Mephisto Genetics Removing Fan Leaves

[Cannaficionado]

Autos hate transplanting? They don‘t like HST like schwazzing, heavy defoliation or others? Sorry but I can not agree with this statement because my personal experience and too many reports of other growers are telling a different story. It’s all about timing, technique and the gardener‘s skills …. assuming training will be applied to a perfectly grown, healthy and vigorous plant, which is crucial.

Not entirely true, while its always best to make sure your plant is healthy before doing any major defoliation. Sometimes defoliation can help resolve issues. I know most of my plants always perk up a bit after a good defoliation.

It does take practice though, not gonna argue that. An auto is definitely a different beast than a photo. But topping and lollipopping/schwazzing are definitely a must for the best quality harvest.

 

[Hotshot]

How far into flower do y’all still defoliate?

 

[Cannaficionado]

How far into flower do y’all still defoliate?

Once at the start and again at 3ish weeks in for schwazzing at least thats what 90% of sources say. Im sure if you keep your defoliation light enough you can defoliate through the entire flowering period. My auto has been flowering for about 4 weeks and I pulled like 10 leaves off last night that I didnt notice were covering up bud sites, most were still healthy some were already completely faded and fell off when I touched them.

The goal is to do the major defoliations early at the start and once again after new chute growth pretty much stops, towards the end of the stretch, to limit major stress. Otherwise pulling a couple leaves here and there shouldnt be a problem.

 

[Hotshot]

Thank you, I’m in the second week of flower and she’s stretching. I removed leaves blocking bud sites and lower leaves. I tried to keep most of the “sugar” leaves that weren’t blocking buds.

 

[Cannaficionado]

Thank you, I’m in the second week of flower and she’s stretching. I removed leaves blocking bud sites and lower leaves. I tried to keep most of the “sugar” leaves that weren’t blocking buds.

Dont cut off any sugar leaves developing yet. May seem like they block stuff but they are fine. They are there to gather energy for the buds. Mines not as defoliated as my photos but my auto has rock solid decently sized buds about 1/2 way down the plant. Idk how much time I have left but Im guessing a month

I honestly thought as it stretched it would be way more open but now I dont wanna stress it out too much, but theres more nice dense buds than larf by far

 

[Cannaficionado]

Dont cut off any sugar leaves developing yet. May seem like they block stuff but they are fine. They are there to gather energy for the buds. Mines not as defoliated as my photos but my auto has rock solid decently sized buds about 1/2 way down the plant. Idk how much time I have left but Im guessing a monthView attachment 1553320View attachment 1553321
I honestly thought as it stretched it would be way more open but now I dont wanna stress it out too much, but theres more nice dense buds than larf by far

Fan leaves will develop a coat of trichomes as the plant ages closer to the tops. But sugar leaves are the ones that develop in the bud sites, usually not growing more than an inch off the main stalk of the branch.

I wouldnt really cut that stuff off even if its covering some bud sites. Ive been advised against removing too many fan leaves as they are responsible for like 90% of the photosynthesis. Im going to trim up my next auto way more but as you can see even a plant with all this still does fine. Light gets deeper than you think. Eyes are the worst judge of light intensity.