Do you folks thin any fan / sugar leaves during flower?

I am using a 4 ft 8 bulb T5 with 4 6500 blue and 4 3200 red bulbs - about 6/8 inches above the canopy of a fully scroged / screened/ trellised sea of green all upper flowers are same height but did leave some of the lower tops in place - this is my first grow and i have learned so much and had fun doing so -

So I need to ask a few questions - do you guys trim / thin out any of the leaves to allow better light coverage to the lower flowers

should I add or change bulbs to all red etc

and would adding a standard 4 ft fluorescent type 2 strip L E D light help any

I leave the fan leaves alone

I too leave the fan leaves alone, I remove bottom third of plant week 2 of flower and spread the tops apart so light penetrates deeper. them fan leaves are food stores for your plant removing them IMO is a no no.

Happy Growing

if a leaf is non functioning I remove it all through the cycle. Skirt up to your screen for air flow.
If you want more light penetration use more, removing leaves doesnt make the light more powerful, or buds any better

good luck!

Thanks all of ya

I am defoliating heavily. No need for food storage, because you feed them... it's not nature we are talking about! So thinking a plant needs some storage, though she is getting regulary feeding, is a no no

neckpod said:

I too leave the fan leaves alone, I remove bottom third of plant week 2 of flower and spread the tops apart so light penetrates deeper. them fan leaves are food stores for your plant removing them IMO is a no no.

Happy Growing

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Especially with going scrog or sog, you need to defoliate heavily, otherwise there isn't any space for air movement. You want to grow buds, not leaves!

But as you see oldcrab, the topic is heavily argued. Find it out yourself! I couldn't live without it

Serva said:

I am defoliating heavily. No need for food storage, because you feed them... it's not nature we are talking about! So thinking a plant needs some storage, though she is getting regulary feeding, is a no no


Especially with going scrog or sog, you need to defoliate heavily, otherwise there isn't any space for air movement. You want to grow buds, not leaves!

But as you see oldcrab, the topic is heavily argued. Find it out yourself! I couldn't live without it

Click to expand...

Actually when i posted this i was debating on experimenting -- I have 3 same everything strain size etc - all mixed into the same scrog - so I am new to the indoor stuff , decided best way to find out is to try - so I actually stripped down the left plant and removed all of the leaves not directly connected to a cola / flower on the 4 largest ones and in 1 week they have doubled in size compared to the others that were left alone - so tomorrow I am stripping the rest of the plant and will leave her sisters alone and then see if it was just a fluke or actual improvement - if next week it proves beneficial -- I will do the same to them all and may do the same to all future grows of reg photo beans - I will try the same experiment on auto plants in the future

The most important about defoliating is the timing. Check out growweedeasy, they have a great tutorial for defoliation, and also for scrogging. I think it's easier done with clones you know, than with seedlings, but pruning after flipping (heavily) and after stretch (slightly, they don't produce anymore noteable leaves at this time) seems to be a good start. There shouldn't be any holes in the canopy, when looked from above, otherwise you have defoliated to heavy. But only own experiences will give you knowledge, so have fun trying it out! Looking for your report