LST and minor defoliation during early flowering?

[THCosmic]

I just started flowering on Sunday and I am not sure if it is a good idea to LST at this time. Currently I removed all weights and tie-downs. Is it fine to keep on training during the stretch?

Also was wondering about defoliating. I always read you shouldn't defoliate during early flowering, but is it fine to remove a few leaves per plant once or twice a week?

Right now I have just been reorganizing the leaves as best I can to make sure newer growth is on top and receiving light.

 

[franklygrown]

I just started flowering on Sunday and I am not sure if it is a good idea to LST at this time. Currently I removed all weights and tie-downs. Is it fine to keep on training during the stretch?

Also was wondering about defoliating. I always read you shouldn't defoliate during early flowering, but is it fine to remove a few leaves per plant once or twice a week?

Right now I have just been reorganizing the leaves as best I can to make sure newer growth is on top and receiving light.

LST is low stress, you can use lst to keep even cola height and bigger colas. I only remove leaves that inhibit light and air. Really only leaves that aren't producing. Pick a height and defoliate below, keeps the little useless buds from taking energy from main colas.

 

[THCosmic]

LST is low stress, you can use lst to keep even cola height and bigger colas. I only remove leaves that inhibit light and air. Really only leaves that aren't producing. Pick a height and defoliate below, keeps the little useless buds from taking energy from main colas.

Thank you for the quick reply. That is what I was using LST for during veg. I have a pretty even canopy. I see a few low fan leaves getting no light and a few upper fan leaves growing inward blocking light for other bud sites. I would usually remove those during veg, but I'm worried about the stress during these first 2-3 weeks of flower. 6 days ago I did a major defoliation and could see every bud site clearly. Now it is a jungle again. They recover so fast, lol. I was hoping that defoliation would last through the stretch.

Both on the left are extremely bushy. Top-right is starting to get covered a bit. I just keep moving its leaves on top of the larger one on the left. Bottom-right was a seed germinated a week after the rest and has since been having trouble keeping up with the others, but figured I would still give it a shot. I have that one bent 90 degrees and left only the shoots growing vertically. You can still see 2 tie-downs on the right plants and a weight on the upper-left plant which was used for LST.

 

[franklygrown]

Thank you for the quick reply. That is what I was using LST for during veg. I have a pretty even canopy. I see a few low fan leaves getting no light and a few upper fan leaves growing inward blocking light for other bud sites. I would usually remove those during veg, but I'm worried about the stress during these first 2-3 weeks of flower. 6 days ago I did a major defoliation and could see every bud site clearly. Now it is a jungle again. They recover so fast, lol. I was hoping that defoliation would last through the stretch.

View attachment 2482051
Both on the left are extremely bushy. Top-right is starting to get covered a bit. I just keep moving its leaves on top of the larger one on the left. Bottom-right was a seed germinated a week after the rest and has since been having trouble keeping up with the others, but figured I would still give it a shot. I have that one bent 90 degrees and left only the shoots growing vertically. You can still see 2 tie-downs on the right plants and a weight on the upper-left plant which was used for LST.

I use clips and early veg topping, then only strip problematic leaves and under the canopy.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

I just started flowering on Sunday and I am not sure if it is a good idea to LST at this time. Currently I removed all weights and tie-downs. Is it fine to keep on training during the stretch?

I can't tell for sure how tall your plants are, but they look short and crowded. There may not be much room to bend stems. There's also not much time left for new growth. There isn't much of that after the stretching is done. So, I don't think there'd be much benefit in doing LST now. I'm not a fan of LST anyway, though, so there's that.

Also was wondering about defoliating. I always read you shouldn't defoliate during early flowering, but is it fine to remove a few leaves per plant once or twice a week?

I don't defoliate without a good reason to do so. We harvest the small buds. You can defoliate during early flowering or during stretching. I think it's best to have it done earlier, though. When I defoliate, I remove a few leaves, and sometimes branches, at a time because I like to watch how the plant responds. That is less stressful for the plant, as well.

 

[THCosmic]

I use clips and early veg topping, then only strip problematic leaves and under the canopy.

Those look so clean and organized. What is the size of your tent?

I can't tell for sure how tall your plants are, but they look short and crowded. There may not be much room to bend stems. There's also not much time left for new growth. There isn't much of that after the stretching is done. So, I don't think there'd be much benefit in doing LST now. I'm not a fan of LST anyway, though, so there's that.

They are short for sure, under 12 inches. Previous grows I let them grow to 12 to 16 inches before flowering and then the plants grew into the light. You are definitely right that there is not much more room. There are maybe 5 or 6 branches I can still train, but even of those only 1 or 2 would fill new area. I am honestly not so worried about LST any more. I think I can only focus on vertical growth now.

I don't defoliate without a good reason to do so. We harvest the small buds. You can defoliate during early flowering or during stretching. I think it's best to have it done earlier, though. When I defoliate, I remove a few leaves, and sometimes branches, at a time because I like to watch how the plant responds. That is less stressful for the plant, as well.

This is the way I was leaning. Got the major defoliation done 3 days before flipping, then haven't done any since. I think I will hold off on defoliating any more until this first week of flowering is over, then maybe take off a few of the obvious leaves/branches.

 

[franklygrown]

I use clips and early veg topping, then only strip problematic leaves and under the canopy.

Not clean, nor organized, 2×4×5h on an 18" platform for easy old man access.