Defoliation reference photos?

Hey everyone, I want to defoliate my 4 week old AH autos and I’m looking for some good quality before/after pics. Im super nervous cuz it’s my first grow, so anything that can help me set a clear expectation would be super helpful. I’ll keep searching around of course but I figured I would ask in the open as well…

Thanks!

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@scylents. Don’t have any pics of before and after but just be aware that if done incorrectly with autos you can stunt them and cause decreased yield.
Better to tuck as many as possible as long as you can.
With autos I’ll only remove the occasional light blocking fan leaf. Think of them like light gathering solar panels.
The more that are removed. The less potential for full healthy growth. :wink::v:

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I’ve got no experience with autos myself but I’ve always heard NOT to defoliate them. I can’t suggest you do or don’t though, just telling you what I’ve heard.

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I have but I learned from @BigDaddyCain he’s much more knowledgeable than me. Here’s his journal.

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In my opinion, I would stick with defoliating photo plants. Autoflowers don’t like many leaves removed. They can handle light leaf removal and LST though. I’ve grown Amnesia Haze Auto. Its great daytime smoke.

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When I started my current and first grow, I was unaware of the rules of autos. Both my plants started in jiffy pellets, then solo cups, then 1 gallon pots, then 5 gallon grow bags. Both were topped and defoliated. The one on the right is the auto, the left is a photo. I won’t ever worry about autos lol.

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@Oldguy @GreenJewels @elheffe702 @repins12 @Psu8286

Two pics… one w/ no marks, one with so you can see what I’m thinking…

I want to remove two fan leaves. I want to take away the yellow or the red. Not both…

But if the fan leaves should stay then I won’t touch her…

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@scylents. I wouldn’t touch the ones in red. Too close to the top. If I was going to remove any it would be the yellow ones.
At that size imo they need all their leaves.
I’m not a leaf remover for autos till later at flowering when I clean up the undersides for air flow and light blockers. :wink::grin:

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Personally I wouldn’t cut off anything unless its touching the dirt. Way to young to start pruning. Just let her grow. She looks good

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Sound advice from both above

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Thanks Guys!! I’m calm and my patients are refreshed.

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It’s a waiting game. Enjoy the ride.

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Let it grow at least dbl before taking leaf’s off.

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A plant that small u can take the lower leafs but I would wait until you are rdy to flip then do the defoliation in this order first when you are about a week out get the stuff rdy to go now doing it this way you won’t have to do it all at once I do mine all at once 24hr before I flip so that have that time to do some healing then flip now step 2 I leave the top leafs and the 2 leafs one node down everything else that has a stem goes then let them grow for 21 days at that point you do a mild defoliation only leafs that are blocking 2 or more established bud sites now at day 42 of flower you do the same thing as day 21 but at this point the buds should be starting to get big after that you only take leafs that are 50% damaged or again blocking 2 or more sights other then that you just let them grow. That’s what I have done for years. You have to leave leafs so they have energy to keep plant growing those fat buds always think of it this way we are growing buds not leafs so leave atleast 10% of leaf every time you trim

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Thanks buddy! I read through the thread linked above. Mine are Autos, which I know makes a pretty big difference.

Thanks a bunch for the advice!! I’ll leave them to grow until I see buds popping up…

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I treated my auto just like a pheno. She loved it. Best plant in the tent.

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Yes I’ve yet to do auto but I have a few and @GreenJewels is looking forward to me killing the first one lol but I’m going to try an auto after these I’m not sure on how big they will get so I might just do one to judge if I have room for 2. photos are easier on that because I deside when they flower :joy: not the plant so wish me luck in about 10 weeks flower started like 2 days ago and I don’t start my flower count down until I see flowers I don’t count the 18-21 days of transition. Oh I forgot to ask @GreenJewels should I do the cheese first

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That’s pretty much my understanding as well. I don’t count it as flower until I see buttons

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Yep but a lot count from light flip it’s not wrong but it always takes 2-3 weeks longer when they say 8-10 weeks flower that doesn’t include Transition. Atleast that’s my take on it I could be wrong on that but it’s what I’ve seen if you go from light flip it tuns a 8-10 week into a 11-15 week flower.

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Exactly. I agree 100%

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