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Lower Bud trim, Fan Leaves trim

GreenPlanet
GreenPlanetstarted grow question 5 years ago
Should i trim some of the lower buds and Fan Leaves for better light or just let it gro by itself?
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Buds. Other
Leaves. Too many
Techniques. Defoliation
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420UNO
420UNOanswered grow question 5 years ago
If its flower size and development up top (flower size over potential yield) then defoliate the lower growth, you can see what is behind in growth by comparing flower sizes from top to bottom, and depending on what you are aiming for defoliate accordingly. For exqmple If you are aiming for single colas of outstanding quality you can defoliate the lower 3/4 of the plant although probably at a huge sacrifice to yield. Most people defoliate the lower quarter to third depending on spacing and size of the plant. Depending on your light source If you are looking for yield only and care not for quality / size consistancy then you can leave it to run without defoliating. By letting it run you are causing no stress to the plant, nor wasting its resources on healing / already produced. Ultimately if you have good light penetration, a large and healthy root system with ample nutrients, in my experience and opinion this will yield more than a defoliated plant, although works far better outdoors where light strength over distance is no issue, if you are using CFLs for example this will very likely lower your overall yield! If you are looking to increase light down to the lower flowers and not aiming for a flat canopy up top only, defoliate minimally especially indoors as removing top leaves will negatively effect yields. Outdoors with larger plants this can be beneficial for overall yield. Try to keep the cuts clean when defoliating if you are removing stems. Definitely better to defoliate as early as possible in flowering, the later it is the more stress is put on the plant also more wasted energy on growth you remove that could have been used somewhere else. If defoliated large amounts can be done over a few days in stages if stress could be a concern, this can cause hermaphroditism! In your case I would probably let it run, you are in your 5th week of flower, plant looks healthy and not struggling, and although you have some smaller growth at the bottom its already well on its way. May only be a few grams but removing it wont gain you more than what you remove in my opinion. If you dont like smoking the smaller stuff use it for an extraction or cooking! Next time In the same circumstance Id go with the other suggestions above and defoliate the lower flowers within the first two weeks of flipping, especially with the power of the lighting you are using! Also if you do defoliate keep your eyes on the wounds as you may find new flower growth starting again later on, especially if fan leaves are left on at defoliated flower sites! Thats all my opinion, doesnt mean Im right for what you want! You can experiement with your set up, run two identical plants and let one run as a control, try defoliating the other and check the end yields / quality then in future try and fine tune it for your needs! Peace and looking great keep up the good work! 🌬️
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CannaScuzzyB
CannaScuzzyBanswered grow question 5 years ago
I would say defoliate, but nothing too much that is going to stress the plant depending on the strain and genetic lineage you got going. Some strains can put up with a lot (mold resistance, light stress, heat stress, wind stress) and not really be disturbed. I personally remove any lower branches that aren't getting a ton of light like the top mid "crown" area is getting. Trimming any big fan leaves to show more light on your lower buds will most certainly increase your yield, but also removing lower buds and just having larger crown's will create large cola's. I've been to large greenhouse's in California that remove all the lower buds and leaves, so you literally look down the rows and see a bunch of consistent height. I thought it would help with managing the plant (which inadvertently it does), but it's more to increase yields and have bigger buds as opposed to having a couple big buds per plant and a bunch of popcorn nugs. You can also use methods like a ScroG netting which will add resistance to your branches and force them to go sideways and cause the branch to almost have a 45 degree angle..this is great light exposure with good defoliation 😊
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Northerngrowers
Northerngrowersanswered grow question 5 years ago
-Te recomendaría eliminar los brotes mas bajos hasta el tercer nudo mas o menos ya que no van a recibir prácticamente luz y así la planta poder concentrar todo su potencial en las ramas mas altas. -Respecto a las hojas, piensa que son las responsables de absorber la luz, por lo tanto imprescindibles y no es un gran problema que tapen alguna rama, solo quitaría las hojas de las partes mas bajas que se van poniendo feas hasta bien entrada la floración. Espero haber sido de ayuda! Saludos y buenos humos🌱🐝👨‍🌾
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Fruitgrower
Fruitgroweranswered grow question 5 years ago
Hey dude, on your plant I wouldn't trim anything. Looking fine at its. But what I would recommend at this stage is too boost the nutes a bit more and also only 30w led, is this enough power?
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MovingOn
MovingOnanswered grow question 5 years ago
Most people defoliate, but from now on, I will not until I see somebody actually prove with side by side clones that it actually improves yield. Here are some interesting links to check out: https://www.cocoforcannabis.com/community/photons_corner/to-defoliate-or-not-to-defoliate/ https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=285930&page=15 https://www.mmjdaily.com/article/9181646/does-defoliation-really-improve-a-cannabis-crop/
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WillyWonka
WillyWonkaanswered grow question 5 years ago
Personally I’d remove. The amount of time it takes to trim those tiny popcorn buds come harvest time just isn’t worth it. I’ve learnt this through personal experience, but it’s up to you. Best way to learn is to try both over time 🌱
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OutForReal
OutForRealanswered grow question 5 years ago
You can take away the leaves that are not receiving enough light , the top canopy is perfect but the lower leaves spots can be cleaned.
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Harrythehat
Harrythehatanswered grow question 5 years ago
trim shade away give them a bit more light and they will mature
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