Anyone a fan of defoliation to increase yeild?

[Rocketman64]

One thing's for sure- the quickest way to start the mudslinging around here is to start the debate over defoliating. Here's my two cents: I've grown hundreds of plants outdoors with absolutely no intervention from me whatsoever and they're usually the best yielding plants I could ever hope for. That being said, this just isn't possible indoors (for most growers) so some pruning may be in order to keep size where you want it or to direct the plant in a particular direction. As far as yield goes....too many variables. A couple things I know for sure: the plant's sole purpose in life is to generate leaves for photosynthesis and reproduce. The leaves cause transpiration, the transpiration moves the needed nutrients and water through the plant almost like a hydraulic pump. Remove leaves- lower transpiration- lower transpiration=less water/nutes delivered, pretty simple. Secondly, contrary to popular belief, the buds don't need light- the leaves need light. Removing leaves to give more light to lower branches accomplishes nothing but slowing the growth process down. Thirdly, and again against popular belief, leaves do not block all the light. A fairly large amount of light is penetrating through those upper leaves. If the plant isn't getting enough light on the lower branches, it will discard them and divert energies elsewhere. Now, if your desire is to keep an even canopy and train the plant for specific reason then you'll have to do some defoliating. In my experience, defoliation slowed growth tremendously but did provide for sturdier stalks and thicker secondary branches. Does that mean bigger yield? Couldn't tell ya. Does it kill the plant? Nope. Does it make the plant look all fancy and shit? Yep. After looking at the pics of the plant you posted, my first inclination is to get the environment they're growing in under control before messing with defoliation. She looks a little heat stressed but that's not a big deal. Okay, that's enough rambling, sorry.

 

[JohnnySocko]

...I also like to start flushing with dechlorinated RO water 2 weeks into flower, that way I get white ash

 

[Huel Perkins]

...I also like to start flushing with dechlorinated RO water 2 weeks into flower, that way I get white ash

My ash is nice and white with no flushing at all, and i use unfiltered tap water and grow in hydro!

There is no need to flush if you feed your plants right, according to their needs...

 

[neo12345]

If only nature had discovered a way to repair a plant after losing lots of leaves to say an insect or animal defoliating it, damn you nature damn you!!

 

[FilthyFletch]

Defoliate to me noo.. I do lollipop my plants during veg and in flower I will selective clean up fans that are too large and cover multiple bud sites but I am not a fan of just taking the plant down to almost nothing. i have never seen this work as a positive except it does slow growth and keep the plants thin.

 

[GroErr]

Worst subject on this site (other than maybe LED bashing - lol), everyone seems to be on one side or the other. Myself I'm in between, I've grown strains that love it, strains that hate it. Good point on the outdoor defoliation by bugs, animals and the like, I've had plants that were down to strictly colas and bud produced great bud. One strain of blueberry loved it outdoor and reacted well indoor in my last run. Some swear by it, the science doesn't make sense, yet some strains seem to like it. Do what works for you, fuck what anybody else says or thinks about it.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

IF you let the plant flower properly (Its ENTIRE flwoering cycle), and don't cut it when you want to, but instead, when its ready, msot ofthe fan leaves and bigger bud leaves without many trichs on them will dry off and die and the entire bud will get light in new places. This occurs about 2/3 the way into flowering on most avg strains, but doesn;t really clean out the leaves until you are close to the end. That said, your lights should really be powerful enough to get through a few fan leaves.

 

[Twohearted]

I always defoliate, and am a firm believer that it not only increases yield, but more importantly increases the quality of yield. Once a bud site is well established, it will benefit much more from direct light contact than having a bunch of fan leaves shading the nodes. On the larger of the two plants I would recommend thinning most of the little "sucker" branches off of the bottom third of the plant. Then on the upper portion remove a few fan leaves per branch from the middle of the plant. I usually do this over a period of a week or two so I am never stripping more than a few leaves off a plant at a time, this will stress them less, and actually stimulate growth in most cases, assuming the plant is healthy and has good vigor. There are some stubborn growers who refuse to ignore that defoliation is valid and useful, don't let them fool you with there closed minded negative attitude. I have done it both ways, with the same strains in the same setup, and defoliation wins out hands down.
Happy Growing!
p.s. the stickbuds thread linked earlier is spot on, follow it and you will do well, I know I did.

