Should I Cut Yellow Leaves Off If They Are Blocking Light?

ShazMo09 · Jul 8, 2013

Hey guys...

My 3 ladies had a rough start to life and it caused them to develop yellow leaves with blackish rust spots. They are about 6' tall. Now they issue seems to be under control and new growth is sprouting from everywhere in the canopy. Its great, they are nice and green...BUT...The older yellow leaves(the largest ones) dont seem to be growing anymore and they are blocking most of the light to the lower growth. I have tried to work around and get the light in there and I did remove 2 fan leaves from the top as I had to but there are still about 4 on 2 of the plants that are really in the way.

Most of the other leaves are quite small compared but are getting bigger so I dont want to remove the largest yellow leaves if it is going to affect the photosynthesis of the plant, as in capturing the light...If that makes sense...The lower leaves are just not growing as fast as the others because no light is getting to them...

Ill post some pics in about 10 mins...

DemonTrich · Jul 8, 2013

check out lollipopping, defoliating, or pruning in the advanced training technic. if I have a branch about 2' long, I defoliate about 2/3rds of the branch. I do this probably 2x in veg (just before flipping), and once in flower. I do this to all branches and the main stem.

WayBaked · Jul 8, 2013

ShazMo09 said:
Hey guys...

My 3 ladies had a rough start to life and it caused them to develop yellow leaves with blackish rust spots. They are about 6' tall. Now they issue seems to be under control and new growth is sprouting from everywhere in the canopy. Its great, they are nice and green...BUT...The older yellow leaves(the largest ones) dont seem to be growing anymore and they are blocking most of the light to the lower growth. I have tried to work around and get the light in there and I did remove 2 fan leaves from the top as I had to but there are still about 4 on 2 of the plants that are really in the way.

Most of the other leaves are quite small compared but are getting bigger so I dont want to remove the largest yellow leaves if it is going to affect the photosynthesis of the plant, as in capturing the light...If that makes sense...The lower leaves are just not growing as fast as the others because no light is getting to them...

Ill post some pics in about 10 mins...

If the leaf is more than 50% damaged, remove it anyway.

If the leaf is less than 50% damaged, there are very few circumstances that you will benefit from removing it. You can tuck/tie it out of the way if it is blocking light, removing a healthy leaf just robs the plant of stored energy & nutrients.

SirGreenThumb · Jul 8, 2013

If the leaves are dying you can remove them with no issues. You wont lose any growth by removing a few leaves, and if they are blocking other growth it benefits you in the long run. Just remove them.

WayBaked · Jul 8, 2013

SirGreenThumb said:
If the leaves are dying you can remove them with no issues. You wont lose any growth by removing a few leaves, and if they are blocking other growth it benefits you in the long run. Just remove them.

Incorrect. There is zero benefit to removing healthy leaves.

If they are in the way, tie/tuck them out of the way. They are both generating and storing energy & nutrients for the plant, don't rob her of them.

There is no scientific evidence that suggests removing fan leaves is beneficial for the plant.

Only leaves that are heavily damaged (>50%) should be removed. Ideally you won't ever have damaged leaves.

Nizza · Jul 8, 2013

sure you get fatter buds, but it will amount to probably the same or less and be later than you could have harvested with just training, depending on the severity of the "defoliation" and how long your plant took to recover

SirGreenThumb · Jul 8, 2013

WayBaked said:
Incorrect. There is zero benefit to removing healthy leaves.

If they are in the way, tie/tuck them out of the way. They are both generating and storing energy & nutrients for the plant, don't rob her of them.

There is no scientific evidence that suggests removing fan leaves is beneficial for the plant.

Only leaves that are heavily damaged (>50%) should be removed. Ideally you won't ever have damaged leaves.

He isn't going to lose any plant growth from a 6 foot plant by removing a few leaves.

WayBaked · Jul 8, 2013

SirGreenThumb said:
He isn't going to lose any plant growth from a 6 foot plant by removing a few leaves.

I don't know about you, but I don't do things to my plant just because it won't hurt it very much.

