Is it wise to cut the upper leaves during flowering?

[survivorman]

I have a friend who says it's beneficial to cut the leaves at the top of the plant because, according to him, it helps the budding process.

I understand cutting the old and dying leaves, which are mostly at the bottom but is it actually a good idea to cut the leaves in the top section of the plant which are healthy leaves?

 

[solo602]

What your friend is PROBABLY referring to is TOPPING.. Never done it, but read alot on it. Most dont recommend it unless your trying to grow shorter, bushier trees.

 

[firsttimer1]

All I have found on that subject is do not cut any leaves at all unless damaged that is how your baby gets her good stuff from the sun....I am no expert just starting my self but that has been my finding from all that I have read there is a lot on here regarding that and every one says dont do it unless the leaves are damaged some say not even then...just let nature take its course.....

 

[HowzerMD]

That's not like topping and it is never a good idea to chop off healthy foliage. Maintaining healthy foliage and robust roots will keep a sure fire good harvest in sight.

 

[P. STONIE]

Is it wise no. But can you do it yes. Idk wut kind of results you're hoping to achive from doing this cuz you missed the prime time to top your plant. Now tht its flowering you're only cuttin off healthy potential buds!

 

[survivorman]

This confirms my suspicion that it is crazy to cut healthy leaves! I also wasn't talking about topping the flowers, because it certainly is too late for that, I was talking about the feeder leaves which are near the top of the flowers.

My friend seems to think it helps the buds grow more when you cut the big feeder leaves near the top of the flowers, but I don't think it helps at all.

 

[dlively11]

Depends. If it is overcrowded then yes cutting leaves will help your yield a lot. Tight SOG grows you HAVE to cut leaves or half your shit will be in the shade. Outdoors is a little different since the sun is moving all around your plant so it shouldnt be needed as much. Indoors is makes a dramatic difference in yield IF you are crowded. My plants get huge single colas and I trim off every large fan leaf on the plant at 3 weeks into bloom. Not uncommon to get 25-30 grams per plant dried weight @ 4 per SQ foot doing it this way with lots of different strains. Just dont do it untill the plants are at least 2-3 weks in to bloom. They need the leaves the most in veg and during the stretch.

 

[mygirls]

cutting off the big sun leaves is ok. by doing so your promting biger flowers. why do you think that orchard owners limb,and thin to get a better fruit or veggie.. think about it, the same thing with rose bushes..

 

[dlively11]

All of these had all fan leaves hacked off at 2-3 weeks in and I mean every single one !
http://i38.tinypic.com/2whknlt.jpg

 

[mygirls]

All of these had all fan leaves hacked off at 2-3 weeks in and I mean every single one !
http://i38.tinypic.com/2whknlt.jpg

and look how nice and big that fucker is.. i rest my case.. nice looking bud by the way great job and + reps..

 

[veggiegardener]

Obviously, there are differing opinions expressed here.

I believe removing healthy foliage is counterproductive.

 

[PuffinPurp]

fan leaves are ok to cut off, best to leave them untill u start flowering though. but u can cut off the bottom ones, as long as u leave the top 4 (big big leaves) you will do just fine.

i trimed all mine from bottom up except top 4 and i have very good growth doing this with mine.

 

[Smrt]

and look how nice and big that fucker is.. i rest my case.. nice looking bud by the way great job and + reps..

You call that big ? Look at the plug behind it, once you trim it and dry it, thats not a big plant. Looks like great bud but could be bigger, quite a bit bigger.

 

[HowzerMD]

By removing the fan leaves, you're removing the most prouctive part of the plant above the soil. Sure, we obviously saw a picture of buds grown on a plant with no fan leaves. But keep in mind the plant would have been much greater had he not removed the very unit of production. How does a plant live? Photosynthesis. Where does photosynthesis take place? Surface area of the plant that receives light. What part(s) of the plant hold the most surface area? Leaves. Healthy, green, full leaves. Take away what the plant uses to grow and it'll, well, not grow. You can show me as many pictures of hacked up plants missing fan leaves as you want, the truth is all of those plants have been robbed of their true potential. You can also try to argue with me but you can't argue with science. Have different ideas about how a plant grows? Take it up with mother nature.

 

[dlively11]

You call that big ? Look at the plug behind it, once you trim it and dry it, thats not a big plant. Looks like great bud but could be bigger, quite a bit bigger.

Incorrect. 25-30 grams DRY per plant @ 4 per SQ feet with basically one big fat bud on each one . You do realize how much that is dont you ? Also these are switched to bloom at about 6-7 inches tall. Try and hit those numbers growing large plants and you will fail =?)

 

[dlively11]

By removing the fan leaves, you're removing the most prouctive part of the plant above the soil. Sure, we obviously saw a picture of buds grown on a plant with no fan leaves. But keep in mind the plant would have been much greater had he not removed the very unit of production. How does a plant live? Photosynthesis. Where does photosynthesis take place? Surface area of the plant that receives light. What part(s) of the plant hold the most surface area? Leaves. Healthy, green, full leaves. Take away what the plant uses to grow and it'll, well, not grow. You can show me as many pictures of hacked up plants missing fan leaves as you want, the truth is all of those plants have been robbed of their true potential. You can also try to argue with me but you can't argue with science. Have different ideas about how a plant grows? Take it up with mother nature.

LOL ok argue with 25-30 grams dry weight per plant @ 4 per SQ feet (approx 4 ounces per SQ foot or 1600+ grams per 4X4 table) compared to grown however the heck you like ....... Case closed =) Leaving all the leaves in a tight SOG just chokes out all the light to everything but the very top and would have cut the yield to maybe 20% of what it is by trimming. Plants need light guys. You have to trim them at the correct time that is the key. 2-3 weeks into bloom. Marijuana uses the large fan leaves for vegative growth, once in bloom they just arent needed for bud production. Unless you are talking from experience and have proof you are just talking..... Just sayin

Old school thinking......

Peace

 

[suTraGrow]

LOL ok argue with 25-30 grams dry weight per plant @ 4 per SQ feet then grown however the heck you like ....... Case closed =) Peace

Umm 25-30grams per plant really isint shit. You can argue all you want and of course you will but i know PLENTY of people on this forum that get x2 that amount. And thats running a SOG where the clone put into it start at about 5". Look up Al B. Fuct ya might learn a thing or 2. Happy growing.

 

[shizz]

orchard growers do not trim to get bigger fruit or flowers. they trim to promote new growth and lighting the main limbs or they snap off from the weight of the fruit. if u cut leaves off during flowering you mine as well let some spider mights in to eat on them to. let cut ur arms off and see if you grow... i wish people who didn't do the research or the testing there self's wouldn't comment on peoples questions. there asking for advise. not a guess. or what you heard.

 

[shizz]

if the plant needs more light it will stretch or shed those leaves itself. if the buds need energy to grow. it steals it from the fan leaves. that's why they brown and fall off when budding starts. if there's no fan leaves there's no energy to steal if it needs to. if your scrogging and your buds are so close that you need to trim leaves away to get more light to them. then you are growing to many nobs to close together and you should get way more yield then that. like you said your self in a tight scrog. your scrog is to tight if you gotta pull off fan leaves.

 

[Space Angel]

Fan leaves store energy to promote growth...bud or otherwise. I never clip any leaves unless they are dying out . very interesting reading here. I guess to each his own! Good luck to all!