Indoor Opinions on aggressive defoliation?

[milkmann]

As the title suggests, what are people's opinions of hard defoliation combined with other methods like LST or even topping/mainline for auto flowers in early 2018? Obviously opinions from years ago was that it was bad for the plants and stunted their growth, but genetics have come an awful long way, and I can't find any updated solidified opinions on this matter recently. I personally notice no ill-effect on the plants when I chop one fan leaf off per node/site, which I would consider aggressive defoliation. The plants seem to all love it, if anything they speed up after, they certainly do not slow down apart from the first few hours afterwards. Days later it's a jungle again. I was wondering what others thought, and had found through their experimentations.

Please share!

Peace

 

[Rev. Green Genes]

I defoliate some, but I wouldnt call it aggressive. I like to keep the inner canopy free of growth, and the lower 25% of the secondary branches pruned off. If the RH is too high with fat stacked flowers I start removing more. They don't mind. I also have played with topping, FIM, mainline, LST, and supercropping with good success. My current grow is so tall I have supercropped several tops to keep her out of the light.

 

[hairyman]

As the title suggests, what are people's opinions of hard defoliation combined with other methods like LST or even topping/mainline for auto flowers in early 2018? Obviously opinions from years ago was that it was bad for the plants and stunted their growth, but genetics have come an awful long way, and I can't find any updated solidified opinions on this matter recently. I personally notice no ill-effect on the plants when I chop one fan leaf off per node/site, which I would consider aggressive defoliation. The plants seem to all love it, if anything they speed up after, they certainly do not slow down apart from the first few hours afterwards. Days later it's a jungle again. I was wondering what others thought, and had found through their experimentations.

Please share!

Peace

Well I must admit ime a leaf plucker, I would say if you can tuck it away ,do so,, if it's under day 28 go easy , after that any leaf that shades a bud site it's a gonner, I would only caution against taking them off a plant that ain't healthy!

 

[milkmann]

Well I must admit ime a leaf plucker, I would say if you can tuck it away ,do so,, if it's under day 28 go easy , after that any leaf that shades a bud site it's a gonner, I would only caution against taking them off a plant that ain't healthy!

Yes absolutely should have probably said in OP that it all has certain circumstances, age, health and strain! I would agree go easy for the first month or so and just tuck, maybe 1 or 2 can go

 

[Tony21]

I agree defoliating helps and do not seem to slow down growth. I very aggressively remove any leaf that shade and try to keep them open. it is a never even ending battle, and it has to be kept up or they will just jungle up again. I start around week 3.
I also aggressively super and softcrop, and top if I run out of height.

I treat auto like photos, all the talk about stunted growth is rubbish I think, at least with the strains I've grown, mainly Dutch Passion and Mephisto gear.
Here's a seedstockers ak420 that has taken full treatment and still do

She is in week 9, about 1,4 m tall and a big bush. All the big fan leaves are gone and it's nice open center, some 15 center colas. Every 2 - 3 days she get a good going over and still supercrop to keep the top open. She's in a tray with 3 other a little smaller, all have been optimized haha

The bigger one is in the back to left

 

[AnonymousGrower2]

I agree defoliating helps and do not seem to slow down growth. I very aggressively remove any leaf that shade and try to keep them open. it is a never even ending battle, and it has to be kept up or they will just jungle up again. I start around week 3.
I also aggressively super and softcrop, and top if I run out of height.

I treat auto like photos, all the talk about stunted growth is rubbish I think, at least with the strains I've grown, mainly Dutch Passion and Mephisto gear.
Here's a seedstockers ak420 that has taken full treatment and still do View attachment 852020

She is in week 9, about 1,4 m tall and a big bush. All the big fan leaves are gone and it's nice open center, some 15 center colas. Every 2 - 3 days she get a good going over and still supercrop to keep the top open. She's in a tray with 3 other a little smaller, all have been optimized haha View attachment 852025
The bigger one is in the back to left

Ditto :[emoji111]

 

[Yozhik]

if it's blocking light, OR
preventing air circulation and increasing risk of mould

it's gone.

Two or three "haircuts" over its lifetime should do it.
Combined with LST to open her up and optimise penetration ... Perfect!