Bushy plants in flower - how to give more light?

[Buggy]

Ok, so I topped my plants a few times as they grew. Some of the girls are really bushy while others only have 2-4 branches. Because of the jam-packed leaves, the buds are growing more slowly than those that have more space between branches.

Is there something I can do to help them grow more buds? I have the CFLs focused most closely with those plants to help with their light needs, too. Or should they grow just as well without any changes/pruning/help? They are still producing, just not as much from what I can tell as they grow.

With topped plants, what difference do you find with production per plant between 2-4 branches versus 8ish?

I've read how you can trim fan leaves out to allow more light and air circulation, but I've also read that you shouldn't because those leaves are producing more food for the plants. I see also those leaves using food and nutrients, while the leaves at the nodes are also photosynthesizing for the plants... What difference does it make in leaving or removing some/most fan leaves in this sort of case?

Thanks all!

One of the bushes, which this picture seems to show 9 tips when I look close (I'll double check later just to see)
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Buggy Reviewed by Buggy on 10-06-2013. Bushy plants in flower - how to give more light? Ok, so I topped my plants a few times as they grew. Some of the girls are really bushy while others only have 2-4 branches. Because of the jam-packed leaves, the buds are growing more slowly than those that have more space between branches. Is there something I can do to help them grow more buds? I have the CFLs focused most closely with those plants to help with their light needs, too. Or should they grow just as well without any changes/pruning/help? They are still producing, just not as Rating: 5

[growdemon]

what I do, is I tie, the giant fan leaf's, down to the center stem.. twist them side ways.

I remove fan leaves that are about to die off, yours look still very young.
I also prune sometimes, depending on how bushy the plant is, I usually leave the upper most top leaves & selectively prune the mid section, while tucking/twisting the top top leafs back to the stem
some strains like to be pruned lightly usually bushy plants that get pruned just love it.

I wouldn't worry about pruning or non pruning its a myth, just read your plant and do what you think it would like.
research some pruning techniques will help

[Buggy]

(posting about that last bushy pic - it's 8 tips, the one furthest to the left is ONE large bud with leaves in the middle. It also has the most tips of the plants, most have 4 though a couple have 6)

Thanks for the suggestions, I likely will be sticking those fans back... But then, won't some still be covering bud sites? With the three really bushy plants, I'll lightly prune I believe to allow light in. I'm also planning on tying a string around the top of the pots, and then tying the branches back a bit using that anchor thread by the pot top. As this is my first grow, I've not done this before. I have tied up other plants for support, but not to pull them apart before. Although I was planning on it for next grow season, I hadn't really looked into it too much this time. Hmmm... Dunno. We'll see.

Also, I have no idea what strain this is other than it being Indica, so I'm not sure how to find specifics for this strain. :/

[growdemon]

you could also raise your lights a bit, they will grow up a little more and make some space for more bud sights, then lower them back down in a few weeks once they develop
adding some lower cfls will help too.
once they stretch up a little, feed them a high PK- 0-12-5 fertilizer
here are a few pics of what it did to mine just by raising the lights up a bit

similar canopy, the middle pic is before the lights were raised, 1st pic you can see some twisted/tied back branches

[lipps]

Those big wide leaves are what turn the light into bud they are solar engines and the more light they get the bigger the plant will get and in the end the more buds you will get. Tying them down or removing them defeat the reason that the plant grew them........are you smarter than your plant? Train the growing tips to spread out by bending and tying so that you have an even height canopy so more light will hit the plant you can use netting or do a search on scrog.

[growdemon]

well its worked for my grows with no problem what so ever, plants stay healthy and the buds are killer.. maybe if you were trying to grow an 8ft plant I could see why, but man these are grown with CFL's.
ive done both, chopped off fan leaf's and left them. I see no difference nor any difference in the bud quality.

[growhand420]

removing fan leaves causes stress that can reduce its growth but growers cut off or bend leaves so that more light will reach the inner stem to help it produce more nodes for scrog so cutting leafs equals to stress more nodes but does not increase yield without using the scrog method

[catbuds]

Think ahout photosynthesis man. Remember that's the process where plants use light to convert nutes into sugars. That's how they feed. As the bud ripens, they will turn yellow & drop after they've released their stored sugars to the buds. Once my plants bush out, I take fluorescent fixtures with grow tubes, lay them on the floor facing upwards to light the shaded parts of the plants. Just place them where they are needed the most. If you can't find grow tubes, use cool whites for veg, warm whites for flowering. ~~~PEACE!~~~