 

[EverythingsHazy]

If only nature had discovered a way to repair a plant after losing lots of leaves to say an insect or animal defoliating it, damn you nature damn you!!

Time. Nature's most powerful tool/weapon.

 

[Twohearted]

I agree with most of what Rocketman64 said philosophically, but when growing indoors, as you said the variables are very different. Time is less of a factor, but light density or the amount of lumens(whatever you prefer), and space are much more finite. The yield I have gotten indoors is generally pretty similar with or with out defoliation. But quality is the biggest difference. How much bud a plant can produce indoors is a factor of light/space/time/pot size. I have found when growing indoors the plant will produce more leaves than in really needs for the amount of bud it will be able to produce in the space with the light available. With or with out defoliation a plant might produce 3-4 oz lets say, but the plant that was trimmed and had some of its excess leaves removed in my experience will produce more large high quality buds, where a plant that is not trimmed may produce about the same yield, but with many more, much smaller flowers. This makes trimming harder, and means that you sometimes have lots of little thin buds that are only really good for making hash. I have never had the opportunity to grow outdoors, but if I ever do, would probably just train, with no defoliation. Indoors, with most strains and setups I stand-by it being the right move, to at least increase quality of buds, if not also yield. End rant.

 

[chuck estevez]

so much misinformation in this thread. Good for a laugh though.

 

[docter]

if it works for pot plants. I ponder the thought just maybe children would grow faster if we removed there arms and legs?

 

[JohnnySocko]

My ash is nice and white with no flushing at all, and i use unfiltered tap water and grow in hydro!

There is no need to flush if you feed your plants right, according to their needs...

he he I was being sarcastic

if it works for pot plants. I ponder the thought just maybe children would grow faster if we removed there arms and legs?

...why not: I've heard tell of a penis enlargement technique that works by cutting off 2 inches only to have 3 inches grow back...
just wondering if would someone please post results

 

[Pinworm]

Leaves fuel your bud production. Cut your plants up, cut your yield. Simple.

 

[Commander Strax]

Removing a few fan leaves in veg can really increase your yeild

Don't go pull any leaves off yet
As it don't work on some plants
If you put some pictures up I can see if its a good plant to try this on

are you fucking kidding me???

 

[Huel Perkins]

he he I was being sarcastic

Right on, that shit went right over my head lol.

 

[JohnnySocko]

If only nature had discovered a way to repair a plant after losing lots of leaves to say an insect or animal defoliating it, damn you nature damn you!!

actually nature has plants & animals evolving together for example grasses actually evolved in parallel with grazing mammals, flowers with insects, et et
...still: I do believe a LOT of the shit we do here is internet perpetuated bullshit put forth by non-gardener teenie types, but I alsoI do believe there is some good to begat from selective pruning; no doubt about it...

...but gheez, even the defoliating crowd has gotta admit some of these folks are hacks...no other way to put it

 

[neo12345]

actually nature has plants & animals evolving together for example grasses actually evolved in parallel with grazing mammals, flowers with insects, et et
...still: I do believe a LOT of the shit we do here is internet perpetuated bullshit put forth by non-gardener teenie types, but I alsoI do believe there is some good to begat from selective pruning; no doubt about it...

...but gheez, even the defoliating crowd has gotta admit some of these folks are hacks...no other way to put it

Agreed, but there are hacks on both sides.

The theory is that it doesn't work, yet more and more people are using this technique to great effect.

Some people will not let this conversation take place on here, at any cost.

 

[joe macclennan]

if it works for pot plants. I ponder the thought just maybe children would grow faster if we removed there arms and legs?

lmfao...legless linda wins the race

 

[chuck estevez]

Agreed, but there are hacks on both sides.

The theory is that it doesn't work, yet more and more people are using this technique to great effect.

Some people will not let this conversation take place on here, at any cost.

You make shit up with every post. GO SIT IN THE CORNER DUMBASS.
The THEORY, is that it costs more time and money to repair the fucked up plant. Damn dude, you just don't learn!!!