If there's no benefit, it doesn't matter how insignificant the drawbacks are, there's no reason to do it.

And you also have zero empirical data as to the exact effect of defoliage on Cannabis, so it's asinine for you to suggest such a thing in the first place.

SirGreenThumb · Jul 8, 2013

WayBaked said:
I don't know about you, but I don't do things to my plant just because it won't hurt it very much.

If there's no benefit, it doesn't matter how insignificant the drawbacks are, there's no reason to do it.

And you also have zero empirical data as to the exact effect of defoliage on Cannabis, so it's asinine for you to suggest such a thing in the first place.

And how did you come to that conclusion?

You are obviously clueless about what you are talking about, and trying to attack me discredits you even more. Use a little bit of common sense, if the plant is 6 foot tall there is obviously enough growth to sustain the plant, it wont even go through a shock from removing a "couple" of leaves. You logic is idiotic and based on your plants that you are growing under 3000w I wouldn't listen to a word you say. How are you even going to tell someone not to remove a couple of leaves when some of your plants are missing the majority.

Don't even try and think that because I don't have any active postings on my grows that I don't know what I'm talking about. I suggest if you want to help someone, you give your opinion and move on. Quit trying to be a badass thinking you know me.

MYOB · Jul 8, 2013

There are examples with pictures of people almost completely defoliating several times during veg and flower and producing huge yields.

Do you top your plant? LST? Use artificial light? Force flowering? Not allow for pollination?

We are not trying to grow a wild cannabis plant. We are cultivating a plant for consumption.

Plants natural environment is outdoors, under sunlight. The plant needs lots of leaves to utilize the intense light of the sun. Artificial lights have no where near the penetration of the sun.

How would a plant produce with one 15w CFL?

Impman · Jul 8, 2013

MYOB said:
There are examples with pictures of people almost completely defoliating several times during veg and flower and producing huge yields.

Do you top your plant? LST? Use artificial light? Force flowering? Not allow for pollination?

We are not trying to grow a wild cannabis plant. We are cultivating a plant for consumption.

Plants natural environment is outdoors, under sunlight. The plant needs lots of leaves to utilize the intense light of the sun. Artificial lights have no where near the penetration of the sun.

How would a plant produce with one 15w CFL?

Defoliating is a really bad idea. There are 0 examples of 'huge' yields. Google photosynthesis and dont take any more advice from stoners. read up on plant science. if you listen to half this shit , your plants will look like sirgreenthumbs horror show he posted. NEVER lolipop, never ever ever remove a leaf. they do not block light, that is the most noob thing to say or ask. Again google photosynthesis and dont take these peoples advice. how scary and embarrassing that you ask a question and get so much bullshit in replys. i feel bad for all new growers seeking info on here.

WayBaked · Jul 8, 2013

SirGreenThumb said:
And how did you come to that conclusion?

You are obviously clueless about what you are talking about, and trying to attack me discredits you even more. Use a little bit of common sense, if the plant is 6 foot tall there is obviously enough growth to sustain the plant, it wont even go through a shock from removing a "couple" of leaves. You logic is idiotic and based on your plants that you are growing under 3000w I wouldn't listen to a word you say. How are you even going to tell someone not to remove a couple of leaves when some of your plants are missing the majority.

Don't even try and think that because I don't have any active postings on my grows that I don't know what I'm talking about. I suggest if you want to help someone, you give your opinion and move on. Quit trying to be a badass thinking you know me.

Do I really need to explain the difference between removing branches and removing leaves to you?

Not to mention those were plants I inherited in bad shape, you obviously don't know the story you're just angrily grasping at anything to give yourself credit.

You shouldn't be giving out advice to anybody.

bigsteve · Jul 8, 2013

The rule on yellow leaves is -- remove them only if they are more than 50% dead. BigSteve.

potpimp · Jul 8, 2013

Yellowing leaves are screaming "FEED ME NITROGEN!!" Do that and they will green up. Why cut off what the plant uses to collect and use the light?

