# pinching fan leaves



## sixtreduce (Feb 19, 2010)

my room is pretty tight and i just started week 4 of flower instead of plucking the fan leaves that are cock blocking some of my other tops ive been pinching them(like you would pinch the tops) and moving them out of the way so far not one leaf has died.has anybody tried this?and is this a bad idea?


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 19, 2010)

bad idea, use a piece of string to tie them out of the way. you dont want to injure your plants energy producers and hurt its ability to effectively move the energy snd that into the buds.


----------



## sixtreduce (Feb 19, 2010)

sounds legit ill leave em alone.....thanks


----------



## volx707 (Feb 19, 2010)

pluck them if you are flowering you do not need fan leaves as much make sure you dont block the tops by leaves


----------



## JN811 (Feb 19, 2010)

volx707 said:


> pluck them if you are flowering you do not need fan leaves as much make sure you dont block the tops by leaves


 bad advice in my opinion, leave ur plant alone, just let it grow..


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 19, 2010)

volx707 said:


> pluck them if you are flowering you do not need fan leaves as much make sure you dont block the tops by leaves


 you could not be more wrong.


----------



## Uncle Ben (Feb 19, 2010)

volx707 said:


> pluck them if you are flowering you do not need fan leaves as much make sure you dont block the tops by leaves


Someone doesn't understand botany.


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 19, 2010)

Uncle Ben said:


> Someone doesn't understand botany.


 thats what i was thinking, lol


----------



## burninjay (Feb 19, 2010)

I wonder if poultry farmers pluck the chickens feathers to let them direct more energy to the eggs.

Completely non-applicable analogy, I know, but this is the thought that runs through my head when people post this kind of stuff.


----------



## dkmadman (Feb 20, 2010)

Just remove any yellow or dead plant matter off the plant and let it be. The leaves absorb the light and convert it to energy which is turned into growth. Taking off the fan leaves or "sucker" leaves as some call um is not a good idea IMO. Do kids eat like like crazy when they are growing? I know my brothers and I did. This is because the body when growing NEEDS more energy. If a child is malnurshed it has determental effects on their growth/health. Same princaple just a little different. Your plants grow by converting light into energy this is the plants GO GO power then the plants uptake newts through the root system to feed all of the vital energy making processes and round it goes. Give your plants plenty of light and don't over do the newts keep the room at 65ish lights off and 80ish lights on and they will be happy happy plants. Oh and just a bit more info, during flowering stage the plants naturally shed lower/older leaves. They do this when they start converting all power into "budding" and not growth. Hope this helps.


----------



## burninjay (Feb 20, 2010)

dkmadman said:


> Oh and just a bit more info, during flowering stage the plants naturally shed lower/older leaves. They do this when they start converting all power into "budding" and not growth. Hope this helps.


In my experience, cannabis doesn't take back it's own foliage unless it is nutrient deficient. If your leaves are dropping during flowering, you should revisit your feeding practices.


----------



## herbose (Feb 20, 2010)

Uncle Ben said:


> Someone doesn't understand botany.


Lots and lots of people don't understand botany. They should all read this thread by a guy who knows what he's talking about. What was his name again?


https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/158144-never-ending-abuse-phosphorous-bloom.html

I send this out at least once a day.


----------



## Uncle Ben (Feb 20, 2010)

herbose said:


> Lots and lots of people don't understand botany. They should all read this thread by a guy who knows what he's talking about. What was his name again?
> 
> 
> https://www.rollitup.org/marijuana-plant-problems/158144-never-ending-abuse-phosphorous-bloom.html
> ...


Thanks!

And the Master Gardeners Guild wonders why some peeps plants get so plucked up.


----------



## quillo (Feb 20, 2010)

Uncle Ben said:


> Thanks!
> 
> And the Master Gardeners Guild wonders why some peeps plants get so plucked up.


Does the bud, (as opposed to the leaves), even need any light at all? I wonder what the bud needs light for, if anything.


----------



## Southern.IL.Buds (Feb 20, 2010)

Heh common subject, it is also a bad idea, just so there is no doubt in your mind, early in flowering, go to the middle of a cola and pinch off a fan leaf. At the end of flowering check the bud site where you pulled it off and you will be surprised at your result. It will be less noticeable on a plant with popcorn buds but the bud on the other side of the stem will be MUCH bigger, obviously because the fan leaf is intact.


----------



## quillo (Feb 20, 2010)

Southern.IL.Buds said:


> Heh common subject, it is also a bad idea, just so there is no doubt in your mind, early in flowering, go to the middle of a cola and pinch off a fan leaf. At the end of flowering check the bud site where you pulled it off and you will be surprised at your result. It will be less noticeable on a plant with popcorn buds but the bud on the other side of the stem will be MUCH bigger, obviously because the fan leaf is intact.


