Trimming fan leaves

[noodles]

Has anyone trimmed their fan leaves lately or before. Read that this is supposed to be ok if you want to get more light at the bud sites and running out of room. Im going to be flowering 11 plants in one closet in about a week. Can this be done safely or will it kill the plants too easily if not done right? Could someone give some input if this is ok. Im stressing out here

Later

 

[Stoney Bud]

Has anyone trimmed their fan leaves lately or before. Read that this is supposed to be ok if you want to get more light at the bud sites and running out of room. Im going to be flowering 11 plants in one closet in about a week. Can this be done safely or will it kill the plants too easily if not done right? Could someone give some input if this is ok. Im stressing out here

Later

Photosynthesis isn't that local. Fan leaves collect light for the entire plant. Taking away from that collection in an attempt to gather light from a more localized place on the plant isn't what is best for the plant. Sure, it'll work, but not as well as if you left the plant alone. Topping and LST is all that is needed.

 

[Professor bongwater]

I read some were that if you trim the tips off ALL of the leaves from start to finish. That it has been known to increase resin production. Has anyone else ever heard of this. I currently have one plant (started from seed) that is about one month old, and I have been trimming it since day one. I had started with two plants to experiment between the two. But due to a mix up of bottles one of them (the one that had not been trimmed) is no longer with us. I guess that only time will tell....
Prof.

 

[KADE]

Okay... All I'm gonna say is this....

Take every myth you have EVER heard... and throw it out the window... unless proven different on mythbusters (love that show)

With you trimming the leaves all the time you are shocking the plant all the time and stunting growth.. possibly into a hermie.... plus.. resin production doesn't really kick in 100% until around the 21st day of flower.

 

[noodles]

thanks for all of the replies Ill fold over if I have to but wont that take up more room?

 

[Hick]

"folding them over"...restricting them from the light, is counter productive to photosynthesis, too.
IMHO....Leaf ..them alone.. The leaves utilize the light, not the budsites.

 

[Professor bongwater]

Take every myth you have EVER heard... and throw it out the window... unless proven different on myth busters (love that show)

Wouldn't that be sweet? If Myth Busters would dedicate a few show for some cannabis cultivation myths.
I don't ordinarily trim any leaf from healthy plants. But I had a few seeds of the same strain and thought "why can't I be a Myth Buster?" IMO With plants there are just to many variables to tell what caused what to happen......
Prof.

 

[bobbak67]

quote=Stoney Bud]Photosynthesis isn't that local. Fan leaves collect light for the entire plant. Taking away from that collection in an attempt to gather light from a more localized place on the plant isn't what is best for the plant. Sure, it'll work, but not as well as if you left the plant alone. Topping and LST is all that is needed.[/quote]

OK then if trimming wouldnt do anything for the lower budsites, (due to the fact that we would just be taking away from the light collection, and that bud sites dont need the light,) then why would LST or topping do anythng at all. Would that not be the same thing as just trying to move things around for more light penetration, without stressing the plant from trimming them?
I know you will get better yields from topping and LST, but for different reasons than the original question, correct?

 

[Stoney Bud]

I know you will get better yields from topping and LST, but for different reasons than the original question, correct?

There is a lot more to how a plant handles light than this tiny issue.

Topping is to produce more branching.

LST is to better utilize space.

The primary use if either or both is to create more budding locations, not increase light distribution.

That's what I meant. When I wrote that, I had a moment that I thought "Someone will ask about this".

My point being that the plant canopy is where the majority of production is on the plant in regards to buds. Lower buds on the interior of the plant just don't happen very well. Just like with fruit trees. You can supplement light to the lower OUTSIDE of the plant, but lighting the interior of the plant doesn't produce enough additional bud to make it worth it IMO.

 

[emptypackofcigs]

OK then if trimming wouldnt do anything for the lower budsites, (due to the fact that we would just be taking away from the light collection, and that bud sites dont need the light,) then why would LST or topping do anythng at all. Would that not be the same thing as just trying to move things around for more light penetration, without stressing the plant from trimming them?
I know you will get better yields from topping and LST, but for different reasons than the original question, correct?

[/quote]


LST and Topping are different than butchering your plant to hell... when you cut off a bunch of leaves so that the bud sites can get more light thats not good because the fan leaves are what catch the light... doing LST on the plant you keep all your fan leaves and make room for light to get to the lower fan leaves and bud sites... thats why cutting off the fan leaves isn't a good idea... because cutting them off will stunt the photosynthesis process...

 

[bobbak67]

Ok, got it....thanks for the explaination!!