Clearing lower nodes early on

[Django_TO]

Hi guys. Little backstory. In all my grows i had issues with a lot of leaves, small branches and bud sites, and light penetration issues. On my last grow i broke, by mistake, the main branch of a girl (candy kush from @Autoseeds.com). She kept growing and she was one of my best girls so far. I believe the main cause was the fact that ther were not "unproductive" branches and leaves that were not needed.
Now i have two girls, already on the 4th node. I'm thinking of clearing everything under the 3th or 4th node when they reach a mature 5th node. I think those are the less productive nodes, and that also creat a lot of leaves and small branches/bud sites.
What do you think?

 

[BII]

Why do you think or feel compelled to defoliate plants so young? Any actual botany or grower community basis for this? I don't think it's common practice to remove most early leaves, such as here through the 4th node when reach 5th node, and there are likely good reasons for this. In general, I fail to see how/why any green/functioning leaves on such young plants should be removed. Do you see your problem as too many leaves or non-optimal lighting, or both?

Two thoughts, things to consider:
1) Maybe, you should be doing LST, not defoliating, to convert lower "less productive nodes" into "branches/bud sites." At least simply bend over the plants so many more leaves and nodes get light exposure. Right there, that should eliminate your "light penetration issues," put all those leaves you see as excess to work.
2) Maybe, you have a light (penetration) problem. Leaves are not a problem if light is getting to them. Maybe newer, better penetrating and/or more lights, allowing penetration from more/different angles, would solve your problem.

 

[Django_TO]

Why do you think or feel compelled to defoliate plants so young? Any actual botany or grower community basis for this? I don't think it's common practice to remove most early leaves, such as here through the 4th node when reach 5th node, and there are likely good reasons for this. In general, I fail to see how/why any green/functioning leaves on such young plants should be removed. Do you see your problem as too many leaves or non-optimal lighting, or both?

Two thoughts, things to consider:
1) Maybe, you should be doing LST, not defoliating, to convert lower "less productive nodes" into "branches/bud sites." At least simply bend over the plants so many more leaves and nodes get light exposure. Right there, that should eliminate your "light penetration issues," put all those leaves you see as excess to work.
2) Maybe, you have a light (penetration) problem. Leaves are not a problem if light is getting to them. Maybe newer, better penetrating and/or more lights, allowing penetration from more/different angles, would solve your problem.

The idea is based on what cpt. Quirknet, an old user, posted a while back.
I always LST, and towards flowering stage i manipulate branches to give more light exposure. Even so i get a lot, and i mean a lot, of small branches/bud sites, and leaves.
I bought another light to try and deal with the light penetration issue.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I top above the 4th node and only defoliate lowest leaves in late flower to promote better airflow to help prevent bud rot. I average ~150g per auto plant. Of course there is genetic variation. I do not bother with LST. Instead buy good lights with better penetrating power.

Defoliating is just wasting the plants energy and reduces the plants ability to produce energy to grow flowers Just harvested this one with 5 others just like it.

 

[Capt.Quirk]

I never let my plants waste energy on nodes 1-3. Just what works for my autos.

 

[Django_TO]

I top above the 4th node and only defoliate lowest leaves in late flower to promote better airflow to help prevent bud rot. I average ~150g per auto plant. Of course there is genetic variation. I do not bother with LST. Instead buy good lights with better penetrating power.

Defoliating is just wasting the plants energy and reduces the plants ability to produce energy to grow flowers Just harvested this one with 5 others just like it.



View attachment 1335494View attachment 1335495

But i normally have a lot more leaves than that. I am trying to figure it out.

 

[Django_TO]

I top above the 4th node and only defoliate lowest leaves in late flower to promote better airflow to help prevent bud rot. I average ~150g per auto plant. Of course there is genetic variation. I do not bother with LST. Instead buy good lights with better penetrating power.

Defoliating is just wasting the plants energy and reduces the plants ability to produce energy to grow flowers Just harvested this one with 5 others just like it.



View attachment 1335494View attachment 1335495

Can you show how much space there is between top soil and the lower leaves/tier? Like, how much space there is to water?

 

[DCLXVI]

@Django_TO - You should see how Vapo trains his plants. Insanity but very cool. I don't know if the yeilds are better but it is really neat to see.

https://www.autoflower.org/threads/vapo-gets-cosmic-with-dutch-pro-nooice.82518/

 

[Boognelson87]

I cut some lower bud sites once plant has stopped or mostly stopped stretching. Usually after week 6 towards week 7 for most Of the hundred + autos I've trained and cut on now. I feel if you do it earlier you risk hermaphrodites and stress on plant.This has been best for me to have all buds more dense. I can't claim I yield more. 3 tents going with Mars QBs and hlg QBs. I usually more light available than most autos need I do not cut leaves. All the lower bud sites I remove I leave the leaves. Why kill your leaves Genetics play a big part too. Everybody's environment, skill, way of growing can influence a grow method. I just think training a plant and having a 2 or 3 foot plant will give you better buds that lights only need to penetrate 30 inches down than a 4 foot plant that lights need to penetrate 42 inches down. It's my personal way though and nothing can change it. Until I actually run clones without phenotype variance throwing it off I can't be for certain what's better. Like stated above I also average over 5 ounces an auto. So just pick the way you want and run with it. I've been in enough battles and grow and shows to know there's not just one way to do it. Happy growing

 

[Django_TO]

I cut some lower bud sites once plant has stopped or mostly stopped stretching. Usually after week 6 towards week 7 for most Of the hundred + autos I've trained and cut on now. I feel if you do it earlier you risk hermaphrodites and stress on plant.This has been best for me to have all buds more dense. I can't claim I yield more. 3 tents going with Mars QBs and hlg QBs. I usually more light available than most autos need I do not cut leaves. All the lower bud sites I remove I leave the leaves. Why kill your leaves/food transportation. Genetics play a big part too. Everybody's environment, skill, way of growing can influence a grow method. I just think training a plant and having a 2 or 3 foot plant will give you better buds that lights only need to penetrate 30 inches down than a 4 foot plant that lights need to penetrate 42 inches down. It's my personal way though and nothing can change it. Until I actually run clones without phenotype variance throwing it off I can't be for certain what's better. Like stated above I also average over 5 ounces an auto. So just pick the way you want and run with it. I've been in enough battles and grow and shows to know there's not just one way to do it. Happy growing

Thanks.