It sounds like you're saying that fan leaves closest to a bud help that bud grow. Would it then make sense to pinch fan leaves that are further from the bud if they shade the bud's own fan leaves?


----------



## Southern.IL.Buds (Feb 20, 2010)

I have trimmed foliage only in cases where mold may be caused by perhaps moisture or lack of air flow, I prefer to tie branches down to maximize penetration of light, thus no trimming is required.


----------



## burninjay (Feb 20, 2010)

quillo said:


> It sounds like you're saying that fan leaves closest to a bud help that bud grow. Would it then make sense to pinch fan leaves that are further from the bud if they shade the bud's own fan leaves?



Cannabis plants are vascular. Nutrients and water flow through their xylem and phloem much like blood flows through our own veins and arteries.
Think of the leaves as little stomachs spread out around the plant, using photosynthesis instead of acid to 'digest' nutrients into usable compounds. 
When you pluck the fan leaves, you're removing one of these 'stomachs' and limiting the total amount of food the plant can synthesize. It's not that the opposite bud gets a boost when you remove the fan leaf, it is just that the nutrient solution in the plant is less concentrate by the time it gets to the part of the plant you plucked. Other parts have already fed off of it, and the leaf you removed would have replenished the food flowing through that part of the plant.

If you were to restrict the blood flow to your left hand, would your right grow bigger? Hell no, your left would just grow at a slower rate. 

We should let our plants be. Keep their vascular system as intact as possible for the duration of the grow,and the plant will reward us nicely.


----------



## Shrubs First (Feb 20, 2010)

burninjay said:


> Cannabis plants are vascular. Nutrients and water flow through their xylem and phloem much like blood flows through our own veins and arteries.
> Think of the leaves as little stomachs spread out around the plant, using photosynthesis instead of acid to 'digest' nutrients into usable compounds.
> When you pluck the fan leaves, you're removing one of these 'stomachs' and limiting the total amount of food the plant can synthesize. It's not that the opposite bud gets a boost when you remove the fan leaf, it is just that the nutrient solution in the plant is less concentrate by the time it gets to the part of the plant you plucked. Other parts have already fed off of it, and the leaf you removed would have replenished the food flowing through that part of the plant.
> 
> ...


I would +rep that statement if I could.


----------



## stumps (Feb 20, 2010)

Hey ben your in box is full.


----------



## sixtreduce (Feb 20, 2010)

this site is good my partner is helping me with the grow and he says he plucks some leaves which i did not want to do so i pinched one and bent it down three days later the leaf was right back up and healthy i know it must cause some stress on the leaf but it was better than completly chopping it off i was thinking.he told me to take clones and clean up my plant take some lower stems that arent going to do much which i did i hope i didnt hurt my ladies by doing that right before flowering is this going to hurt my yield?heres some pics you could see after i cleaned them up it seemed they came back with a vengance after a couple weeks.


----------



## quillo (Feb 20, 2010)

burninjay said:


> Cannabis plants are vascular. Nutrients and water flow through their xylem and phloem much like blood flows through our own veins and arteries.


That was very helpful, thanks.


----------



## RickWhite (Feb 20, 2010)

burninjay said:


> Cannabis plants are vascular. Nutrients and water flow through their xylem and phloem much like blood flows through our own veins and arteries.
> Think of the leaves as little stomachs spread out around the plant, using photosynthesis instead of acid to 'digest' nutrients into usable compounds.
> When you pluck the fan leaves, you're removing one of these 'stomachs' and limiting the total amount of food the plant can synthesize. It's not that the opposite bud gets a boost when you remove the fan leaf, it is just that the nutrient solution in the plant is less concentrate by the time it gets to the part of the plant you plucked. Other parts have already fed off of it, and the leaf you removed would have replenished the food flowing through that part of the plant.
> 
> ...


Well put.

I always wonder what people assume the leaves are for and why they think they are shaped the way they are. Do people think they are there for decoration?

It's like asking if you should cut off a bird's wings to reduce drag so it can fly faster.


----------



## Kriegs (Feb 20, 2010)

Shrubs First said:


> I would +rep that statement if I could.


I did it for you; totally agree.


----------



## ref (Feb 20, 2010)

take fan leaves off! i did it if anything it stunts your plants a bit just give them a extra 7-10 days of flwering


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 20, 2010)

ref said:


> take fan leaves off! i did it if anything it stunts your plants a bit just give them a extra 7-10 days of flwering


so are you pro-chopping fan leaves or anti-chopping fan leaves? your post is difficult to understand precisely what you mean.


