Pruning & defoliation

[ZoomZ06]

Just wondering when people start to prune/defoliate if they do at all. My girls are 10 days into veg and are quite bushy. I figure this would be too early but I’ve read lots of mixed reviews. Just curious to see what others think

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

I am going to say too early but a picture would help; Only cut leaves in the middle if you are doing some plant training but as a general rule only cut leaves directly over something trying to grow. Even then you can usually move the leaf out of the way nicely for quite a while. Bending>Breaking

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

Oh and to where are my manners

 

[ZoomZ06]

one of mine are going through over watering issues that’s been corrected so I don’t want to prune her, and the other isn’t big enough. I was just curious what other people do. I got lots of undergrowth and new branches and my shaders are pretty big. I was waiting another week minimum before doing any pruning. Just trying to get a discussion going is all

 

[Auggie]

Too many variables for a standard, pat answer.

Indoors or out?
What genetic?
Scrog?

I defoliate IF it's needed .. otherwise I don't.

IF its a scrog I take everything off below the net, or the canopy.
IF its indoors, I take everything off that the light doesn't hit hard - I'd rather not have those light as a feather, no smell popcorn buds.
IF I am having trouble controlling RH and don't want to deal with PM, I defoliate to keep air moving.

IF I am outdoors, I rarely do it because The Sun can provide light at the lower levels as well as the top -- and outdoors is rarely a PM problem (in my part of the world).

So, to answer your question: It depends.

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

If you want to prune at that stage ya may as well just top it which I always do. But for defoliating I would hold off a good month you have zero growth tips to even block right now

 

[ZoomZ06]

If you want to prune at that stage ya may as well just top it which I always do. But for defoliating I would hold off a good month you have zero growth tips to even block right now

I topped one a couple days ago at the 4 node (5th if you include the single fan leaf) and the other one is still waiting to be topped. The one that has been topped has some nice under growth coming up already. I’ll try and get a good picture, I need a lens for my camera lol But none the less I agree still too early for a prune I’m just getting a discussion opened to see how/when people do to get more tips and advice. I growing heavily relies on experience

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

so personally no pruning before topping, after topping and after you have a good amount of other leaves I will cut the leaves that grow up and in but I am usually doing a manifold or quadline.

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

I topped one a couple days ago at the 4 node (5th if you include the single fan leaf)

By single fan do you mean the first jagged edge leaf or the smooth edge cotyledon leaves?

 

[ZoomZ06]

First jagged edge not the cotyledon leaf

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

I do count that one but you topped at a good place same as me

 

[ZoomZ06]

I do count that one but you topped at a good place same as me

All the research I had found was so skewed I never found a definitive answer so I took it upon myself to make the decision. I know my super silver haze likes to grow tall so I figured if I topped and started LST early I could get a nicely filled SCROG canopy.
On a side note I have not started any LST she’s still got a little growing to do before I can

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

I find I more wait until I find the nodes I want to grow out have matured in the crotch and the first stem is visible not just a growth tip and then I top. I know that by this time if shoots are growing the roots system is happy for the time being and will bounce back from the shock, it is just fluke/nature that I usually top at 5 nodes.

I train in so many different ways I just get bored

 

[bobrown14]

I train in so many different ways I just get bored

Read a book... get one on horticulture.

I clean up the undergrowth about 3-4 weeks into VEG sometimes not always.
Just keep leaves off the soil thats about it.

Defoil - I never do it. Wood be hard presed to find any science that says its a good thing.

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

Read a book...

Care to elaborate on what you are trying to get at?

 

[bobrown14]

Solving the "bored" challenge is all. I tend to leave my plants alone as much as possible. Reading is FUN-damental. They don't like you and they dont like you touching them either. After 10K years they figured out what is on our menu.

 

[r0am1ng st0ner]

Oh ahaha ya idk I like playing with them, they are there for my enjoyment not theirs but yes reading horticultural books would be a good way to deal with boredom

 

[Auggie]

They don't like you and they dont like you touching them either.

A half century ago, when I wore a younger mans clothes; I tended a five hundred plant outdoor gorilla grow in the wilds of N. Cali.
I remember two plants in particular that IF I touched them, I mean if I only brushed up against them walking by ... they'd droop. They complained so much the first time I saw it I was all "WTF??"
In fifteen minutes they'd be ok. But, for a few it looked like they hadn't been watered in a week.

I figure if two out of five hundred girls don't like me, that's pretty good odds.