Cutting fan leaves

Here are some pictures to demonstrate what I'm experimenting with.

They are out of order for some reason. They should go like this... 1,3,2,4,5,6

Picture 1 is from Saturday October 2nd, a week ago, just after a previous defoliation.
Picture 3 is from Tuesday the 5th, before defoliation.
Picture 2 is from Tuesday the 5th, right after the defoliation.
Pictures 4, 5, and 6 show a progression in increments of 24 hours. I forgot Friday... my bad... so the last picture is about 100 hours after defoliation.

Pay particular attention to the post defoliation to todays picture. It's hard to tell, but the replacement of leaf mass has come from the underdeveloped branches. The plants look just as bush now as they did 4 days ago, so I've lost 4 days worth of growth (essentially). The idea is that over the next week the plant will catch up with where it should have been size wise, but with a greater number of developed bud sites. The LST'd plant hasn't responded well because the main stalk split a little bit when I spread her out like that. She had a lot of stress to overcome, so she needs another few days.

Sorry there is no control. I can tell the difference, but it might be hard for someone who isn't used to my expectations.

Snow Crash said:

First of all, a plant is designed to produce more foliage than it needs. In nature, plants have to deal with bugs and animals, and losing leaves is a regular occurrence. They have grown to compensate for this loss of leaf mass by producing more leaves than they need.

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Than they need for what? A plant is genetically predisposed to grow to a certain size, shape, bulk with outside influences weighing in. The fruit/nuts/flowers that plant produces is driven by the amount of foliage left upon flowering/fruiting, all else considered (healthy root system, etc.) If conditions are favorable, fruit production is at its best and vice versa.

Secondly, one large leaf requires more energy to operate than several smaller leaves that use the same area. The surface area of the large leaf demands that the leaf move quantities of water over distances to keep the leaf cool. This takes energy. The leaf also requires more energy because the stem, from leaf to stalk, is longer. In short, is it any surprise that a larger leaf, just like a larger car, needs more energy to do the same job.

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Say what? "energy" I don't know what or why you're making up as you go along here, but it's misguided. The movement of water throughout a plant is a function of transpiration, osmosis, capillary action, and tissue turgor/pressures.

Finally, the stress reaction induced when removing leaves impacts branch growth and decreases internodal spacing.

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No it doesn't. There is no stress involved, just a loss of carbos. What's this stuff about internodal spacing?

I give up........

Uncle Ben said:

Than they need for what? A plant is genetically predisposed to grow to a certain size, shape, bulk with outside influences weighing in. The fruit/nuts/flowers that plant produces is driven by the amount of foliage left upon flowering/fruiting, all else considered (healthy root system, etc.) If conditions are favorable, fruit production is at its best and vice versa.



Say what? "energy" I don't know what or why you're making up as you go along here, but it's misguided. The movement of water throughout a plant is a function of transpiration, osmosis, capillary action, and tissue turgor/pressures.



No it doesn't. There is no stress involved, just a loss of carbos. What's this stuff about internodal spacing?

I give up........

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some of us are paying attention, don't give up on us.
thanks UB

I HAVE STRECHED PLANTS!!! i have been warned about small popcorn buds!!! i DONT want this 2 happen.. i want NICE BIG buds ..pruning topping trimming?ANYTHING??? HELP PLEASE!!

Use 6500-7000k MH or T5s for vegging(very little far-red light which causes plant stretching). Implement a cold air dump during the first few hours of lights on(google it for more info.) Dont crowd them together.

