Defoliation with auto flowers

[budelee]

Health and timelinea are the most important variables.. not healthy, leave it alone.. waited to long, wait till next time... auto breeders would be not very smart to say HST this plant... photo breeders, no prob, a longer veg cycle wil lfix everything..if you dont try you will never know.. whats works for my setup is not what will work for the next person....

 

[CoviklaFlaire]

I think its a good thing due to airflow,specialy if you are megaloman like me , and squeeeze too much girls in your space...

 

[kendar]

Firm believer in defoliating. I take a leaf or two every other day. Never have seen an issue with regs or af... but every grow(er) is different. To each their own, no right - no wrong, we do our best, now pass the bong.

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[Irene]

Well I am glad I just read that because I under fertilized in Dutchmaster Coco and my plants look shitty, I don’t want to overdose them with nutrients and burn them. I am a hobbyist using professional media (. I’m using AN PH perfect grow. I keep reading it’s bufferd , but what does that mean?. One of my last plants (nirvana blueberry) hermied and these are the seeds from that plant. I didn’t know the seeds would do as well as they have done. I’m trying to thin out but it’s hard now that they are flowering, what would you guys do? would you leave them or throw a couple outside? they are under fertilized. I’m at that critical time where if I take the shitty ones out the Good ones will fill in. My questions are has anyone used this “ph perfect technology”, And will it shock the plants introducing a new “non ph perfect “ bloom fertilizer Like the one pictured.(cutting edge 3. Part) My tapwater is 92 TDS ph 7. 3x3 with 600 hps gallaxy ballast sun systems huge reflector. Dtw 8 ml gal, ec 1.3/ 1.4.

 

[shanks123]

I say defoliate over time. Not all in 1 go, autos cant take stress so to much defol can stunt overall growth from my experience.

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[Tracer Productions]

This is the hardest decision I've faced thus far: to defoliate or not to defoliate...that is the question...

And if so, how much. And when?

We're still in veg right now so I'm waiting to see what the plant's structure looks like naturally in flower, as it's my first real grow and I don't quite understand how it all works yet. I'm growing a Sour Diesel Auto in a Solo Cup (18 oz.). She's not very tall but getting very bushy with lots of undergrowth on the nodes that's shaded by fan leaves. Part of me is scared to remove ANY bud sites or leaves because the plant is so stinkin' short & small to begin with...and the other part keeps thinking about the purported benefits of lollipopping & mild defoliation (redirecting energy to the top buds, allowing light to the lower canopy, etc). Problem is, I don't know who's right & who's wrong! Too many dissenting opinions on this issue.

Guess I'll just go with my gut. Thanks for the helpful firsthand experience, OP. Very few guides deal specifically with autos so this is great.

 

[babethPOWERS]

Is everyone claiming autos can't take the stress only because they've read it? I defoliate a little almost every time I make another bend for LST and never noticed stress.

 

[SmithyGreen]

I have had the best results just letting my autos grow naturally. If how the plants look naturally does not fit your liking, dont grow them. Stick to a photoperiod. The only time I would ever say cut into an auto is if fungi, pests, molds or space is an issue. Other than that let her grow as mentioned before ask the breeder or bank. Also mentioned before autos really do explode in the later stages of life with energy stored in leaves. I ran into that more than once. I would have big airy buds growing for most of the flowering stage and the last 14 days they would fill in the gaps and get very dense and sticky as the plant cannibalized the leaves.

 

[Abane76]

I'll open her back up,


I believe defoliation to be acceptable and or beneficial within certain aspects. I have no scientific information to back this, certain applications it can make improvements.

With autoflowers, larger fan leaves can block alot of beneficial light for lower extremities in a confined space (based on type of light). This type of time constraint, light penetration is essential for lower development to have a larger chance of survival.

Removing lower branches. Ones that look to not have enough potential to reach the canopy, in my opinion is a smart choice unless using to feminize, this is another option to leave lowers.

Over growing grow space. Defoliation can increase the amount of plants you can fit in a certain space without compromising eachother. Decreasing humidity, allowing more ventilation in a so called mini jungle.

I do not defoliate fan leaves until day 30 in autos. Thats my rule, so they have a decent foot in life and so you can see what you should keep or not. Becareful in this stage what you are cutting. Do not cut off branches until about day 40 in my opinion. Use your instinct to cut what you think is not going to make it to the canopy or have any benefit to the plant.

Airflow. Trimming the lower extremities smaller branches, fan leaves, popcorn buds can create a less humid environment, higher light penetration, possible way to deter high moisture, bugs, fungi, alot of other problems.

Another easy way is to only cut 1 fan leaf off of each internode. Recommend doing the one closer to the inside. Your autos can grow 2 new fan leaves on a new node within 2-5 days easily in the explosion period. Dont be scared to trim them.

If i missed anything start it up.

By defoliating at day 30, my tent temperatures dropped by 4°, 80° to 76°.
Dropped my humidity down by 10%, 75%-65%
Even with using an Hps.

Im using a 4x4 encloused for co2, xxl exhale, hurricane fan mounted horizontal to light, flowing air in and out via 6" duct fan openings. 600 watt winged hps non aircooled.
MH for first 30, hps for 30-finish.

Everyones systems differ this works for my application.

This photo is 2 weeks after defoliation. It grows back quick.

Have a good one!



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Do you have any videos of you defoliating your plants ?

 

[Flux]

A lot of pros and cons here with great informative info on both sides, personally I defoil a lot at the first sign transitioning to flower then pick a few shading bud sites throughout flowering.