Defoliating three days before flower

[bigboo]

I am planning on switching lights to 12/12 in 4 days and want to defoliate today or tomorrow to allow healing. I know I need to remove any growth below my light line and to keep enough leaves to power through flowering. What I'm curious about is this. Is it better to keep fan leaves on the upper part or lower part of what is in light? Does it make a difference? My thinking is keeping lower leaves so they catch light without covering bud sites but am concerned if they will get enough light not being at top of plant. Any thoughts and/or advice?

 

[GNick55]

I am planning on switching lights to 12/12 in 4 days and want to defoliate today or tomorrow to allow healing. I know I need to remove any growth below my light line and to keep enough leaves to power through flowering. What I'm curious about is this. Is it better to keep fan leaves on the upper part or lower part of what is in light? Does it make a difference? My thinking is keeping lower leaves so they catch light without covering bud sites but am concerned if they will get enough light not being at top of plant. Any thoughts and/or advice?

well how’s your growing experience?
generally yes to removing lowering stuff but fan leaves you need for at least any deficiencies you may experience beyond needing them for photosynthesis

 

[bullfrog13]

dont get too crazy. they're tricky to put back on.
can you post a photo ?

 

[Trash_2002]

I'm against defoliation before flower too, maybe during veg one or two big ass indica leaves getting in the way of a main side branch, but I rarely do it depends on cultivar.

Cleaning lowers and cloning them I'm all for it, I always do it.
One week give or take before flowering.

 

[trustyagut]

I took plenty off mine before flower & during stretch and now I continually pluck any shit leaves as she progresses every day. I didn't go as far as the black dog team shows with defoliation but in my opinion it's definitely better to do some defoliation of leaves that are overlapping and going to cause microclimates. Do you have some pictures?

 

[Ben.Jamin]

I just flipped mine to flower tonight. They were pretty bushy before, I like to lollipop only 4 or 5 nodes up.

 

[Ben.Jamin]

Last couple days of week 2 flower, I go threw keep the best branches trim to 3rd or 4th node. Grows nice big nug dense colas.

 

[mjvdet13]

Strip your plants and flip day 1.. Day 14 prune back any remaining stuff below and light dealeaf. Day 21 can do light prune but main focus should be deleafing from there on out. After 21 only deleafing but if you prune up the buds to develop the top 5 bud sites you shouldnt have much deleafing. The people that have tons of deleafing are the people that dont prune their branches right from the beginning.. Your plants will love you for this attention.. Extra garbage on teh plants makes them unhealthy and suceptible to other problems.

 

[mjvdet13]

Last couple days of week 2 flower, I go threw keep the best branches trim to 3rd or 4th node. Grows nice big nug dense colas.

This guy is on the right track.. Make sure those lights are at 1000umolz roughly 6"-8" above canopy and you will kill the trellace growing. All that considering the room is at the right temp/humidity and airflow..

 

[Ben.Jamin]

This guy is on the right track.. Make sure those lights are at 1000umolz roughly 6"-8" above canopy and you will kill the trellace growing. All that considering the room is at the right temp/humidity and airflow..

yeah bro, I am pretty dialed in now. took several harvests to get to where I am and still learning!

 

[mjvdet13]

yeah bro, I am pretty dialed in now. took several harvests to get to where I am and still learning!

Yeah man you are on the right track for sure its all small tweaks from here on out

 

[Ben.Jamin]

yeah bro, I am pretty dialed in now. took several harvests to get to where I am and still learning!

lights were moved up so I don't cook my head, I keep as close as I can with tops still registering 72 or 73 with an ir heat gun

 

[mjvdet13]

lights were moved up so I don't cook my head, I keep as close as I can with tops still registering 72 or 73 with an ir heat gun

So the airmovement in the room should take care of most of the heat flow. Just make sure nothing is blowing directly at the plants but you have every other part of the room moving. They like to dance not lean over. With a good strip like that you can really dial in that humidity too theres not a bunch of other garbage on the plants dumping it everywhere.. Temps under 80/ humidity in the 50s for now/ good airflow proper clean on the plants lights at 1000 (get a par meter) and grand slam you are there.. Dont over water too make sure they do a dry/wet cycle every day