Defoliation all at once, or a little over time?

[guitarguy10]

Switched lights to 12/12 8 day's ago, did a pretty heavy cleaning down below ('lollipoppiing') and some minor defoliation (I didn't want to go hard defoliating cuz I had to remove a lot of low growths already, I didn't want to stress it too hard).

Should I just defoliate it all at once in one heavy stress, or is it better to take off a few every feeding? every week? Just do the ones blocking below, or all of the huge fan leaves?

The plants are healthy, no pests or anything. Only issue is that temps have gotten over 90F at times, which is nearly impossible to avoid since the ambient temp in the room gets to around 85 during those times.

Some pics from a few day's ago, I'm a shitty photographer so best I could do, I will try to take more when the lights are back on.

Growing in canna coco/perlite 75/25, 400W HPS in a 2'x4'x5' tent with AN Sensi Bloom, Canna Cannazyme and CalMag, 85F.

 

[guitarguy10]

Also, how important is it to cut the leaf off at the stem? Cuz for many of them there are already pistils coming out of the node and I don't want to damage them by cutting the leafs too close to the stem.

 

[Hobbes]

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guitar guy I defoliate at day 1 of flower and again at day 21 of flower.

I snip everything that has a stem, I don't get too close to the bud sites.

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[guitarguy10]

OK thanks, maybe I'll go hard on Day 21. Why day 21 though, is there a specific reason (and do you mean from the moment you flipped the lights or the moment you saw pistils?)?

 

[Dontjudgeme]

Sometimes plants don’t like to be mucked with all at once. So spacing your defoil is less stressful. Obviously not all plants will react this way, but I usually defoil and lollipop before flower starts so no energy is wasted in the recovery process. But that’s me, there are definitely other ways of doing it.

 

[Hobbes]

Why day 21 though, is there a specific reason (and do you mean from the moment you flipped the lights or the moment you saw pistils?)?

Almost all of the stretch is done by week 3, and I put a scrod net in then so I need defoliation.

At the end of veg I put the clones in 60 hours of darkness, the first day of light is day 1.

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[guitarguy10]

Wow .. are those plants still alive?

 

[Hobbes]

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Alive and recovered and on their way to harvest!



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[guitarguy10]

Oh ok looks good.

I'm at a bit of an impass on what to do, it's been 10 day's since I flipped and still see no pistils, I want to defoliate it good but I also want to let it start actually flowering first. Do you count day 21 from the day you flipped the lights or the day you saw pistils?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Skewbong]

Flip. Counting from pistols is an unreliable way of measuring.

 

[Skewbong]

I defoliate at 21 days as well. Not hardcore. Lollipop and clear out big fan leaves. Often monstercrop then too

 

[MICHI-CAN]

I do things a bit different. I begin removing the lower branches to about 6-8" from the ground in about the 6th week of veg. Outside I remove the bottom 1/3 of vegetation at week 10 and thin out the canopy of mature shade leaves below the 4th node. Indoors I remove everything to the 5th node right before I flip. Then continue to keep that bare while removing mature shade leaves from the 4th node down. I do not remove anything past week 5 after flip. Plants over 2' and healthy can take it in veg. Not so much in flower.

 

[Kassiopeija]

thats an interesting technique hobbes it seems to throttle the stretch by alot

 

[Fonzyyy21]

Almost all of the stretch is done by week 3, and I put a scrod net in then so I need defoliation.

At the end of veg I put the clones in 60 hours of darkness, the first day of light is day 1.

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View attachment 4621274

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Wow .. are those plants still alive?

Schwazzing! I tried to do this, but man I thought I was taking to much off and got scared! Lol
But they can definitely handle it!

 

[MICHI-CAN]

thats an interesting technique hobbes it seems to throttle the stretch by alot

I agree. Amazing info around here. Might have a try with some lanky sativas I hate growing indoors.

 

[Fonzyyy21]

I agree. Amazing info around here. Might have a try with some lanky sativas I hate growing indoors.

SCROG works wonders for keeping your plant low, as well as main lining and topping! You'll get crazy amounts of tops!

 

[MICHI-CAN]

SCROG works wonders for keeping your plant low, as well as main lining and topping! You'll get crazy amounts of tops!

Thanks. 30+ years. Been there. But always looking for something better.

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Mainlining.

 

[Fonzyyy21]

Thanks. 30+ years. Been there. But always looking for something better.View attachment 4622681

Mainlining. View attachment 4622682View attachment 4622683

Aweeee man you already know!

 

[MICHI-CAN]

Aweeee man you already know!

I know I am only beginning to understand. Spend time with your plants. Get to know them and how they move. It's how they communicate. Once you can hear them they will reward you generously.