Keif Cheif · Jul 8, 2013

DO NOT REMOVE LEAVES!! Only when they are "on their way out" and more than 50% dead (Jorge's rule of thumb). They are super important when it comes to the process of photosynthesis, so that the plant has the ability to take in photons for usable energy/carbs.

Tuck the leaves back or under the buds, but do everything in your power to keep the fan leaves on there. If you don't, then you are shooting yourself in the foot when it comes to flower development

WayBaked · Jul 8, 2013

SirGreenThumb said:
HAHAHA. way to try and take what I just said about you and say it to me. Also, maybe you cannot comprehend sentences, so I'll say it again. Whether or not you "inherited" those plants or not, it still doesn't take away from the fact that you have other plants that you are "apparently" growing under 3000w and they little bud development. So, I'll say once again, I don't need you to explain anything to me, looking at your grow tells me I wouldn't learn shit from you.

What amazes me the most about people posting in here, is it seems as though no one actually "read" what he wrote. Firstly, he already removed 2 and secondly there are four more that have "blackish" rust spots. He also said that the issue has been resolved and has new growth and is wondering if it will bother photosynthesis if he removes them, and I say again, removing 4 leaves will not effect any growth of the plant. Lastly, by him saying that there are rust spots on the leaves, it seems to me like it has a magnesium or possibly calcium Deficiency.

All in all, to the op's original post, No, it will not effect the plant if you remove four leaves.

My plants have plenty of bud growth for their age. You seem angry. It's rather simple, you are wrong, there is no reason to remove healthy leaves. And yes, removing leaves will affect plant growth. You cannot remove energy and nutrients and have zero effect on the plant. That's a ridiculous claim.

jondamon · Jul 8, 2013

WayBaked said:
My plants have plenty of bud growth for their age. You seem angry. It's rather simple, you are wrong, there is no reason to remove healthy leaves. And yes, removing leaves will affect plant growth. You cannot remove energy and nutrients and have zero effect on the plant. That's a ridiculous claim.

I have a question.

Not trying to argue and don't want to be jumped on here.

Let me give you a scenario.

5ft tall plant.
400w hps.
Are you saying its worth keeping all 5ft with all of its leaves/branches? Even though only 2.5ft of the plant from the top down is receiving enough light to grow well?

I believe in plant training and cleaning bottom growth.

Personally in the scenario above I would strip off a few feet from the bottom up. Leaving me enough plant matter within the sweet spot of the light penetration due to the inverse square law.

Again not trying to argue just curious to see response.

Or anyone's response as this is not just a scenario for yourself way baked. I only quoted you to ask.

J

jondamon · Jul 8, 2013

Also here are some pics of my variation on training and pruning.

Before trimming during veg.

After trimming during veg

Same plant around 35 days of flowering.

Same plant just the other day.

Would just like to add this isn't the scenario plant from above.

Its around 2.5ft tall.

J

SirGreenThumb · Jul 8, 2013

Turn off the hps before taking pics. :lol:

Jk...

I've been trying to explain that taking off a couple leaves isn't going to harm the plant. I guess I wasn't getting my point across. It's like in your pics, you have pruned in order to concentrate growth to a certain area of your plants, as a lot of people do since "most" don't even bother with the lower bud growth, and it makes the top growth more efficient.

jondamon · Jul 8, 2013

SirGreenThumb said:
Turn off the hps before taking pics. Jk...
I've been trying to explain that taking off a couple leaves isn't going to harm the plant. I guess I wasn't getting my point across. It's like in your pics, you have pruned in order to concentrate growth to a certain area of your plants, as a lot of people do since "most" don't even bother with the lower bud growth, and it makes the top growth more efficient.

I don't do no hps pics.

I barely break out the laptop let alone digital camera. Lol.

How's this though.

And this

Just as hps fires up. Lol.

But you're right that's exactly what I'm doing is pruning based on light penetration and footprint etc.

Not to concentrate growth up top but to make the most use of the lighting I'm using.

J

Should I Cut Yellow Leaves Off If They Are Blocking Light?

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