I notice that some growers actively remove leaves during the flowering process, some do it once or twice, and other never touch them. Whats your process and why?
Personally, we do it a few times during bloom, but just to open up the canopy to allow better light penetration, which is important especially in a high density situation (2.0+ plants per ft2). We mainly target the leaves that are blocking or shadowing the lower flowers.
I remove all yellowed leaves at least on a weekly basis during the flowering process. I also hard prune all the lower leaves and branches to focus growth to the primary cola’s, open up the lower canopy and provide for airflow. I find it keeps it cleaner, prevents disease and helps focus growth on the healthy and highly productive parts of the plant.
Thanks Nathan. In veg we prune to 4-6 main leads. We will do a lower prune again in week 2-3 when the plant begins to stretch
I’ve been schwazzing at home. I take off all fan leaves on day 1 and then about 1/3 of the way through flowering, typically day 20 or 21 for most of my strains.
Jason,
Great to hear you’ve been using the Schwazzing technique. Are you following all of the protocols in the Three-A-Light book? Are you using Success Nutrients along with it? I would love to hear about your experience with it - pros AND cons.
I don’t have a copy of Three-A-Light. I’ve gathered as much as I could about the technique from friends and from around the web. At the Indo Expo I looked through the book and asked Josh a few questions.
I’d be happy to do a full write up of the book and my experiences if Medicine Man Tech or Three a Light are interested in providing a copy.
I’d also be open to samples of Success if you have any. I’m actually wearing a Three a Light lanyard today.
Thanks, Jason - I will see what I can do!
In veg we take off all the “main” leaves that are at the inter nodes of the main branches. In bloom we do one good bottom prune and two heavy defols.
