# Defoliating autos, should I **URL:** \ **Category:** Autoflowers\ **Created:** [February 27, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920 "2025-02-27T01:46:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beard-O](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/beard-o/32/936474_2.png) [@Beard-O](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Beard-O)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/1 "2025-02-27T01:46:27Z")
I’ve been growing autos for about 10 years. When I began just touching an auto in veg was considered a mistake. You’ll trip it into flowering. Smaller plant, small low potency buds. But a lot of those old rumors have been dispelled. People are topping and fiming autos. Doing heavy LST. I even use the double solo cup method for starting seedlings with perfect results. Here’s my question. 2 of my 4 autos have an incredible abundance of huge, green lower fan leaves. As a result they’re blocking a lot of light. I’ve gone as far as I can using leaf tucking. But that’s no longer effective. So can I safely trim off a few of these lower fans with compromising the plant. I’m about 10 days into flower. I attached a photo of the avg bud. ![1000000387](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/7/b/4/7b4a13a4d1b4a901d51984ac62166c8e749782f4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![OGIncognito](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/ogincognito/32/475294_2.png) [@OGIncognito](https://ilgmforum.com/u/OGIncognito)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 2:01am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/2 "2025-02-27T02:01:45Z")
I treat autos the same as photo periods Grow Bro and agree on the older advice on HST and defoliation. I top and defoliate before light flip and 21/42 days in flower 🤟 FB Gelato ![IMG_1666](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/original/4X/f/1/1/f1102790c1bb391e58ee62e4f7591e0e505d5003.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Growdoc](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/growdoc/32/1109917_2.png) [@Growdoc](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Growdoc)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/3 "2025-02-27T03:10:54Z")
One thing about leaves that are blocking light, they are absorbing light and making energy for the plant. If they are lower leaves, I would defoliate the lower third about three weeks into flower, snipping any immature growth that might rob energy form bud making. That should open up your canopy so light can reach any healthy bud sites. Leaves are solar panels leave them when you can until flower defol. ---
**Author:** ![Borderryan22](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/borderryan22/32/1167090_2.png) [@Borderryan22](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Borderryan22)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:26am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/4 "2025-02-27T03:26:07Z")
I don’t get too handy with autos. Mostly cuz I tend to overwater in the beginning on like every plant I start lol. But I’ve had some that got the bizz. Just gotta time some of it right and get that real good start ---
**Author:** ![BobbyDigital](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/bobbydigital/32/1220557_2.png) [@BobbyDigital](https://ilgmforum.com/u/BobbyDigital)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 3:51am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/5 "2025-02-27T03:51:02Z")
I’ve never had an issue topping and defoliating autos. When they decide to flower has more to do with the phenotype of the plant than the stress caused by training. There are some real garbage phenotypes of auto’s out there, e.g. super foxtaily buds, 3” tall flower plants, plants that refuse to flower, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Jayjay504](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/jayjay504/32/1112014_2.png) [@Jayjay504](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Jayjay504)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/6 "2025-02-27T18:03:28Z")
@Beard-O you just confirmed one of my suspicions, I just topped two of my autos well really filmed and pistols started popping on both of them only 3 weeks old ---
**Author:** ![OGIncognito](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/ogincognito/32/475294_2.png) [@OGIncognito](https://ilgmforum.com/u/OGIncognito)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 11:15am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/7 "2025-02-28T11:15:53Z")
> [@Jayjay504](#): > > just topped two of my autos well really filmed and pistols started popping on both of them only 3 weeks old I’ve never had an auto flower prematurely flower due to HST. Well put from @BobbyDigital 🤟 ---
**Author:** ![Jayjay504](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/jayjay504/32/1112014_2.png) [@Jayjay504](https://ilgmforum.com/u/Jayjay504)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/8 "2025-02-28T18:49:51Z")
@BobbyDigital well the person that gave me the seeds is like 3 weeks ahead of me with the same plants and I don’t even think he’s in Flower yet ---
**Author:** ![BobbyDigital](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/growingmarijuana/user_avatar/ilgmforum.com/bobbydigital/32/1220557_2.png) [@BobbyDigital](https://ilgmforum.com/u/BobbyDigital)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2025, 2:20am UTC](https://ilgmforum.com/t/defoliating-autos-should-i/117920/9 "2025-03-01T02:20:36Z")
That’s a plants phenotype for ya. There’s an average of around 4 phenotypes per plant genetics. With photoperiod plants , it’s easier to breed out the bad phenotypes and get pretty consistent plants from each seed. It’s more difficult with autos since the clock is always ticking.