Defoliation criteria - 200 mmol/m2/s

Just listened to a Growcast episode from 7/18.

The guest mentioned that there is a study showing that an effective criteria for determining whether to defoliate a particular leaf is 200mmol/m2/s. This is because below this level it takes more energy to maintain that leaf than the leaf provides back to the plant.

Just wondering if anyone has seen this study and where I could score a read - sounds like a very interesting idea. Thanks in advance.

 

[2budz]

 

[Humanrob]

I'm curious if there is a correlation between the success of heavy leaf trimming techniques and the grow medium/method. It's been mentioned that later in the plants life, they can cannibalize their own fan leaves for nutrients, and alternately mentioned that since we control the feeding, we can (/should be able to) compensate by keeping their feed schedule so balanced that they never need to call on those resources. It would seem that in some form of hydro/flood and drain/etc., managing the feed levels would be more rapidly accessible and therefor would lend itself toward techniques that would otherwise stress the plants ability to regulate its own nutrient levels.

Another thing repeatedly mentioned in this thread, has been the relatively proudly owned attribute of grower laziness, of which I subscribe. I grow in soil, this will be my third winter growing autos indoors (my 8th year of growing indoors), and I'm still tweaking my food/light/temps balance -- so I tend not to trim hard because those leaves are the nute cushion that sometimes save individual plants near the end of a run. This round, I'd like to try schwazzing, but I'm wondering if my combination of soil, 'low-effort grow style', and less than perfect set up are themselves not a good foundation?

I suppose another way of putting it, is: Is schwazzing considered and expert black-diamond ninja technique for elite growers, or, is it simply something that works and any plant in a decent environment can benefit from it?

 

[Corum59]

but I'm wondering if my combination of soil, 'low-effort grow style', and less than perfect set up are themselves not a good foundation?

Sounds like my setup, i schwazz and beieve totally that its a positive, Nebulahaze over at GWE did an excellent comparison grow and the results were quite impressive.

I suppose another way of putting it, is: Is schwazzing considered and expert black-diamond ninja technique for elite growers, or, is it simply something that works and any plant in a decent environment can benefit from it?


I would say "simply something that works and any plant in a decent environment can benefit from it" but hey, its always best to try and see for yourself :smoking:

 

[2budz]

That is the leafiest plant I’ve seen/grown. No matter how much I’ve stripped it it just turns back into a bush. Took like 60 days to start flowering. Now it’s stacking flower sites like crazy and I don’t think it would have if I didn’t constantly strip it. The whole plant is gonna be 1 bud if I can’t get space in between the branches.

 

[Humanrob]

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That is the leafiest plant I’ve seen/grown. No matter how much I’ve stripped it it just turns back into a bush. Took like 60 days to start flowering. Now it’s stacking flower sites like crazy and I don’t think it would have if I didn’t constantly strip it. The whole plant is gonna be 1 bud if I can’t get space in between the branches.

Very cool! I was wondering how that plant was doing. Who is the breeder and what is that strain?

 

[2budz]

Very cool! I was wondering how that plant was doing. Who is the breeder and what is that strain?

I almost threw her away. Waiting 60 days for her to start flowering was the worst. Plus she never really looked all that great. Little twisted side branches that never grew like you would expect. I just kept stripping leaves and branches and she’s amazing now. Glad I didn’t trash her. It’s a cross I got from a guy I know here in OK. (Anvil x Double Grape) x Double Grape.

 

[WildBill]

I almost threw her away. Waiting 60 days for her to start flowering was the worst. Plus she never really looked all that great. Little twisted side branches that never grew like you would expect. I just kept stripping leaves and branches and she’s amazing now. Glad I didn’t trash her. It’s a cross I got from a guy I know here in OK. (Anvil x Double Grape) x Double Grape.

You'd think with DG in her gene pool, she would have flowered WELL before then. The DG in my current grow showed sex at 17 days.

 

[2budz]

You'd think with DG in her gene pool, she would have flowered WELL before then. The DG in my current grow showed sex at 17 days.

I’m gonna drop another and see if it’s a one off. I’ve grown DG and that plant was nothing like this one.