Nine weeks in TRIM ?

[Bruno]

I'm nine weeks into flowering and was wondering if it would not harm the plant if I trimmed or completely removed some fan leaves blocking light from some buds .
This is only my second time out the gate and have a couple of great looking ladies .
May you always have bountiful harvests .

 

[smokinrav]

Buds do not grow plants, healthy, green leaves grow plants. Healthy, green leaves therefore grow buds.

Good luck, happy harvesting!

 

[E.T.]

i disagree with the above post....at 9 wks in you should be selectively removing fan leaves that are blocking light to lower bud sites. this will also help with air movement through your plants, lessening the chances for mold. if you're running a sativa that will finish in 14 wks, i might hold off for a few more weeks...

 

[ibTheMan]

take the big leaves off the main stem, the ones that have branchs above um to start with, what kinda strain is it, most stuff doesnt go over 10 weeks, are you in flush?

 

[smokinrav]

i disagree with the above post....at 9 wks in you should be selectively removing fan leaves that are blocking light to lower bud sites. this will also help with air movement through your plants, lessening the chances for mold. if you're running a sativa that will finish in 14 wks, i might hold off for a few more weeks...

You disagree that green leaves grow plants? It's like I'm in a time warp to the worst Overgrow dogma from 2001.

To the OP. If you must do something with your leaves, just move them out of the way. Don't remove them or you will be doing your plants a disservice.

 

[E.T.]

i disagree that at nine wks you're not growing plants....you're finishing them

 

[sedate]

You disagree that green leaves grow plants? It's like I'm in a time warp to the worst Overgrow dogma from 2001.

Ha. That's kinda funny.

But - uh - there really isn't anything wrong with thinning out plants a bit - weak internal branches and detritus from the middle of the plant in particular.

And I don't really think there is anything wrong with "selectively removing fan leaves" - but definitely stress the 'selectively' ... you are right that plants derive energy from leaves - but that doesn't really mean never remove one ever.

To the OP. If you must do something with your leaves, just move them out of the way. Don't remove them or you will be doing your plants a disservice.

Tucking leaves out of light usually makes them wither and die. Talk about the worst overgrow dogma. :tongue0011:

To the OP:

-Do NOT clear-cut your plant.

-Some selective pruning is fine and careful plant management here can increase yield.

-Absolutely remove any and all detritus from the central parts of the plant.

However -

At 9 weeks you should be right done - few strains would have you more than 10 days out or so - pruning isn't what you do at this point in time . . . usually after the post-flip-strech is done you do all this - not week 9.

At this point I wouldn't bother anyway - just flush 'em out and finish them up.

 

[Bruno]

Monday is the start of week ten for the ladies . I'm growing from seed a Killing Fields sativa indica cross? and an Uber Kush indica indica ? from Sannie . The KF has huge fan leaves and a few are covering or partially covering some large buds . I've bent and moved them as best I can , but I've still got a lot of covered buds . I was wondering if partially trimming a leaf of completely removing a leaf to get more light on the buds especially now that I'm so close to finishing . I'm not thinking of trimming the Uber Kush because it's so dense and the buds look like they are compressed . And the bud leaf (the small leaves) are crusted with trichomes ? but not ready yet . I'll also be looking for info on doing a proper flush so I'm open for suggestions . I'm always willing to learn . I love watching them grow . I find it amazing .

 

[singlespeed]

LOL, this is a chicken-or-an egg debate! Farmers circle this topic with great debate. It's all up to you, so do what ever you're comfortable with. Another thing to consider is how many plants you're growing and what type of growing technique you adopt. I'm Scrog-er with many plants, so I say yes. I clip and pluck all of the time. If I only had a few plants in a closet I would do a bit less plucking.

Flushing: I start with a clear-ex flush and then flush(with pH water) for a about week.

 

[amstercal]

How much longer are you planning on taking them? Just a week? Then I'd definitely remove the ones that are blocking bud sites. Buds that have direct light hitting them will harden off in a way they won't if they are covered. I agree you are done "growing" the plants. Finish them up if you just have a week.

 

[Sunbiz1]

LOL, this is a chicken-or-an egg debate! Farmers circle this topic with great debate. It's all up to you, so do what ever you're comfortable with. Another thing to consider is how many plants you're growing and what type of growing technique you adopt. I'm Scrog-er with many plants, so I say yes. I clip and pluck all of the time. If I only had a few plants in a closet I would do a bit less plucking.

Flushing: I start with a clear-ex flush and then flush(with pH water) for a about week.

In which week do you begin your flush?, say for a 10 week strain.

