Removing fan leaves

[mslady_1983]

Is it ok to start removing the fan leaves 2 weeks before harvest. Thank a bunch

 

[Grower13]

I wouldn't if they're green......

 

[Siccmade]

alot of people do remove them then it helps with the trimming makes it easier, i removed leaves through out flowering, i let the buds get developed first, i have a friend thats trying a whole pretrim in veg slowly then introduces to flower. hope that helps

 

[DrFever]

Is it ok to start removing the fan leaves 2 weeks before harvest. Thank a bunch

i would wait start taking leafs off 2 - 3 days before harvest will help come trim time

 

[kal el]

It is ok to remove fan leaves anytime you want.
Next grow you may want to remove all the big fans off one plant during flower.
You can then do a side by side to see which plant yields more.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

The big fan leaves are the solar panels to the plant. They do most of the photosynthesizing, and provide the plant with much needed starches and sugars for good bud development as well. I wouldn't remove any, the plant will naturally discard the ones it doesn't want. I only trim the lower 1/3 of my plants just before flower, and that's the whole branch (sucker shoots) not just leaves. Then like dr fever said 2 or 3 days before harvest I trim all fan leaves, and let the sit in the dark for a couple days to stress em a little, it definitely helps with my trichome development, I like em pretty amber. A good 50/50 mix.

 

[mslady_1983]

Thanks to all happy Sunday

 

[Siccmade]

This time around on my bubble gum and flo I tried removing ones on the main stem. And did it little by little after buds were developed. It looks like it works fine. The plant needs air and light to the mid or thick fan leaves. So those buds get bigger I try to remove the ones that are covering the flowers from the light.

 

[HighBrixMMJ]

Yes I do take any that are shading major bud sites, but I'll try to just tuck them before I cut em. It's always a last resort to remove any fan leaves....for me.

 

[WrEkkED]

As most stated, I would leave most big fan leaves unless one or two are really shading the rest below. I trimmed mine about 2 weeks into flower but leaving the main fan leaves at the top and trimming more below. But I only cut anything that would help light penetration. Seems to be working pretty killer so far.

 

[Siccmade]

Exactly. And if you remove any do it little at a time .. so the plant doesnt go into shock

 

[DrFever]

YOU as growers have to realize plants have evolved over millions of years
Wouldn;t one think if they would evolve to discard there leafs to produce more remember a mj plant in reality is only there to produce seeds in reality more seeds more off spring its is plainly stupid to start taking off leafs here is a idea add more power if your worried about buds that will be larf anyways
tuck your leafs prune in veg and remove lower bud sites as to not waste energy to top bud development

 

[NorCalHal]

This time around on my bubble gum and flo I tried removing ones on the main stem. And did it little by little after buds were developed. It looks like it works fine. The plant needs air and light to the mid or thick fan leaves. So those buds get bigger I try to remove the ones that are covering the flowers from the light.

Completely false my friend.

Buds, themselves, do not need, or use any light.....at all. Buds are a product of the plant trying to "propagate" itself. Buds are formed thru the energy of the plant...the plant gets it's energy from the leaves. Simple as that.

Again, if you are worried about lower bud sites developing, either cut out the lower site you are worried about, or get more lumens, taking Fan leaves is never a good idea.....ever.
Ok, the last 2 days or so is fine, before harvest, but that is about it.

Personally, even when I "trim" up the plant, I will cut out the lower bud site, but I will leave the leafs that were there. More leaves, more energy, bigger buds.

Sure, a plant will still produce if you take the leaves off, but you are fooling yourself if you think that you are increasing production, you are actually decreasing it. The plant may look healthy, but you lost HUGE in the yeild department.

 

[Siccmade]

No my yield in actuality did increase. Like I said my plants are very bushy. I thinned out the thick area. Not 100% removed all but after a while the plant doesn't use the fan leaf. Hense why people remove them mid to late flower they are no longer needed. And if light doesn't grow the flower then y do people say get your lights
as close as possible it will help bud density and yield. Since I thinned out the thick areas they do like it. my plants the mid section looks more dense.

 

[Dman1234]

the fan leaves feed the buds, one of these threads pop up a couple times a year.

 

[Siccmade]

Ya. Im just stating that worked for me

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

No my yield in actuality did increase. Like I said my plants are very bushy. I thinned out the thick area. Not 100% removed all but after a while the plant doesn't use the fan leaf. Hense why people remove them mid to late flower they are no longer needed. And if light doesn't grow the flower then y do people say get your lights
as close as possible it will help bud density and yield. Since I thinned out the thick areas they do like it. my plants the mid section looks more dense.

If removing fan leaves increased your yield, you must have been doing something wrong before that affected yield. Plants need and use the fan leaves the entire grow. I am not sure where you heard/read that after a while the plant does not use the fan leaves, but that is simply not true. The fan leaves are where the photosynthesis takes place. Photosynthesis is necessary to grow bud. You get your lights as close as possible so that the fan leaves have more light. All the work creating cannabinoids takes place because of the photosynthesis that takes place in the fan leaves.

 

[7greeneyes]

It is ok to remove fan leaves anytime you want.
Next grow you may want to remove all the big fans off one plant during flower.
You can then do a side by side to see which plant yields more.

Please with all due respect to the member that posted this, do not remove their solar collectors at all, don't tuck them, do not hinder the photosynthesis process one iota, unless you want to unduly shock them and produce less. If the leaves are yellowed and brown towards the ends then yes, by all means, with the slightest amount of pressure tug on the leaf, if it comes out then it obviously is not being utilized by the plant any more and can be defoliated.

eace:,:heart:, & the Kind,

7greeneyes

 

[NorCalHal]

No my yield in actuality did increase. Like I said my plants are very bushy. I thinned out the thick area. Not 100% removed all but after a while the plant doesn't use the fan leaf. Hense why people remove them mid to late flower they are no longer needed. And if light doesn't grow the flower then y do people say get your lights
as close as possible it will help bud density and yield. Since I thinned out the thick areas they do like it. my plants the mid section looks more dense.

So wrong. Leaves are allways needed, but what do I know.
Have fun with that.

 

[Siccmade]

To each their own. Everyone has there own style of growing.