Auto topping thread,pushing the auto limits;)

[sickzone]

Here we are 3 days after topping on day 15.

Started tucking the fan leaves under the branches.
Is this right,or should I just cut those fan leaves off.
I'm thinking tucking for now and then cut in a week or so when I start some LST.
Or should I wait until flower before I cut anything else off.

 

[WildBill]

Look at those girls praying!

 

[The Iconoclast]

As long as the leaves are not blocking any light and you don't have an air circulation problem then there's no need to chop the leaves. The best way to go at first is judicious chopping of leaves as you gradually build up your own direct knowledge. The most important thing is that your plant looks very healthy in all respects and it's only because of that that you can even consider chopping leaves off. What I tend to do is after a few weeks I try to removes leaves because tucking just doesn't work. I start slowly at first. If the plant is still looking vigorous by the time flowering is going to start, I think you can defoliate to your hearts content.

 

[olbobcat]

You are looking good. The leaves will just keep getting bigger faster and bud sites get buried, so you need to take off a couple here or there. I try to take off no more than 2 or 4 a day when it is early I wonder if it would be better to take them off earlier before they use energy or leave a while to give energy?

 

[autobeast]

Look at those girls praying!

Thankyou sir

 

[sickzone]

The best way to go at first is judicious chopping of leaves as you gradually build up your own direct knowledge.

Last night I took 3 leaves off and started some Lst.
Was struggling with Lst and pulled the main stem over some and then decided to sleep on it.
Did some more tonight,Lst and defol, and feel better with the structure now.While not perfect,it is better than I was doing last night.
Nothing like getting your hands dirty and doing it as opposed to reading about it.
Learned a lot these first 20 days.

 

[sickzone]

The leaves will just keep getting bigger faster and bud sites get buried, so you need to take off a couple here or there.

Amazing how quickly they bounce back.
I trimmed a bunch this afternoon and exposed a bunch of bud sites and some are already covered tonight.
Waking up each morning is like Christmas .

 

[The Iconoclast]

Learned a lot these first 20 days....
Amazing how quickly they bounce back....

As you get more comfortable you get more cavalier. You can really go to town with the defoliation, and think to yourself, 'welp, that should do for a week' but the next day you find yourself stripping more off, then the next day it looks like you haven't done anything! It becomes addictive. I think people get caught up in this idea that the leaves are like a little factory busy making stuff, but the fact is the plant is able to cope with an animal chomping all it's leaves off so it makes more than it needs, I mean any leaves are all making stuff and it's getting continual light indoors and access to whatever nutrients it can handle. And if you think about it from the Selfish Gene point of view, then as long as it has a good root system then it really wants to make lots of buds because that's the aim of the game.

 

[F.N.]

As you get more comfortable you get more cavalier. You can really go to town with the defoliation, and think to yourself, 'welp, that should do for a week' but the next day you find yourself stripping more off, then the next day it looks like you haven't done anything! It becomes addictive.

You will grow monster plants simple as that. Never mess with the main cola that is my two cents

 

[olbobcat]

Puff Puff Pass Hulk Pebbles day 22 on Autobeast schedule topped day 18 slight defoliation and freshly tied down before its first nutes this evening.