Hi, Has anyone tried schwazzing.
David.
Never even heard of it haha
Yes - if done properly it improves yields by at least 40%. This is a subject that has been discussed many times - To defoliate or Not to defoliate. It does improve bud size also. suggest you do a bit of reading on the topic. Will tell you how to defoilate if you want me to - don’t get me wrong !
I was reading through some articles I had never heard of it either. Just wondering if anybody had tried it and if there is some science behind it?. Thanks.
David.
I just read an article about it. The basic idea is to trim the large fan leaves that block light from getting to lower spots, and cutting off all of the bud sites on a stem except the top 2 or 3. The result is bigger, denser buds. Use it on trained plants with many colas. You ONLY trim the leaves on Week 1 and Week 3 of flowering, because after that, the plant is no longer able to regrow fan leaves. So you cut off the big ones that block light, but the plant regrows smaller ones, so it still has enough leaves to give it the energy to make it to the end of the grow. But MOST of the light ends up going to the buds.
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So… just to get it straight, you cut the mature, well developed leaves, that can handle a lot of light, and sacrifice that for under-developed leaves that can’t uptake the light, stunting the photosynthesis process, and somehow that helps the plant grow?
There’s two sides to the article, and I don’t the Mother Nature is on the wrong side. Smaller leaves alone won’t help the plant grow, with respect to “Shade Avoidance”. Leaves are the lungs of the plant. It takes in CO2, uses the Carbon Atom with Photosynthesis, to built more plant matter, and releases O2 as waste. If Mother Nature wanted the lower leaves to do the work, they wouldn’t need help by pruning the top leaves off.
Understanding how light reacts with leaves is important. Theres real science in understanding why lower leaves are smaller. Here’s a small clip for your pleasure.
In my experience, larger yields are from longer Veg times, not defoliation.
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I’m not arguing for or against it, just relaying what I read! You don’t cut ALL the leaves, just the biggest ones that block light. And remember, you’re doing this at the outset of flowering, so even though the plant still grows, it’s now focused on buds, not growth. So the way I understood the article, the light that would otherwise be sucked up and wasted by fan leaves now goes directly to the buds and helps them grow bigger instead. I don’t know if that’s all correct or works, but that’s what I got as the idea behind it.
Then again, I’ve read other articles that say as the plant nears harvest, the big fan leaves transfer all their energy to the buds anyway. Plus, you’d miss out on making bubble hash or cannabutter with the trimmings!
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Hi, thanks for the replies. Dumme thanks for the video. Next grow I maybe try it with 1 plant. Thanks.
David.
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It’s funny but I actually do this and didn’t realize it had some crazy terminology haha!
I only do it to let the light hit lower buds and penetrate better. I can see why it wouldn’t be beneficial after what @Aquaponic_Dumme said. But at the same, we can only truly learn if we try new things and do the research and experiments.
Lollipop is a form of defoliation if you think about it. Most growers at least will lollipop. So technically were all already defoliating our plants haha.
My plant that’s in flower right now (Blueberry clone) was probably the most defoliation of a plant I’ve ever done. So in a couple weeks we’ll get to see the results!
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Will you post some pics in a couple of weeks?. i am just finishing off some Blueberry I put in jars 6 months ago it’s very good. Cloning is my next step. Thanks.
David.
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If you go to this link you’ll see my Blueberry Clones @david1954
I keep this thread updated daily. How do you like the Blueberry? Because I’ve loved it so far!
You can see the progression of defoliation that I perform.
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Thanks for the link. sorry to hear about your girl problem I didn’t know that cutting the bottom branches before scrog was called " lollipop " i like to learn something everyday lol.
Thanks.
David.
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I do this all the time. It has done wonders to smaller plants. But. There is a time of day to do this. Its right before the sun comes up. So the morning dew helps the plant revive
i have 25 years grow . I have almost mastered the art of pruning. And with the right bending and i can bend a plant to grow 4 times denser . I love bending. It works best outdoors.
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What is lollipoping?
It’s where all the lower leaves and stems are removed, usually in scrog grows
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What is a scrog grow. Im and outdoor grower who has been hiding for many years. Sry
There are many threads here on scrog grows with pics and discussions. Search it
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Thank you i will.
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Hi, I am going to have a go at bending in the next grow.