Question:
So I’ve got a few autos that are 5 wks old and starting to flower.
My little setup is already getting full and I feel like I should prune a little …
The question I have is what to remove ?
Some growers say leave it alone it needs everything it has for energy… Others say do this or that …
In the past I’ve removed big fan leafs, removed leafs that weren’t supporting a direct flower, and even lollipoped a couple…
I always ask myself if I’m doing the “right” thing.
Trimming is generally done to improve airflow within a plant’s canopy to mitigate mold. The plant otherwise needs its leaves to manufacture the sugars the plant needs to be healthy. The “energy” people refer to is those sugars, as the plant uses the sugars as energy.
Your plants already have plenty of room for airflow.
Thanks for the explanation on what the “energy” is
The more I do this the more I feel like the less you mess with them, the better (at least with autos)… I think in previous cycles I’ve over done things because of overthinking… Which has most likely effected the final outcome …
Those autos look great, I would wait until week 3 of flower and do a selective defoliation to expose all the hidden bud sites and improve air circulation
I too hesitated to remove anything or even train a auto plant the first time I grew some. Typically I remove mild amounts of leaf on photos.
I remove leaf and train to not only get better air movement but also to expose new growth. I understand that the plants need the leaf so I never go overboard. Usually within two days you can barely see I took anything.
Leaf removal has been a debate for many years. I believe and have experienced that it can be an effective method if done with some common sense. To me if a plant is green photosynthesis is happening no matter it leaf, stem, or bud. If I remove a few leaves smaller growth comes forward fast. So in essence I’m encouraging more growth. I’m certainly not halting any progress.
Another way I look at it is. Growers often take tops out of a plant. The goal is what? Two colas for one. It promotes growth right? I do the same with leaf…promote growth. I’m removing leaf…not future bud material.
To me topping is the evil. I never top plants. I just can’t take any material away that in the end benefits me…bud material.
Idk man lately ive been topping all my autos and i definately dont loose and bud material! The 2 sprouts next to the topped kola explode overnight into 2 kolas ! Just dont do it once flowering is all . Day 15-20 is usially the time . Some top again from those 2 buti dont.
Its where you take the top new growth in the center off and the 2 shoots from that node take off instead. So you trade one center node for 2 . Ive been waiting until about 6 or 7 nodes and cuting back down to 4 or 5 . As long as it has vigourous growth and appears perfectly healthy (by day 20ish above ground) ?
But im a noob with growing so …
Noob here too. I’m just trying to gather as much info as I can to grow better each time. As Bill Nye said… “Now you know”. I like the saying, “the more you know”.
Ya get two for one. I get that. I kinda look at it differently. Instead of removing the top bend it over. Them two colas are already there and will pop out if exposed. The main will still be there…growing…making more.
Ok got ya . Dont think either way is right or wrong tbh. Im still new at growing and trying different things . I have 4 autos in a 3x3 and toped 3 of them and letting one go. I need to do something with the one its like a foot taller than the rest and they are still stretching! Space is becoming a problem!
Hoping the plants in my 4x4 hurry and finish soon.
If your lights are at the max height you may have to super crop or could pull that tall main over and tie it off. Another option is putting the shorter ones on booster seats if your light height can be raised
I also had that issue this cycle with two of my autos and ended up super cropping them… They recovered fine.
That’s most likely what you’ll have to do to control the height. Ya don’t want them literally touching the lights.
i have another 1 foot i can move up and by then other plants in (taller 4x4) should be ready to harvest and i’ll be moving to that because of the better light anyways.
