Just wondering what you all think. I'm so confused on what to do. Some people say fan leaves are suckers during flowering and serve no purpose. If that where true why does the plant use the nutrience from them? Any advice?
Too many fan leaves cut off?
- Thread starter Kid212
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CannaOnerStar
Well-Known Member
Forget everything the guy said who told you that fan leaves serve no purpose during flowering..
The lesson I've learned is to not defoliate unless the leaf is damaged and not giving any productively of the plant.
I'm still relatively new to this, been growing only 2 years.
When I left my plants alone and didn't strip them, I got really good harvests. When I started defoliating (rather over defolating) I completely devastated my plants.
Now when in flower, I tuck fan leaves to expose bud sites and only defoliate if the leaf is dead/dieing.
I'm still relatively new to this, been growing only 2 years.
When I left my plants alone and didn't strip them, I got really good harvests. When I started defoliating (rather over defolating) I completely devastated my plants.
Now when in flower, I tuck fan leaves to expose bud sites and only defoliate if the leaf is dead/dieing.
ryeguy
Well-Known Member
It’s a good idea to defoliate within the veg cycle and maybe at the beginning of flowering if the plant has bushed out again. Right up until the last day or so before harvest I wouldn’t touch any fan leaves that are healthy. Ideally your looking for a good balance, enough for photosynthesis but not to much to the point that you won’t have any airflow or light penetration. Considering the amount of leaves lost your plant looks ok as it’s mainly focused on flowering now anyway. Provide lots of nutrients to help with the stress and you should get a decent harvest. On the positive side, less trimming during harvest haha.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Capn-Crunch
Well-Known Member
I defoliate no later than 2 to 3 weeks after flower starts, then minor leaf removal for dying or over large fan leaves up to harvest.
I also remove little "sucker bud shoots" so that all the plant energy is directed to the larger developing colas.
Never had any issues, and always great harvests.
Your defoliation looks a little over done, but not much. Good job!
I also remove little "sucker bud shoots" so that all the plant energy is directed to the larger developing colas.
Never had any issues, and always great harvests.
Your defoliation looks a little over done, but not much. Good job!
Cracken
Well-Known Member
all responses you have received are good advice. the plants grow leaves for the reason to make energy, however i follow the approach of removing all leaves, shoots and fluff buds from the bottom of my branches so like a lollipop. bud sites that have only 6-8 hairs will never amount to more then hours of trimming for little buds that get stuck in the corner of your bag or jar. at this point for your plants I would leave them alone and let them do their thing. they look ok.
attached is one of mine so you see what I am talking about. different strains react differently thou so start slowly and after you have more experience and know your strain then you can fine tune to they like to be treated.
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Capn-Crunch
Well-Known Member
This is what I do as well.
I've only ever once removed fan leafs and it was a mistake, I remove damaged or yellow leafs only, my view is rightly or wrong is that the fan leafs are the main solar panels as well as other critical jobs like co2 and cooling ?
But there's a poll atm moment regarding defoliating and the lions share of votes are for leaf removal, the op has an experiment going, one defoliated to let light in, one left alone and one with only the bottom removed :thumbs: kudos to that!
But there's a poll atm moment regarding defoliating and the lions share of votes are for leaf removal, the op has an experiment going, one defoliated to let light in, one left alone and one with only the bottom removed :thumbs: kudos to that!
Glad I read this. Was thinking of taking leaves off as one of my friends has been telling me for ages that I should be taking all the leaves off and only leaving the sugar leaves but I knew it was the wrong idea after all the research I've done. Thank fuck I disagreed with him and left her
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petert
Well-Known Member
pretend you never met him!
petert
Well-Known Member
Ive defoliate indoors and gotten good results.
Ive defoliated outdoors and have never gotten the same results.
I thin out lower branches and “filler branches” in the canopy that are not going to amount to much first week of August.
The only defoliation I do is if I see PM starting up or dead leaves.
this has worked for me for 15+ years of growing.
dunphy
Well-Known Member
This is pretty much exactly as Ive done forever also.
All the research involved all the advice. Its all welcome. This strain is Ice Cream Cake and is doing real good so far with the defolated method. I used a similar method on my Death Row. Both are looking good. Here's to hoping my soil and nutrience are rich enough to stop it from using sugar leafs for the buds. All strains are different but so far icc has been a breeze from the beginning. Their both from fem seeds. Bought online.
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