Pruning - When do you take all the leaves off?

purplehazin

purplehazin

Well-Known Member
harinama said:
I defoliate all through my grow. Each time a budding tip is 1"+, i pull the fan leaf. In my tests i noticed no difference in bud size with fan or without. I do, however notice a HUGE increase in light down into the plant, and thus much better/thicker buds. On top of this, with defoliation, i actually end up pulling MORE leaves overall than before, so the plant is actually MORE vigorous. Also, i am able to use 1/2 strength nutes, saving lots of $$ with no fan leaves to suck them up.

my tests indicate that fan leaves help get the budding joints started, and provide a buffer for nutes. Otherwise they are just shading out the buds. Isn't getting light to the buds what it is all about?

Thus my tests go against conventional wisdom, and i'll happily continue to defoliate all the way through my grows. I highly recommend that you DONT do it, i mean what will you do with all those extra buds???? ;)
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Uhh... You're contradicting yourself.
 
Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
CrazyBudz said:
if the plant didnt need or wasnt using the leaf it would allow the leaf to die.....
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That's true. Botanically it's a CO2 flag processor. When a leaf does not process above a certain PPM level of CO2, the plant somehow knows it is non-productive and proceeds to drop it....initial symptoms being necrotic dots, yellowing, etc. and finally total leaf necrosis. A plant/tree will also drop a leaf if is under severe stress i.e. drought.

UB
 
mcpurple

mcpurple

Well-Known Member
i cant believe this thread is still going, its obvious that a plant needs its leafs to produce big buds. like i said do you see apple farmers,orange farmers, any farmer removing the leafs to allow light to the fruits NO, why cuz the leafs are what gives the plant energy to bud.
 
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AKRevo47

Well-Known Member
I cut my leaves a day or two, sometimes 3, right before harvest, especially when giving them extra darkness time. Helps with the trimming and rather than maintaing the leaves, any extra sugars will be moved into the bud.
 
dazza666

dazza666

Member
I have heard that the the plant should be lollipopped. I have also heard that they should be 'red flagged' in the first and the third week in flower. By red flagged, I guess they mean any of the fan or sugar leaves that develop a red stem can be taken off. They also should snap off nicely with a firm tug downwards. If they don't come off the plant still needs them. This is done for two reasons 1) to allow light to penetrate to lower bud sites, 2) to allow the nutrients to feed the buds rather than the leaves.
This is only what I have heard and read. Just my two cents.
 
Total Head

Total Head

Well-Known Member
harinama said:
I defoliate all through my grow. Each time a budding tip is 1"+, i pull the fan leaf. In my tests i noticed no difference in bud size with fan or without. I do, however notice a HUGE increase in light down into the plant, and thus much better/thicker buds.

you can get this same result with lst without robbing your plant of the ability to photosynthesize.

On top of this, with defoliation, i actually end up pulling MORE leaves overall than before, so the plant is actually MORE vigorous.

how exactly does that work?

Also, i am able to use 1/2 strength nutes, saving lots of $$ with no fan leaves to suck them up.

my tests indicate that fan leaves help get the budding joints started, and provide a buffer for nutes. Otherwise they are just shading out the buds. Isn't getting light to the buds what it is all about?

no. buds don't photosynthesize, leaves do. buds are just the fruit of the plant. additionally, leaves are used for storage and other functions as well.

Thus my tests go against conventional wisdom, and i'll happily continue to defoliate all the way through my grows. I highly recommend that you DONT do it, i mean what will you do with all those extra buds???? ;)
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if you've done tests whose results contradict 3rd grade science i think a nobel prize is in order. just think of the crop a corn farmer could get if he just removed all the leaves. then the corn cobs could take in more light and grow bigger better corn! you sir have revolutionized farming.
 
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plaguedog

Active Member
LOL how many of these threads does this noob paradise have? My god, do a search.......

And that second plant with no leaves looks like hell at 48 days..... Should be much more developed.
 
