I have a 500 W HPS and a LED strip. Bruce Banner auto. I did the topping after 3 branches and spread them out. (2 plants). Most of the growth was in the center of the HPS, from the ones tied down. I trimmed leaves when a new branch started, to get more light to lower parts of plant. I topped a few when they grew faster than other branches and got too close to the light and started burning. They started flowering 5 days ago and I tied down as many branches that I could, due to room on screen & light range. I needed help to raise to highest level yesterday. (dog gate on two chairs) I had removed many leaves and they now looked like sticks with small branches. I’ve tied down as many as I could. The lower branches on the tied down ones are growing and started flowering. I wondered if I was doing too much leaf removal. Would it be better to leave them. I’ll be building a PCV holder for next crop as the results are better with scrogging method.
I would recommend leaving them just because when it starts to flower it will use the energy from the leaves in the flowers will suck the life out of the leaves and it will help your buds
@AHEF Howdy!! Nifty innovation with the doggie gate scrog lol!! You could do another scrog higher too. I’ve seen a bunch of multiple layer scrogs in journals.
The defol question is a major one debated in here. To or not to. Seems to be Growers Choice with positive results either way.
The Dog gate has worked well. This was my 3rd grow, since Va. allow home growing 4 plants last July. The first 2 did not have much harvest. So, I rigged up a cheap Scrog screen to see if it was worth it to invest more $. It definitely is. I got PCV pipes yesterday to replace the chairs for next grow, still going to use the dog gate as easier than rigging it and can tie to PCV pipes. I’ve tied down more of the center branches, and all seem to have the lower branches on it growing and starting flowering. Will post more pictures in a week as budding should be at 2nd week. The grow forums have provided me with lots of information to help me learn. I’m not planning on trimming the sugar leaves, unless needed.
@AHEF Not ANOTHER VIRGINIAN lmao!!! Y’all are deeeeeep up in here. Welcome from your Northern MD neighbor lol!! 
Solid work my friend. As mentioned above I would rig up another screen towards the top. I’m thoughts on helping support those huge sticky buds you are going to get.
You look pretty good in the defoliation department. Might just want to let her ride it out how she is. She’s looking good
Ceciltucky here…
Yep, the defol debate rages on. I do know, that growers like hellraiser and @Low, both defol heavily throughout the grow. Especially Low, and his results speak for themselves. Wish he was still around @AHEF , as he is the scrog king. Take a look at his journals. Its crazy what hes done. @Growingforothers has followed Lows techniques, and has been creating some beauties the past year. Check him out as well.
Thanks for the suggestion to look at those posters. The bent/tied down branches have the lower one growing up and the leaves are smaller, so I stop trimming, except for ones I topped that were taller and close to the light. I’ll post updated pics, next Friday/Saturday.
How do you search for their grow journals? I tried the search on it and got lots of grow journals but did not seem to have their names on title info.
Current status. Got PVC pipes to replace chairs, was easy to do. Been cutting low branches below screen or right above that were not growing much. I read this somewhere here to do that. The one plant is 10 days behind to start flowering.
