Two Grows In One: Defoliation vs No Defoliation & Skunk #1 x Blue Dream Feminized Cross

[CigNv]

so what is the final verdict on defoliation?

I have two more to finish up yet. So far I have done the two that were heavy defoliated at 3 weeks. One of which was not touched before flower, the other had about 50% height and below removed. My opinions have been forming, but I will save them until I am all done trimming.

Next up is the one that was not touched from the beginning. The only leaves, stems, bud sites that were removed are ones that fell off themselves or were dried to a crisp.

 

[CigNv]

Blue Dream #3

 

[CigNv]

Blue Dream #3 wet weight totals.

Flower 723, 538 of which is from the main 4 colas.

Larf and trim 334 (concentrates)

Stem and leaves 492 (compost)

 

[CigNv]

Blue Dream #2

Yeah, that is a 2 liter bottle .....

 

[CigNv]

Blue Dream #2 wet weight totals.

Flower 754, 638 of which is from the main 4 colas.

Larf and trim 268 (concentrates)

Stem and leaves 256 (compost)

 

[CigNv]

Disclaimer! This is what I saw in my grow area with this specific strain under these conditions. Your mileage may vary ... greatly!! I even see differences in results from the phenos.

Trying to keep those differences in mind, I noticed the defoliation looks to have hurt total harvest amounts, but resulted in a higher percentage of the flower being on the main colas instead of in the smaller bud sites, but there also looks like an increase in the percentage of larf. Lollipopping appeared to have the least larf and the biggest colas. To get that you tend to give a little in the total weight, but is probably well worth it for the higher amount of better flower. It was also the easiest to trim. The one that had nothing done to it was the worst to trim. Also remember that #2 ended up being a triple node so its total is likely a bit higher because of that.

One other thing to keep in mind is that there was no training done to any to expose any of the lower bud sites to extra light. I only topped each to 4 main colas and defoliated.

I am also pretty sure training can effect these results greatly. Like a scrog or quad lining.

Defol does appear to set them back a little bit. Possibly from shock.

Defol did make the main colas a bit larger in ratio to how big the secondary bud sites are, but it did increase the amount of larf.

Things I will likely change in my grows based on this:

Defoliation not worth the time it takes to do it (in this case). Only pull leaves to improve air flow, if they are spent, or directly blocking light from the top few bud sites if it cant be tucked.

Anything untrained will likely get lollipopped at flower. How many nodes left will depend on the strain.

4 main colas is not enough in this case.


Blue Dream #2 is currently being reveged. The pollen I tried from the Drunken Gorilla was likely not any good anymore and I did not see any seeds develop. I will plan to use colloidal to flip it and breed it back to itself as well as to two Skunks that I will be reveging along with this one. I will also try to take some clones and try this whole process again hopefully eliminating some of the pheno variances. I was not able to flip the skunk I was putting colloidal on but I think it was mostly from the tent just being too cramped. The lower branch I selected just did not develop well When I try again there will be only three plants in the tent.

 

[The Celt]

Well done mate

 

[CigNv]

Leaf buds are so cool. This one was found on #2.

 

[CigNv]

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[CigNv]

I am going to harvest the Skunk tent this weekend. They are still fattening up a bit, but they are getting a lot more amber throughout.

But what I think I will do is harvest just the tops and prune up and leave the rest for a couple more weeks. Lots of really under developed bud sites on the bottom and wondering if I can improve them instead of just making concentrates out of all of it.

 

[CigNv]

lol ... I missed removing the leaves that I damaged while opening and closing the tent as well as the ones dyeing off because they are crammed against the side of the tent. .... oh well, Skunk grow uncensored!

 

[CigNv]

All the tops on the Skunk tent are coming down today. I will leave the bottoms for likely two more weeks.

 

[CigNv]

Oh, and over the last week they have become insanely stinky .... my whole house stinks now after having the tent open for a while ..... The Blue Dream has a strong smell, but it is minty and berry like. This Skunk is just that, pungent, dank, sour. Really not sure what to compare it to ... but it is delightful.

 

[CigNv]

All the tops, mostly the main colas, have been harvested.

So far 745 wet from the 5 Skunks, and 383 wet from the three GoG Blue Dream.

I did find a few immature male flowers on the branch I put colloidal on so that will be promising that they can be turned when I reveg.

Pretty much all that is left would have been larf so let's see what another 2-3 weeks can do for them.

 

[cr8grow]

CigNv, Wow, a lot happening here since my last check in. Amazing harvest of fat frosty BD buds. Great write up of the results on the different grow techniques, I will refer back. Looking forward to seeing how the 2nd round of Skunk buds grow more or just ripen up. How far up north do you hunt? My no touch multi strain organic grow is about a week out...the fans are just about used up on the Green Cracks. Preliminary thought is LST and removing some lower branches before flower may have improved yield. The Cream Mandarine XL will be my comparison to my last grow.

 

[CigNv]

Thanks! Yeah, I am pleased with how the Blue Dream turned out, but the yield with 600 watts over them is not quite what I hoped for. I think it just may be too much for the 2x4. I also think I could have done much better if I went at least 8 tops per plant instead of 4. I switched back to a single TSL2000 per 2x4 and moved my SP230s back to my 3x3 to flower off a big Gorilla Zkittles I have in there with a scrog that has been vegging for a while.

The 2nd round of Skunk buds are not really getting a lot bigger, but they definitely are ripening up a lot and adding quite a bit of frostiness too them. I will try to get some pics later tonight.

I don't go too far up north to hunt, just up to Iosco county. Yes, your grow is looking great. That Blueberry sure looks like she is going to be a winner!

 

[CigNv]

The rest of the Skunk are Frosting up a bit, getting a little color and a little bigger.

 

[CigNv]

Post 420

 

[CigNv]

The bottoms did mature and frost up quite a bit more, but overall the buds didn't really get much bigger and graduate from larf. But they do look like they will make some pretty good hash. Going to chop them up tonight and freeze them until I can get some bubble hash bags.

 

[cr8grow]

CigNv...nice. Im looking forward to an ice hash wash sometime next week after trim day as well. Skunk buds look nice, should be a few nice buds to keep in there.