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plaguedog

Active Member
You are using half/strength nutes because the plant isn't as healthy as it was before you mangled it by removing it's natural energy sources..... When you feed the plant it's feeding more then just the leaves\. For fucks sake......



I defoliate all through my grow. Each time a budding tip is 1"+, i pull the fan leaf. In my tests i noticed no difference in bud size with fan or without. I do, however notice a HUGE increase in light down into the plant, and thus much better/thicker buds. On top of this, with defoliation, i actually end up pulling MORE leaves overall than before, so the plant is actually MORE vigorous. Also, i am able to use 1/2 strength nutes, saving lots of $$ with no fan leaves to suck them up.
Click to expand...
 
Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
Total Head said:
if you've done tests whose results contradict 3rd grade science i think a nobel prize is in order. just think of the crop a corn farmer could get if he just removed all the leaves. then the corn cobs could take in more light and grow bigger better corn! you sir have revolutionized farming.
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LOL

....with every new crop of noobs......
 
Shoot

Shoot

Member
Leave as many on as you can until harvest. I cut some of mine off but I have been for years and pick and choose for some OCD reason. Prob hurts more then it helps.
 
canefan

canefan

Well-Known Member
Is it just me or do other notice this common theme? What the hell is the government school system teaching today? The amount of ignorance, not to be confused with stupidity, that appears in some of these forums is amazing. It appears that today the students are not even taught the most basic biology in school today, nor taught how to research a subject. One more thing and I will get off my rant, why do these people that have "heard" or "from my test results" never tell or show us their results or where they heard it?
For the people that truly believe there is no difference in pulling leaves or leaving the plant to produce what nature engineered where are the results or pictures showing side by side comparisons to support a claim that totally goes against the laws of nature. Granted marijuana is an amazing plant but it cannot even make up energy out of thin air to produce a bigger bud. For the believers there is no difference and that by removing the leaves the plant will direct its remaining energies to producing bigger buds. Here is an article done by Texas about molasses, in it the study shows where the sugars the plant takes up from its roots go to a plant. The first place is not the buds it is the leaves. If you pull the leaves the plant will redirect it sugars and other nutes to produce new leaves.
IMHO most growers need to spend some quality time reading not only forums to learn, but more importantly learn how to research biology. Google can be your friend, so can a high school or college biology book.
Sorry for the rant but I feel better and I didn't even berate anyone. Happy Growing
 
Uncle Ben

Uncle Ben

Well-Known Member
canefan said:
Is it just me or do other notice this common theme? What the hell is the government school system teaching today? The amount of ignorance, not to be confused with stupidity, that appears in some of these forums is amazing. It appears that today the students are not even taught the most basic biology in school today, nor taught how to research a subject. One more thing and I will get off my rant, why do these people that have "heard" or "from my test results" never tell or show us their results or where they heard it?
For the people that truly believe there is no difference in pulling leaves or leaving the plant to produce what nature engineered where are the results or pictures showing side by side comparisons to support a claim that totally goes against the laws of nature. Granted marijuana is an amazing plant but it cannot even make up energy out of thin air to produce a bigger bud. For the believers there is no difference and that by removing the leaves the plant will direct its remaining energies to producing bigger buds. Here is an article done by Texas about molasses, in it the study shows where the sugars the plant takes up from its roots go to a plant. The first place is not the buds it is the leaves. If you pull the leaves the plant will redirect it sugars and other nutes to produce new leaves.
IMHO most growers need to spend some quality time reading not only forums to learn, but more importantly learn how to research biology. Google can be your friend, so can a high school or college biology book.
Sorry for the rant but I feel better and I didn't even berate anyone. Happy Growing
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Well spoken and been saying for years what you laid out.

If it's said on the internet and someone repeats it then it must be true LOL.

UB

post edit - No sooner did I go to the next thread in My Rolliup and your example came up LOL. https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/150004-plant-moisture-stress-symptoms-solutions-60.html
 
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