Can someone post up the HIGH TIMES issuse the had the article in it about BONSAI BUDS? I believe it was in an issuse from 2005 and i do recall pruning only a minimal amount off each leaf, like lets say removing 3 "fingures" [advisary: only cut the three largest "fingers" at the base of the plant] careful not to damage the pit where the 7 to 9 leaves connect, (thats where the photosynthesis majic happens)... but... after removing those 3 useless leaves i think i remember trimming the remaining leaves along the jagged edges to keep it more inconspicuous so they wont be noticable to any untrained eyes. =-]
If anyone can repost a link to that article, or if anyone remebers that article, the please post it up fo me and thes other Gents for the help.
not... YES, trimming back the entire leaves will dry up and fry you plant...
thats why they called it BONSAI BUDDS. They take alot of TLC and will not yeild as much as perhaps the same strian growing wild out in the open but when it comes to us the oppessed, more growth in an area "off the beaten path somewhere with easily be mistaken for a mulberry shrub or just simply over looked... For those trying this method but lets see if why can find the Article from HIGH TIMES titled Bonsai Budds. released in 2005 if i remember correctly. any further questions any of you might have, then please feel free to ask. I studied Jorge Cervantes for at least 8 or 9 years collecting every issuse but while trying to find that particular issue, Im noticing several copies have seemed to have walked off my collection shelf.
Any more help or advice, i excpet it to go both ways, so definitely drop me a messege anytime...
Peace & JAH LOVE be upon you all my brothers and sister...
-FiN- :::GelXeS::: (-_-)

Yea A long time ago I gave one of my plants a hair cut and thought it would be good because the sun reaches the buds more.What happened was I cut to many off and stunted the plant and it didn't grow after that and the buds didn't get to big.I learned the plants need the leave,and to leave them on.

Rather be Safe Than Sorry, Don't Butcher Your Plants Please. Marijuana Abuse is wrong. Shaded Bud is Bud none the less, I think its just a tendency to want to do something.. simply being bored and Hoping you can improve your plant somehow. I call it, New Grower Syndrome.

I prune secondary and tertiary shoots on all lower and mid branches right when I switch the lights down to 12/12. I leave fans intact. and just remove the shoots. This focuses the plants flowering energy on main stem colas and keeps the big solar panels on to produce energy. I also clean up the bottoms and remove all growth below the lip of the pots, even if the branches are long and reach up into the plant. This stuff will not be worth a damn and just wastes energy that can be used for making big fat juicy colas. This is pretty much all of the pruning I do. Just the once right when I switch the lights over to make room for the stretch. This way I decide which branches I want to produce bud, and just pick the fattest ones that get plenty of light.

Uncle Ben said:

Than they need for what? A plant is genetically predisposed to grow to a certain size, shape, bulk with outside influences weighing in. The fruit/nuts/flowers that plant produces is driven by the amount of foliage left upon flowering/fruiting, all else considered (healthy root system, etc.) If conditions are favorable, fruit production is at its best and vice versa.



Say what? "energy" I don't know what or why you're making up as you go along here, but it's misguided. The movement of water throughout a plant is a function of transpiration, osmosis, capillary action, and tissue turgor/pressures.



No it doesn't. There is no stress involved, just a loss of carbos. What's this stuff about internodal spacing?

I give up........

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* We @t RUI endorse Facts thanks you sir!

whats the point of scrog if more light getting to the buds dosent help? i see bigger buds more even with scrog but if you grow vertical u tend to get a few large buds the rest are small thoughs small buds had the potential to be big but they didnt get enough light THERE ARE LEAVES ON THE BUDS BTW. if 70 of light passes through 1 fan leaf and hits another by the time it gets to a node or bud site its basiclay gone i have tryed both. i grow for bud not for leaf if i want more light to my bud i just tuck the leafe or tie it down. im not for choping fan leaves but some of what people are saying on here is completely wrong.

trickJames said:

I prune secondary and tertiary shoots on all lower and mid branches right when I switch the lights down to 12/12. I leave fans intact. and just remove the shoots. This focuses the plants flowering energy on main stem colas and keeps the big solar panels on to produce energy. I also clean up the bottoms and remove all growth below the lip of the pots, even if the branches are long and reach up into the plant. This stuff will not be worth a damn and just wastes energy that can be used for making big fat juicy colas. This is pretty much all of the pruning I do. Just the once right when I switch the lights over to make room for the stretch. This way I decide which branches I want to produce bud, and just pick the fattest ones that get plenty of light.

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why do people always want big fat colas? smaller buds always seem to be the hardest and most potent with the least plant material. also evenly drying huge main colas is a bitch

i think a little might weight in on what strain it is and how hearty tht strain is. i mean i trim the bottom 1/4 a week before flower because i only use a 400w now if i had a 1000w i wudnt trim shit because the penetration is better.

