Lollipopping is a simple technique, but you should still exercise caution. You'll want to lollipop your plants just before they begin flowering. We also recommend pruning—removing unnecessary branches—as well, although you should proceed slowly, and with a plan.
Many growers have increased yields by lollipopping. We know enough about plant science to support the logic behind this type of pruning. What's even cooler is that you can combine lollipopping with topping or fimming.
At the very least, leave at least four to five nodes of growth from the top. Many growers suggest leaving more. If working through several rows in a grow room, try to assess the plants in place as their growth can impact their neighbours, and they may require additional trimming.
Flowering defoliation is usually a little more dramatic than Vegetative defoliation but in order for us to defoliate correctly during Flowering, we first should cut away any growth tips, small leaves, or parts of the plant that aren't getting light before we enter Flowering – right before.
You can remove fan leaves during flowering in much the same way you do during veg. Prune away large leaves that are overshadowing bud sites, as well as dead or dying fan leaves. One thing to keep in mind is that you should prune in intervals, giving at least a couple weeks between each session.
During the earlier stages of plant growth, the fan leaves should only be removed if they yellow or dry out. However, once the plant begins to flower, you can trim off some of the fan leaves. However, don't remove more than half of the fan leaves, because they are still needed by the plant.
Plants have to spend energy growing leaves, stalks and buds. By trimming off the unnecessary leaves, more energy is left to put towards bud growth. Additionally, every time a bud site is pruned, two more will be created to take its place – leading to more buds on a single plant.
You'll want to lollipop your plants just before they begin flowering. We also recommend pruning—removing unnecessary branches—as well, although you should proceed slowly, and with a plan. Start with sharp, clean shears to prune your plants.
Ideally, we recommend defoliating your plants once during veg and once during flower. If you're an inexperienced grower, only defoliate once during veg. If you are more experienced, you may want to try defoliating multiple times (given your grow schedule allows enough time for plants to recover after each defoliation).
Risks of Defoliating Cannabis Plants
Shock to the plant: Defoliating too many leaves at once can cause stress and shock to the plant, affecting its growth and health. Reduced yields: If the plant is defoliated too early or too late, it can reduce yields and the overall quality of the buds.
Most growers will agree that week 3 of flowering is the right time to start lollipopping. After a couple of weeks in the bloom phase, most cannabis strains will begin to display multiple bud sites along shoots.
THC also slightly degrades with drying, and buds that are dried too quickly will experience a more significant decomposition of THC than those that are allowed to dry more slowly. An ideal time to dry cannabis is around 5-7 days.
The longer you keep your plants in the vegetative stage, the bigger your plant will be, resulting in bigger yields from plants that were vegetated longer.
Cut the branches with buds into manageable sizes.
Similarly to wet trimming, you'll start by using your large shears to cut through the thicker branches. It's pretty simple — just make sure the branches attached to the buds aren't too short or too long for you to easily handle them.
Advanced Nutrients Bud Candy provides your plants with an essential secondary plant nutrient that serves to activate many enzymes required in the growth process, along with helping to increase yield and improve the flavour of your crop.
Whether you are removing fan leaves during the vegetative or flowering stages, it is important not to remove too many leaves at one time. Defoliating is a sensitive process, and if it is not done properly, the removal of the leaves can shock the plant, trigger early flowering, and produce a less impressive yield.
Usually, growers trim the fan leaves weeks before harvest, which is a period that leads to senescence, a phase in the plant cycle when the larger leaves start fading away. It is safe to start removing these dying leaves and continue until harvest.
5) Pre Flowering Stage. Most Cannabis plants will become developmentally mature when they reach 14”-20” in height, or 8 to 10 nodes of growth.
This is thought to work because it's another way of slightly stressing your plants. Stop Watering 1-3 Days Before Harvest – After flushing, in the final days of harvest, you can further stress your plants by stopping watering.
Defoliating & Pruning Autoflowers
The only time when it is recommended to defoliate your autoflower cannabis plants is 1 week before harvest (the pre-harvest defoliation mentioned above).
Make sure to cut just above a pair of leaves, as this will encourage the growth of multiple branches. Know when to top weed plants; it can be done any time after the plant has reached the vegetative stage, but it's typically done when the plant is between 3-5 weeks old.
The areas on the plants with cannabis bud rot should be removed, then disposed of in a sealed bag away from the other plants. As soon as any symptoms appear on the plant, grey mold will follow rather quickly. The mold will spread throughout the plant, including all the buds, before infecting the other plants.
Cannabis plants need water and nutrients to grow and develop big, healthy flowers. Drought, overwatering, and over/underfeeding can all affect your plant's ability to develop big, dense, and heavy flowers.