Thanks @Nickybut so try not to defoliate anything before flower?
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@ConcreteBudz When the plants get into pre flower and flower thats when you start shaping your grow for your area
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Ok word thanks 
@TLC
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I don’t pluck anything Durring veg and that is because more bio mass = more surface area for photosynthesis = more nutrient pathways = more root mass.
I let it stretch and then once you get those little fluffy bud sites like clover flowers I lollipop it, cut and shoot that are thinner then a pen or don’t make it half way up the plant to canopy level. Then I defoilate to allow light into the bud sites.
Then the next defoilation you don’t need to do anything but defoilate, all the shoots, popcorn buds, and lower stuffs gone.
You get all solid bugs to more energy goes into your main buds.
I was scared at first to be as aggressive as I am now but in coco you can be aggressive, just remember you should still have fan leafs and leafs to keep the plant alive some people go way to far lol.
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Ok thanks a lot @Nicky gives me a decent idea of when I will start. My big one can take it now but the rest have a while to go.
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Oops i did the full bottom clean just before they were flowers kinds just a pistil here ot there but seems to be ok so far. Buds r looking pretty nice on this run of zkitz
I prolly should have went a bit higher up but hey its better than it would jave been.
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Very well said. Excellent summary tutorial from someone that has done this a time or two 
Not a whole lot different than defoliation routine for photos
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Thanks @beardless
It definitely is an art I find, it takes experience to know what isn’t going to grow to be worth it in the end. At the start we all want to keep it all but then we realize all this fluf and popcorn stuff we get or how our buds below didn’t mature because they didn’t get enough light. It’s an art and it will take everyone time but with a couple pointers everyone can be a little more confident about what they are doing.
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My problem is figuring out how low to go. I have no problem taking out stuff I know won’t amount to anything. I will do my pre flip stripping and also take out mid plant do nothings. Then as the stretch takes place I keep after it, that is remove lousy growth tips / bud sites. But in the end I think I should have taken out more. Still learning to pull that trigger.
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Yes I’m getting very excited for the next few weeks when they will start pre flowering and really stretching. I will definitely be double checking my techniques with a few of you haha. I have that purple kush in my cart @Nicky for next round I believe 
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This friggen Garage door keeps running on me… dam concrete drivers showing up too wet 
I wanna go home and see my baby’s! Haha 
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Old school. Ever used aluminum forms. Tear down and set up guys love them. Major $$$
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No not personally @beardless but seen them haha.
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Day 20 lights pulling about 205 watts 2ft from my bigger plant and around 30inches from the others. I feel like my two smaller ones aren’t stretching as much anymore. Maybe it’s just me haha. Thoughts on lighting everything seem fine for now @dbrn32
Bigger one on back left is about 27days or so
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The one you FIMed should be about done stretching for now. Looking good buddy! If you have that environment dialed in I think the autos handle HST just fine. At least from my limited experience. I ran my tent for 2 weeks with just bags of watered soil to get it dialed in before I even attempted to grow. It really helped IMO. Yours looks great and I really love the Stealth Box!
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Thanks @MO_Grow417 i appreciate that! I’m excited to see your new soil grow! Is it technically a living soil?
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It is a living soil. I want to get the mix just right before I start it. Even if it means mixing a new batch. I’ve made a few mistakes but I should be a pro by now. 3rd times a charm 
. I think I am going to do an outdoor auto grow of 3 on my back porch as well in 10 gallon pots for a total of 12. My max, lol.
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Awesome brother go for it for sure! Gotta utilize the sun I mean why not?! But yea I’m very interested in living souls. I’ll go that route eventually. I’m going to try organic dry amendments for nutrients next. Side by side with jacks @MO_Grow417
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Just be careful with certain instant living soil mixes, certain members tried them and had a horrendous time all throughout their grow
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