----------



## Kriegs (Feb 20, 2010)

ref said:


> take fan leaves off! i did it if anything it stunts your plants a bit just give them a extra 7-10 days of flwering


Sometimes, plants succeed despite us, not because of us. Just food for thought.


----------



## burninjay (Feb 20, 2010)

ref said:


> take fan leaves off! i did it if anything it stunts your plants a bit just give them a extra 7-10 days of flwering



Translation: 
"Hurt your plant. I did, and if anything it made it heal itself and waste energy. Only delayed my harvest a few weeks."

Scary, but this makes sense to some people.


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 20, 2010)

thats what i thought he was saying, lol, thanks for the help


----------



## Uncle Ben (Feb 21, 2010)

Kriegs said:


> Sometimes, plants succeed despite us, not because of us. Just food for thought.


Aint that the truth!


----------



## doobiesnax (Feb 21, 2010)

during flowering lower branches and fan leaves eventually fall off. energy is already stored in the plant. however, it is best to let the plant just grow, but if you really need space it woudnt hurt.


----------



## burninjay (Feb 21, 2010)

doobiesnax said:


> during flowering lower branches and fan leaves eventually fall off. energy is already stored in the plant.


Please tell me you have pics of a plant you have grown that has lost it's lower branches. I have seen some pretty abused plants on these forums that have lost all their foliage, but never one that got so bad that it dropped whole LIMBS! I would love to see this.


----------



## stumps (Feb 21, 2010)

lol I was thinking the same.


----------



## dtp5150 (Feb 21, 2010)

aggressive fan leaf removal may be needed in small grow set ups in order to ensure light can reach all bud sites

is it ideal? probably not, but it cannot be argued that in some situations is the only way to get best results


----------



## doobiesnax (Feb 21, 2010)

burninjay said:


> Please tell me you have pics of a plant you have grown that has lost it's lower branches. I have seen some pretty abused plants on these forums that have lost all their foliage, but never one that got so bad that it dropped whole LIMBS! I would love to see this.


If you've ever grown a monster yourself you would know. I'm an outdoor grower and I was referring to outdoor at the time, and was pretty ripped not realizing I was talking about indoor. lower branches have weaker bud sights due to lack of sunlight. Many leaves and some branches WILL FALL OFF.


----------



## stumps (Feb 21, 2010)

lol Well it was still funny the way it came out.


----------



## darkdestruction420 (Feb 21, 2010)

dtp5150 said:


> aggressive fan leaf removal may be needed in small grow set ups in order to ensure light can reach all bud sites
> 
> is it ideal? probably not, but it cannot be argued that in some situations is the only way to get best results


 really? I use small setups all the time, ive never had a situation where cutting fan leaves would of helped anything. and i fit tons of plants in my lil boxes. if your bud sites are not getting enough light the problem is not enough light,not that the fan leaves are blocking light..


----------



## burninjay (Feb 21, 2010)

darkdestruction420 said:


> really? I use small setups all the time, ive never had a situation where cutting fan leaves would of helped anything. and i fit tons of plants in my lil boxes. if your bud sites are not getting enough light the problem is not enough light,not that the fan leaves are blocking light..



I agree. I have had to resort to small box grows for a while now, and I only remove the very lowest branches/leaves only if they are getting in the way of basic care like watering and such. IMO, if your light can't reach through the canopy then you either need more light or have vegged too long for your setup.


----------



## mr.smileyface (Feb 21, 2010)

RickWhite said:


> Well put.
> 
> I always wonder what people assume the leaves are for and why they think they are shaped the way they are. Do people think they are there for decoration?
> 
> It's like asking if you should cut off a bird's wings to reduce drag so it can fly faster.


 If you cut a hippys hair will he see better? You should only prune if you are doing a sog method and dont have much space. 
Pruning isnt bad at all. its more of a timing thing. The only ones i take off are the bottom ones. The leaves that dont get much light and die off. Usauly around the 6 and 7th week. Make sure you clean up your mess. ALways sweep. 
I prefer to lollie all the weak growth on the bottom. It increases air flow and makes an easyer watering and easyer to spray underneeth the folage.
I prune after the first flowers have appearred. 
Never prune while your plants are under stress. Ex. If your plants are crawling with mites dont prune. Fix your problem before you prune. After i prune i always give them Vitamax to reduce stress on them. 
Pruning the bottom weak growth induces floral hormones to the top growth. Just like topping induces floral hormones to the lower growth!
Some people like to prune and some people dont. Cannabis is a very hardy plant and can handle a lot of stress. Just go easy on it. Dont hack big branches off. Take the little ones on the bottom off and a few leafs off if you really think it matters.


----------

