Picking Yellow Leaves

[saltwater]

hello all,

I've been doing some reading about picking the yellow leaves during flowering and I'm not sure what to go with.

My plants are in what I believe to be their last two weeks of flowering. Some of the low leaves are starting to turn yellow


Should I pick the leaves or should I leave them until after the end of the two weeks and just let them fall off when they fall off ?

Thanks in advance!

 

[seaslug]

It just doesn't matter, IMO. If they are at least half green I leave them on for a little more photosythesis.

 

[neverbreak]

until the leaf is totally dead and dry the plant is still sucking goodness out of it. and that goodness will ultimately end up in ur buds bro ;)

-neverbreak

 

[Elanor]

i think the plant wants to do what it wants to do. better just to leave it

 

[cloudust]

Leaves can go yellow and die for many reasons but if its healthy then its normal. Pulling the leaves off might confuse hormonal goings-on in the plant

 

[Cheiko]

Right. There are specific hormones orchestrating this process - basically an inverse relationship between auxin and ethylene at the abscission zone (at the base of the petiole) where cell walls undergo enzymatic breakdown and separate into a layer that splits off into the senescing leaf and a layer that undergoes further cell wall thickening and heals the wound. These hormones modulate the photosynthate flow in and out of carbon sinks. Trust in half a billion years of evolutionary wisdom and allow the plant to recoup some of its hard work.

 

[Abel]

But what if the dead leaves are blocking light to the live leaves?

 

[starfish]

But what if the dead leaves are blocking light to the live leaves?

haha. ...Thats a good point...but I would've thought there is so much incident light in the room the effect would be far more negligible than losing sugars and nutrients from pulling off leaves

 

[Seamaiden]

But what if the dead leaves are blocking light to the live leaves?

They've been doing it all along, right? Have the live leaves suffered for it? If so, that's your failure to maintain good canopy control. I leave them until they're actually dead, it's just easier that way.

 

[hawkman]

Should leave them - the plant is using all the nutrients from it - but - it's hard to leave them so pick them off when at least 1/2 yellow, But if it's yellowing because of nutrient issues - ouck it off; it's of no use to plant

 

[Seamaiden]

Not when the plant is nearing the end of her life, in that case it's simply a natural phase. :)

 

[frebo]

I pull them when they are all or mostly yellow. I am mostly afraid the the dead leaves will take on moisture from late fall rains and provide a great atmosphere for growing mold.

 

[hawkman]

Not when the plant is nearing the end of her life, in that case it's simply a natural phase. :)

Thanks ! anyway after week 4 of flower "fan" leaves are of no use to plant

 

[CelticEBE]

Thanks ! anyway after week 4 of flower "fan" leaves are of no use to plant

How do you figure that? Even on an early finishing plant fan leaves are crucial to bud development well after week 4. If you stripped a plant of its main ability to photosynthesize and transpire at week 4.....you are going to have some pretty weak looking, smelling, and tasting buds.

 

[hawkman]

How do you figure that? Even on an early finishing plant fan leaves are crucial to bud development well after week 4. If you stripped a plant of its main ability to photosynthesize and transpire at week 4.....you are going to have some pretty weak looking, smelling, and tasting buds.

Don't the "sugar" leaves take the place of fan leaves in later flower ?

 

[CelticEBE]

Don't the "sugar" leaves take the place of fan leaves in later flower ?

I would think that they do their job, but don't have near the surface area to do the job that fan leaves do.

 

[Kub]

More to consider ? Dead and dying leaves can’t bring on pests keep your canopy so you have a good airflow and light.