First signs of flower April 11. Bruce Banner photo in 5 gallon fabric pot. Last round I felt like I hurt the plant after plucking fan leaves at week 4… I’m debating and need some input. I stripped her just before flower and it helped as the sea of green took off. I screwed up and took to much to the outside…The middle hasn’t filled in yet but hope to see that happen in the next month. I’ve been told if I’m going to strip her to do it NOW but also have been told few leaves daily.
She’s frosting up nicely…this prob being my best grow in years. Would welcome y’all input. As always, thank everyone for your help.
1 Like
I don’t know about plucking naked. But you can take fan leaves and inside late development flowers.
2 Likes
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Let it grow.
I’ve been looking more into defoliation lately and have realized there’s a lot more debate on the subject than you might be excused for thinking if this is the only forum you read. This forum is very pro-defoliation. You’ll find not all are.
There’s a lot of things you can do to cannabis that will affect it in predictable ways that have been studied scientifically with peer reviewed studies. Defoliation is not one of those things. It’s the difference between science and bro science. If someone does a peer reviewed study of defoliation I’ll be happy to accept the results as valid and pursue it in my own grows. Until then it’s bro science.
Take that for what you want. Doesnt mean it doesn’t get any results and doesn’t mean your wrong if you do it but it’s far from a settled matter and there’s no shortage of voices on both sides of the matter.
3 Likes
In my tent…if it blocks a bud site I’m keeping and has an accessible stem. Adios. Damn near naked…but not quite.
Im a little more cautious then most but I still pluck all the lower leaves that get absolutely no light
2 Likes
Leaves produce the sugars needed to build flowers. Take that away and you reduce your overall yield. Flowers don’t use light. Leaves do.
Thinning for the health of the plant is valid as is removing lower growth not receiving light. It makes me shake my head at some growers.
6 Likes
My two cents: leaves are also buffers against deficiencies burns etc. Take that away and your buds would be immediately impacted. Let her ride.
4 Likes
This ^^^ I feel like a lot of growers either don’t understand this or somehow skipped over it in class.
Maybe he’s not as popular to listen to as he used to be but Jorge Cervantes continues to update his grow Bible which is full of a lifetime of experience and research into actual scientifically proven methods. When in doubt I always ask myself WWJD (what would Jorge do)
2 Likes
I agree with leaving as much foliage as you can. I have seen many people strip the plant to nothing but the buds and they never get any bigger. If you take some time and look up university agricultural studies on “Defoliation” of farm crops you will see that overall production is always affected negatively by defoliating. In the tent the need for air flow to prevent bud rot is real and you need to keep the jungle under control. But you will never improve yield by defoliating. I expect some may disagree.
2 Likes
You’re going to get differing opinions about defoliation and that’s OK. One thing I’ve learned about this community is that what works for someone else may not work for you.
This is me defoliating Polly in late Sep '20.
This is Karla holding Polly’s top branches at harvest.
This is Tammy and her sisters.
I’ll admit there is more going on here than just defoliation, but Tammy produced almost 50% more bud than either of her sisters.
This is my mainlined Super Skunk.
I’ve defoliated her twice after this picture:
This was my White Widow mom plant.
Before I put here into flower I defoliated her. Here she is today.
All that being said, “stripping her naked” sounds a little extreme. At this point in flower I would not remove a single leaf attached to a bud site that I intended to keep. I would however remove anything below that beautiful canopy. Color me jealous…
2 Likes
Looking solid indeed. I defoliate and I think many of us here do but you’re spot on…lol naked? Ehhh my girls gotta have at least a bikini on 
. I think the running quote is " You have to have a reason for wanting to remove a leaf"
2 Likes
So I took everyone’s (almost everyone) advise and gave her a little bikini wax. I TOOK OFF ALOT but it was stuff light wasn’t getting to and half way yellow. I also feed her tonight so I will post pics tomorrow. Again, thanks for all the input it’s much appreciated. I LOVE THIS PLACE and the product they are selling… 
6 Likes