 

[Bruno]

I've been following a twelve week regimen . Feeding Fox Farm neuts and using their flush at reccommended intervals . I only feed at 1/3 reccommended strength . So I'll be flushing again at the end of this week .
Wish I could post a picture to help show what I've got going to help explain .
The KF plant has a sour lemon fuel smell that tickles the nose . The UK plant has a fuel smell that comes and goes . Both plants show lots of trichomes that are still clear and the heads don't appear to be swollen yet but I know they are close . I let my first winter grow go too long . I was never sure they were ready . Even though one plant at the time smelled of blue berry and flowers . . I just made the stupid mistake of waiting too long and I really want to get this right this time . .

 

[singlespeed]

Sunbiz1: With a 10 week strain, I would start flushing sometime during week 9. I guess it depends on your medium too. I use rockwool and like to flush for about 7 days. As far as the 7-9-10 etc... week strains, that should be a rough estimate. I think most folks claim rapid maturing (ie 7 week strains) just to sell their seeds. I am growing Super Skunk and it suppose to be a 7 week strain and I am day 57. I am started flushing last Wednesday. IMO - keep a close I on the trichomes. They should be fogging and swollen and if you monitor them regularly it's pretty obvious when it ready. I am taking the Super Skunk down tomorrow (i hope) but my GDP will go another week. Get a 60x pocket microscope. They are about 15 bucks.

Bruno-Why do you think it went too long? What strain and how long did you go? Were the trichomes orange and shriveling or did you have it tested? Most people tend to take it down too soon.

 

[Bruno]

I'm thinking it went too long because flowers started to appear one here one there . Not like the plant was a hermi . I read in a book that when this happens that the plant is at or past prime harvest time . No testing was done . I live in ta UP and there is no one that I know of that tests plants up here .

PS .
strain was killingfields from Sanie/Sannie 2010 I was also growing the uber kush (3 hermi's out of 5 seeds ) but still a potent flower .

 

[singlespeed]

Thanks for the feedback. I always like hearing peoples opinion on what's too long or too early. I took my 1/2 of Super Skunk down last night. The tops are bomb and looked done but I have some under-devoloped buds down low. I hate trimming!

 

[Capulator]

I flush 2 weeks with plain pH'd water if I can. Watch the trichs to know when to harvest:

clear trichs: mostly clearer, head high.
Amber trichs: Heavier, sleepier high.
Milky: in between.

A lot of people harvest when the trichs are clear, getting milky, and turning amber (trichs dont all change at once). I know this sounds amiguous, but it is what it is.

Get a jewelers loop for this.

Def remove leaves that are sitting on top of buds, or move them out of the way. That way the buds will lose that light green in the shade look.

Trim bottom stuff next time at weeks 1-3, to avoid extra trimming in the end.

 

[Bruno]

Did a small amount of trimming to let light in and open buds to light .

Going to flush with Sledge Hammer flush from Fox Farm and ro water to finish bud looks near ready . Surprised how fast things can change .
Trichomes are still mostly clear . Bud leaf edges are rimed with trich's even bottoms are covered . Plant smell has changed from lemon fuel to grape marijuana .

I can hardly wait .

 

[singlespeed]

That's awesome! I pulled most of leaves off my GDP too. It really helps with purple strain. I think it is a must for purple strains in order to get the bottom half of the plant to turn purple… or cut off the tops and let the rest go a few more days.

 

[Sunbiz1]

Sunbiz1: With a 10 week strain, I would start flushing sometime during week 9. I guess it depends on your medium too. I use rockwool and like to flush for about 7 days. As far as the 7-9-10 etc... week strains, that should be a rough estimate. I think most folks claim rapid maturing (ie 7 week strains) just to sell their seeds. I am growing Super Skunk and it suppose to be a 7 week strain and I am day 57. I am started flushing last Wednesday. IMO - keep a close I on the trichomes. They should be fogging and swollen and if you monitor them regularly it's pretty obvious when it ready. I am taking the Super Skunk down tomorrow (i hope) but my GDP will go another week. Get a 60x pocket microscope. They are about 15 bucks.

Bruno-Why do you think it went too long? What strain and how long did you go? Were the trichomes orange and shriveling or did you have it tested? Most people tend to take it down too soon.

How does one flush in the ground plants, a watering truck?. I'm only kidding, but it does bring up an interesting topic for another thread. Trichome color is another interesting one, some strains never change from clear and milky is not always a good thing...again, a topic for another thread I guess. Chapter 4 of the link I posted in the geneticist thread gives a TON of info of the subject.

Good luck on the harvest!

Edit...here is the link:http://www.mellowgold.com/grow/mjbotany-removed/marijuanabotany4.html

 

[tjrasta]

to trim or not to trim? im still debating it, but these guys with pictures of big fat plants probably know what they're doing, so im gonna try trimming one plant even if i makes me cringe