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[DirtFarmer]

the pluses and minuses of selectively removing leaves of our plants. I have been experimenting with this lately and have some thoughts and questions.

Removing a fan/feeder leaf can help or hurt growth based on when and where done. I try to determine weather it is a Giver or a Taker. Is it a weak shade producer more than a vigorous fresh-budsite feeder?

Can the plant handle the damage? Is it worth it?

Lately I have been getting more aggressive with this leaf pruning and it seems to be plumping up the undercarriage in the grow room without the need to spread out so much as they grow. Internode length seems shorter also.

The impact in the bud room is the same but more pronounced.

Thoughts?

Peace.

Dirty Farmer

http://www.420genetics.com/gallery/files/3223/img00048-20100927-2134_thumb.jpg ('http://www.420genetics.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=14409')

[Delta-9]

the pluses and minuses of selectively removing leaves of our plants. I have been experimenting with this lately and have some thoughts and questions.

Removing a fan/feeder leaf can help or hurt growth based on when and where done. I try to determine weather it is a Giver or a Taker. Is it a weak shade producer more than a vigorous fresh-budsite feeder?

Can the plant handle the damage? Is it worth it?

Lately I have been getting more aggressive with this leaf pruning and it seems to be plumping up the undercarriage in the grow room without the need to spread out so much as they grow. Internode length seems shorter also.

The impact in the bud room is the same but more pronounced.

Thoughts?

Peace.

Dirty Farmer

http://www.420genetics.com/gallery/files/3223/img00048-20100927-2134_thumb.jpg ('http://www.420genetics.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=14409')

first off IMO you should not take any leaves off the plant unless its yellow and ready to fall off. all those leaves are working turning all the nuterients into useable sugars to feed the plant the more food the bigger and better the buds. you might think its shading some bud sites but thats ok. IMO you are much better off leaving them on the plants there very important in the plant's development. i used to do the same thing thinking i will get more direct light onto my lower buds. and i pulled more and more till i was stripping the plant. then i stopped because a veteran grower with loads of experiance told me what i was doing and i have very good results without touching the plant. i just keep it happy and thriving and that will do the
trick better then stripping leaves. ;) :bongdude:

[DirtFarmer]

first off IMO you should not take any leaves off the plant unless its yellow and ready to fall off. all those leaves are working turning all the nuterients into useable sugars to feed the plant the more food the bigger and better the buds. you might think its shading some bud sites but thats ok. IMO you are much better off leaving them on the plants there very important in the plant's development. i used to do the same thing thinking i will get more direct light onto my lower buds. and i pulled more and more till i was stripping the plant. then i stopped because a veteran grower with loads of experiance told me what i was doing and i have very good results without touching the plant. i just keep it happy and thriving and that will do the
trick better then stripping leaves. ;) :bongdude:

Thanks for your thoughts, Bongdude. I, for the most part, agree.

Consider this situation: 5 weeks into bud there are very large fan leaves that originate from the main stem. The branches associated with them are well developed and budding well except for the ones in the shadow of the fan leaf which are smaller and weaker from lack of light.

Do you think there is a point where the benefit of removing the shadowing fan leaf exceeds the loss of it's food production?

[Delta-9]

Thanks for your thoughts, Bongdude. I, for the most part, agree.

Consider this situation: 5 weeks into bud there are very large fan leaves that originate from the main stem. The branches associated with them are well developed and budding well except for the ones in the shadow of the fan leaf which are smaller and weaker from lack of light.

Do you think there is a point where the benefit of removing the shadowing fan leaf exceeds the loss of it's food production?

i used to do it allot my first few grows thinking more light on the bud the better. but i have done a side by side same strain one i picked leaves one i did not even though the lower buds were getting shaded the actually got bigger and more dense then the one i opened up to the light. i think that the leave is producing food untill you start to flush if its green its making food. and even though some buds are shaded by your plant is getting the food from each leave so each one you take off thats less food for the plant witch IMO= less bud. that is just what i think im sure everyone has there own views on this but if you put up a poll on this most growers especially veteran growers will all say to leave them on the plant. like outside naturaly nothing touches that plant just let it do its thing.

[DirtFarmer]

i used to do it allot my first few grows thinking more light on the bud the better. but i have done a side by side same strain one i picked leaves one i did not even though the lower buds were getting shaded the actually got bigger and more dense then the one i opened up to the light. i think that the leave is producing food untill you start to flush if its green its making food. and even though some buds are shaded by your plant is getting the food from each leave so each one you take off thats less food for the plant witch IMO= less bud. that is just what i think im sure everyone has there own views on this but if you put up a poll on this most growers especially veteran growers will all say to leave them on the plant. like outside naturaly nothing touches that plant just let it do its thing.

That all make sense to me. I have had some different results in my experimenting though it's an inside grow with less oommpphh than the sun provides. I'll keep it to a minimum for now and report back the results. Thanks for the input.

http://www.420genetics.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=14409