Saldaw said:

why do people always want big fat colas? smaller buds always seem to be the hardest and most potent with the least plant material. also evenly drying huge main colas is a bitch

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I dont know ...why???

Look people!! I have done this enough.. Read everything. There are so many novice no experience growers asking all the time about cutting out fans. The answer is in my results. From 13 grows, fucked up many a time in many a way but learned one thing if nothing else! Leaves, the more the better! If they get light they are your plants best hope of success. Period. If you take them off because they are shading other bud sites, to many plants, no room, ect ect ect.. it will not do anything good to the plant they were removed from unless they are showing signs of sickness. This is the answer. There is no other answer. Fan leaves, bud leaves, all make bud!!! Why do you think the plant grows them???? Seems so stupid but if you think? use your ceribral cortex? u will know plants don't do things for fun, just to see if they are going to need shit, they do as they were meant to do and that is make baby plants. This is accomplished by living and then dying after making seeds. We stop the seeds but the plant grows, lives, needs the same shit it needed when it was created. Leaves are its life blood. How many trees, not ever green one, do you see without leaves in the winter? None. Why? Because they are not growing. Take off your leaves and for each one you remove you are one closer to a plant that is not growing.... No leaves, no bud. More leaves, more bud.. NO other ANSWER!!!! Now got cut all all your fan leaves and watch how great they don't do.. Like 12/12 from seed. Such a joke it is not even funny.. Love seeing people put 20 plants in an area and getting 20 nice but not perfect colas. I plant 4 plants in same space and I get 12 big!! colas per plant and up to 2 oz's of popcorn per plant extra.. The idea that u need so many plants is stupid. One plant can make over a pound when grown perfect up to 2 lbs per plant. I get 8 to 11 zips per plant because they start small at 10". When done they are 39" tall. With no height restrictions they would be 12 to 15' tall and have over an lb each with no problem.. And they will have fan leaves by the thousands not because they are pretty or neat but because the plant needs them!!!!!!! GEEZZZZZ!!!!!!!! Now people stop asking if fan leaves do anything. Sick of stupid when there is no cure for it.

bobsgreen said:

look up trimming fan leaves a concensus..imho trimming fan leaves is shitty they make energy and store things your plant needs later in life

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Seems that stopped the bs about this subject! About time too!!!

Confusedone said:

Look people!! I have done this enough.. Read everything. There are so many novice no experience growers asking all the time about cutting out fans. The answer is in my results. From 13 grows, fucked up many a time in many a way but learned one thing if nothing else! Leaves, the more the better! If they get light they are your plants best hope of success. Period. If you take them off because they are shading other bud sites, to many plants, no room, ect ect ect.. it will not do anything good to the plant they were removed from unless they are showing signs of sickness. This is the answer. There is no other answer. Fan leaves, bud leaves, all make bud!!! Why do you think the plant grows them???? Seems so stupid but if you think? use your ceribral cortex? u will know plants don't do things for fun, just to see if they are going to need shit, they do as they were meant to do and that is make baby plants. This is accomplished by living and then dying after making seeds. We stop the seeds but the plant grows, lives, needs the same shit it needed when it was created. Leaves are its life blood. How many trees, not ever green one, do you see without leaves in the winter? None. Why? Because they are not growing. Take off your leaves and for each one you remove you are one closer to a plant that is not growing.... No leaves, no bud. More leaves, more bud.. NO other ANSWER!!!! Now got cut all all your fan leaves and watch how great they don't do.. Like 12/12 from seed. Such a joke it is not even funny.. Love seeing people put 20 plants in an area and getting 20 nice but not perfect colas. I plant 4 plants in same space and I get 12 big!! colas per plant and up to 2 oz's of popcorn per plant extra.. The idea that u need so many plants is stupid. One plant can make over a pound when grown perfect up to 2 lbs per plant. I get 8 to 11 zips per plant because they start small at 10". When done they are 39" tall. With no height restrictions they would be 12 to 15' tall and have over an lb each with no problem.. And they will have fan leaves by the thousands not because they are pretty or neat but because the plant needs them!!!!!!! GEEZZZZZ!!!!!!!! Now people stop asking if fan leaves do anything. Sick of stupid when there is no cure for it.

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