Defoliating Before Day 21

[Phaaaze]

Since this is a long and heavily debated issue I should start by saying I've already decided to do a early flower leaf strip, I'm only undecided on when to do it.

I see most people do it around day 21 and again later in flower. I'm on day 17 and looking way over due im planning to strip anything that didn't make it to the atleast 7-8in below canopy and staking down the taller one's.

Will they be okay going a few days early or should I just wait it out?! Picture below.

 

[Greenlizard]

I believe the point to catch here when the suggestion to defoliate at day 21 for those who perform this practice is just a rule of thumb to avoid stunting during the all important "stretch" of flower. If you figure the plants are done stretching then you should be safe. As you probably already have found... Defoliation is a highly debated topic. I did it for my first grow but I don't do it now. I just tuck or pluck as needed. If you have tops being shaded and can't just "tuck" the fan leaf out of the way then you can pluck it. I found full defoliations to stunt the grow more than benefit. At least that's how it goes in my grow room. Every strain is different so some may do better with more defoliation and other's may not.

 

[Phaaaze]

I believe the point to catch here when the suggestion to defoliate at day 21 for those who perform this practice is just a rule of thumb to avoid stunting during the all important "stretch" of flower. If you figure the plants are done stretching then you should be safe. As you probably already have found... Defoliation is a highly debated topic. I did it for my first grow but I don't do it now. I just tuck or pluck as needed. If you have tops being shaded and can't just "tuck" the fan leaf out of the way then you can pluck it. I found full defoliations to stunt the grow more than benefit. At least that's how it goes in my grow room. Every strain is different so some may do better with more defoliation and other's may not.

Much appreciated I don't think they're done stretching so I'll wait a few more days!

My first grow I did little to no defoliating and had so much larf! I have to find a happy medium between too much and not enough.

 

[bobrown14]

Yeah the debate is

IF defoil works why doesn't the plant just grow without leaves??

Silly practice. Sorry gotta be honest here.

This practice is SOMETIMES used by grape growers to let the sun shine on the FRUITS and to help reduce possible molds on the FRUITS.

We are growing annual flowers here. Thats a BIG leap to say that taking off fan leaves is going to help your plant grow better in any way is false and does not stand up to the science and biology of plant growth, maturity and final harvest.

Plants leaves specially fan leaves have an important roll in plant growth and maturity.

Here's a few words on leaf function for ya to think about:

Translocation
Chlorophyll
Senescence
Plant growth regulators

The last one is extremely important. How does a plant know to grow TOWARD the light, or how does it know to grow flowers or how does the plant keep cool or warm itself and feed itself?? The leaves - thats the answer. So you better cut them off to "help" something. Likely its not the plant.

 

[Phaaaze]

Yeah the debate is

IF defoil works why doesn't the plant just grow without leaves??

Silly practice. Sorry gotta be honest here.

This practice is SOMETIMES used by grape growers to let the sun shine on the FRUITS and to help reduce possible molds on the FRUITS.

We are growing annual flowers here. Thats a BIG leap to say that taking off fan leaves is going to help your plant grow better in any way is false and does not stand up to the science and biology of plant growth, maturity and final harvest.

Plants leaves specially fan leaves have an important roll in plant growth and maturity.

Here's a few words on leaf function for ya to think about:

Translocation
Chlorophyll
Senescence
Plant growth regulators

The last one is extremely important. How does a plant know to grow TOWARD the light, or how does it know to grow flowers or how does the plant keep cool or warm itself and feed itself?? The leaves - thats the answer. So you better cut them off to "help" something. Likely its not the plant.

They have light coming from the sun so light penetration and coverage isn't really an issue with outdoor.
I'm using artificial light source only coming from one direction so I want to expose as many bud sites to the light as possible.

Your opinion is appreciated and considered but in this case it's a matter of when I'm going to do it and not if.

 

[labexperiment]

I agree with waiting till the stretch is over unless you are limited by height then I would do it sooner. In my opinion the flowers are not big enough to worry too much about mold at this point in their development, so they can wait a little longer.
The second defoliation comes for me around day 40ish on short flowering strains, 8 weeks or less, and 50ish on plants with a flowering time over 9 weeks, for my growing style at least. I defoliate to open the airflow of the canopy to reduce the risk of mold developing and not because it gives a larger yield. I will also defoliate a sativa to slow the stretch as I am limited in the height I have to work with.

 

[bobrown14]

They have light coming from the sun so light penetration and coverage isn't really an issue with outdoor.
I'm using artificial light source only coming from one direction so I want to expose as many bud sites to the light as possible.

Your opinion is appreciated and considered but in this case it's a matter of when I'm going to do it and not if.

I'm just trying to help you out.

I would normally ask someone WHY are they doing this practice.

Plants still grow the same, leaves still perform the same functions regardless of the light source or location.

Its a plant. They all grow the same way. Cannabis isn't some alien plant that all of a sudden grows better after you remove the food source.

Do you think your flowers have more or less chlorophyll in them than leaves?

You're cutting off the food source why worry about the light. The way plants grow is the leaves make the food from the light for the flowers
(translocation) to grow bigger. Thats just 1 function. They have many other functions.

Sun shining on the flowers doesn't make them bigger or something better.

Look at it this way.

If you turned the lights out and leave them off and feed them fertilizer would the plant do better or worse?