Trimming: Where to cut?

[tekneeqs]

I want to trim some leaves so the bottom branches are exposed to more light but Im just not sure which branch to cut because Im afraid I might be cutting one that will form buds? Please help!!

[HARDDON]

No you don't want to trim leaves.

Those are the solar panels for those future bud sites. Cut those and you get no bud secondaries.

You can 'fold' the leaves back or 'tuck' them...but really...the buds will form if you have strong enuff light to penetrate.

I always want strong light penetration and those secondaries will form.

Its is critical that you not cut them.

If you need more light get more light. Just dont ever cut those fans....ever....

[4x5]

I handcuff the leaves together with bread ties(or to the main stalk) loosely of course, that way they dont pop back up after a few days. Dont cut them!

[tekneeqs]

Wow you guys are kidding me right? Every person I've asked told me to trim the leaves so the plant concentrates more energy and food into the 'body' as they call it, to produce more bud because edvidently the leaves do not form buds. I thought about it and thought it's true. I mean, on the stem is where the buds form and the leaves are just there to produce energy (like acting as a solar panel and absorbing the light), so if you cut some leaves off then there would be more energy left for the plant to use? I don't know, Im so confused and I cut lots of leaves off my plant so far, mostly big leaves because I thought its getting too big and taking up too much of the plant's energy.

[HARDDON]

No your thinking is wrong.

The plants MUST have those fan leaves. It is THOSE that absorb the light energy which is THEN converted to plant energy.

The plant will NOT be able to produce adequate buddage without those leaves. Sorry...but it is true.

The smaller growths from the secondaries do not have enough foilage to power the growth. THey get it from the fans. Then the secondaries will sprout and shoot up.

If there are no fan leaves...there isn't even energy 'catching' foilage to spur her on.

NEVER EVER cut a fan leaf. Trust me...I have done it. And will never do it again. You let those fan leaves stay on the plants until they are dead, yellow, dried and withered.

Everytime. All the time.

Follow that fundamental rule of cultivation.

[Racerx]

I wont neccessarily agree with NEVER cutting a fan leaf, but I definitely agree with HARDON's method of thinking. If fan leaves were not important and just blocking buds from sunlight...then wed all have plants that were just buds with no leaves. Not the case though. Fan leaves may block light from other places, but those other places will not grow without the fan leaves.

The solar panel is a great analogy (I love analogies). Lets say youve got a nice big house full of lights to grow pot. And youve got all these awesome plants and this awesome setup. Well you need power for all of that stuff, and power doesnt just come out of nowhere. It needs to be harnessed. So like fan leaves, you setup solar panels. Without these, youd have no power. Fan leaves have large surface areas, like solar panels, to catch as much light as they can, so they can convert as much of it as possible. That is why huge plants have huge fan leaves...

I wont cut them unless they are dying or dead or if I am stripping the lower branches because the plants are so bunched together that even with 1000watt lights they arent getting anything.

[tekneeqs]

Oh damn you guys arn't kidding. That's so strange because all these tips about cutting leaves are from the supposedly EXPERTS who grow in huge numbers and and for a long time so they should know what they are talking about?

[HARDDON]

Where the are no fan leaves, there are only little tiny flowerets.

Fact.

I have known known an expert grower say to cut those leaves. Thats why I did it and I can tell you its true. If done late enuff and you take off enuff, it will also kill your flower.

Stay away from your fan leaves. OFF LIMITS.

[tekneeqs]

Well, that sucks for me.. I've gone too far and cut off many leaves.. About 25%-40% of the leaves of each plant lol.. Im fucked and this is my first grow too! But thanks for showing me the right way otherwise guys.. I appreciate it!

[HARDDON]

Yea you have fucked your grow up.

It will still fower and bud...but you have substantially diminshed your end harvest.

Its all part of learning friend. Again, you'll still get some smoke...so all is not lost. Plus, you have learned and thats why we do this.

[tekneeqs]

I guess you're right =)
Thanks guys!

[Racerx]

I hope no one discouraged you on this grow. by all means you should continue it to the end! you can still get some good stuff! and hey you might even get an alright amount considering you destroyed a large portion of the plants ability to convert light into energy, and its going to take awhile to repair everything. That many fan leaves, whoo! thats a lot!

How about some pictures to show these manicured bushes?

[tekneeqs]

Sure, here they are.. Those pictures I took to showcase the problems with it after I dropped things over them and broke some leaves off =p Lol just my luck, first I cut some leaves off then they just want to be chopped off hehe.. Well yea, they're doing ok i guess but they would have been bigger if i havn't touched the leaves or accidently dropped another pot over it =p Oh and if u can identify the problems in them let me know thanks