I’m fairly new, but I have a couple grows under me now and I’m starting to figure a few things. One thing that is still a mystery to me is how to trim my plants. Specifically, where to cut and why, how much light is enough light when cutting fan leaves so as to not stress the plant… All that kinda stuff.
I’ve searched on here, but couldn’t find anything really… And I’ve been googling it for ages but haven’t found anything specific… So, I thought I’d ask the newb question and see how it went .
Essentially, pruning allows you to open bud spots to receive more light and produce buds that have a more even quality across the plant. I don’t know if people are still saying it, but pruning doesn’t actually significantly increase yield but it can significantly decrease yield.
Here is a link to the article in the screenshot.
It was an open access article when I copied the link, if it doesn’t work and you’re curious I’ll try and get a pdf version.
For the record, there is at least one study that says pruning increases yield but I’ve seen more that show no increase in yield. I am inclined to believe from reading and growing that pruning means more high quality buds but not a meaningful increase in yield.
The best way to learn is to just get in there & do it, and feel things out for yourself
Generally speaking, I mostly only pull the biggest leaves with discolored petiole/leaf stem and only if they’re in the way of a bud site, or bunched up against another branch etc.
I then replicate the same point with all the other plants.
This was a major defoliation event. I typically do a few during veg, and then one during the second week of flower. In-between these major defoliation events, I go inside my tent, lay on my back, and look at what the light is actually hitting. Leaves that I can’t see the light through aren’t doing jack for me, so they get got. “Sucker” branches, AKA branches that are suckin more nutrients than they’re going to be worth also get got.
This is just my way of doing it. As you must be aware by now, there’s many ways to skin a cat. My best advice is; do what you’re comfortable with.
Oh damn, that’s awesome, thank you!! The pics are amazing as well. I’ve always been told to keep my plants a LOT more pruned, so seeing what you have going is perfect.
I agree. My experience has been that there is the same or more total cannabinoids in a crop but concentrated into fewer, denser buds than if I don’t prune, for me that is Day 1/21/42 fan defoliation for me along with lollipopping up to the top 1/3 of the plant once it finishes stretching. I also take off fans in mid-veg to let the lowers start catching up with the upper branches, which I almost always top once or twice.
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