Why do people clip leaves in late flower?

Covert Cannabis

Active Member
Listen guys, I'm just a kid so I don't claim to know what I'm talking about but... hear me out:

Leaves act like solar panels, absorbing light and powering the plant...

If light is the engine of the plant, and it is crucial for photosynthesis, why would you clip the leaves off?
(I'm not talking about sucker branches)
Isn't this just going to reduce yield and potency?!

Educate me!!!
 

Gardenator

Well-Known Member
Look up kyle kushman and his defoliation lecture and how to, he is well spoken and knowledgeable and offers a valid and informative argument on how defoliation in the correct application is actually boosting the yeild and quality of the buds give me a minute and ill post a link to a good video by him. You watch it and form your own opinion but i defoliate (not nearly as much as he does) but more space for buds to swell and more light getting to the buds is good stuff, first thing you do to increase yeilds in your set up are lighting and enviroment, improving light quality, increasing the amount of light over the canopy, and making sure they have a good enviroment are 2 ways to increase yeilds, and as Maccatheclown said it adds light to the bud sites and airflow in the canopy ("light and emviroment")
 
Just because that person preaches this does not make it right.Waste of time,buds do not need direct light,the leaves feed the buds.
Not picking a fight but general question, are you saying there is no grow situation possible (different setups strains climates whatever other variable) where you could benefit from de-leafing?
 

nmibud

Well-Known Member
Only very lightly to improve airflow,I see no other reason to strip plants.Slows down growth and deprives plant of the benefits the lights provide.
 

nmibud

Well-Known Member
Still doesn't make it right,waste of time like I said.But it's your grow do what you want to.I could care less about your lack of true of knowledge about agricultural practices.
 


As a Qualified Horticulturist, Defoliate top down not top up, don't lolly pop plants.

if you still have questions after reading my thread ill explain the science behind it, but it is after mid night now in my country.
ive seen the first link, I’ve never been one to lollipop and have always tried to minimise defoliation but work from the top Down when I have Taken leaves off, I’ll give your thread a read and if you don’t mind I’ll shoot you a message and try get to know the science behind it If you don’t mind sharing some knowledge
 

spek9

Well-Known Member
Defoliating works
If you're going to make a claim as such, it would be prudent of you to back up the claim with evidentiary information. A scientific study perhaps, or photos and details of same-environment side-by-side grows that you've done that could be considered as proof.

"Defoliating works" is subjective, and provides no information as to how or why.
 

Budbreath

Well-Known Member
I have noticed that the buds that are shaded by fan leaves dont dense up like the ones that I removed fan leaves over. This I am positive about. But whether The total yeild weight of the plant goes up or down from defoliation I'm not sure. I would like to see some studies on
 

Budbreath

Well-Known Member
If the plant has such dense buds that with some fan leaves removed all the light can't penetrate through the buds and sugar leaves then I defoliate. If it is sparse budding then I leave the leaves on. That is what I have been doing lately. That might change as I am still learning. This one is so dense that 2 days after defoliating you can't tell that I did anything too it. 20200314_194904.jpg
 

BobBitchen

Well-Known Member
I have noticed that the buds that are shaded by fan leaves dont dense up like the ones that I removed fan leaves over. This I am positive about.
no...
apical dominance is why lower buds are smaller.
Your plant needs leaves for photosynthesis to feed
Buds are there to produce seeds to reproduce, not to collect light
 

spek9

Well-Known Member
apical dominance is why lower buds are smaller.
Apical dominance also explains why doing a lollipop (ie. removing the lowest popcorn bud branches) and not a complete defoliation allows more energy to the upper parts of the plant.
 

Budbreath

Well-Known Member
I realize that. What I am saying is that the lower buds that were shaded weren't as dense as the lower buds that got light. It's just what I have noticed. And I leave plenty of leaves on them.
 
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