurboTokes

Well-Known Member
I cut all lower GROWTH tips, not fan leaves. If youve ever spent any time trimming your harvest, you get a good idea which part of the plants structure doesnt really ammount to anything at the end of the grow, it does seem beneficial to trim all these lower growths before or at the onset of flower
 

McStrats

Well-Known Member
I lollipop my autos but I never defoliate. Defoliating is like going to your pantry and throwing away half your food. Plants grow in a christmas tree structure because of apical dominance and not because leaves are blocking bud sites...besides leaves feed the buds through photosynthesis...buds themselves don't photosynthesize.

I see instances where commercial growers practice this with success...but a novice with a few autos in a tent is better off leaving the leaves on..
 

McStrats

Well-Known Member
I fully agree Mcstrats
Thanks Herb Potman :) :) The thing is...some genetics can handle it and thrive because of it. But these are usually photos that are very stable. A handful of autos in a grow tent is going to do best when it is left alone....especially when someone has never grown that specific auto strain before and knows nothing about how it will respond to defoliating. There is a place for defoliating, but a lot of people seem to see it as a one size fits all approach. It can destroy your grow.

I'm not tying to talk anyone out of experimenting...just trying to tamp down the misinformation.
 

twentyeight.threefive

Well-Known Member
Thanks Herb Potman :) :) The thing is...some genetics can handle it and thrive because of it. But these are usually photos that are very stable. A handful of autos in a grow tent is going to do best when it is left alone....especially when someone has never grown that specific auto strain before and knows nothing about how it will respond to defoliating. There is a place for defoliating, but a lot of people seem to see it as a one size fits all approach. It can destroy your grow.

I'm not tying to talk anyone out of experimenting...just trying to tamp down the misinformation.
Autos in the hands of a good grower will almost require defoliation. But if you have to ask if it's ok to do, then it definitely isn't.
 

707Patrick

Well-Known Member
I got four girls I just put in soil... They are Gorilla Glue Autos. Doing a bit of an experiment. 2 different mediums and 2 different size pots. I only have 435 Watts to give them.. I think it could be more but my light won't disappoint. It sure didn't on last grow. I got 1 an 1/2 pounds in a 4X4 grow tent.

Let me introduce Betty. She is living in a 5 gallon fabric pot in Coco

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This is Edith. She is living in a 5 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farm Ocean Forest


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This is June. She is in a 3 gallon fabric pot in Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil

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This is Norma. She is in a 3 gallon Fabric pot in Coco

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4X4 Gorilla Glue grow experiment Begins!!!!!!!!

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LordEnki

Well-Known Member
my first try growing and i definitely defoliated my autos... and transplanted them. and ran my light on max wattage since sprouting... could be why they're so short? lol
they're 4 and bit weeks now...
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707Patrick

Well-Known Member
I don't care what anyone says... Less is more especially Autos... Why defoliate? yes maybe a little to let bud sites get some of that light action, but Autos have no time too fuck around. Every time you F with them you slow their growth. Autos just don't have the time for it.
 
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