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[pnwgrown]

Got my girls going good outside. We are about 3-4 weeks from the start of flower per the past few years. Would you trim/defoliate these girls to get more light on the lowerish side branching? 25 gallons pots.

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Discussion

[Thickems]

Outdoor doesnt require you to. The sun light will penetrate all over compared to artificial lighting. But it can be utilized. Training outdoors should be for health aspect. Humidity take large leaves add airflow so no rot. Bottom leaves that are dying are no longer helping, take them to focus energy. You dont have to be heavy on it though if you do, the sun will work wonders with foliage.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Thickems.

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[backwoods_mountain_grower]

I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with your assessment of what’s taking place in the plant a healthy plant not a plant with deficiencies thats prioritizing the top but still the same concept

When them lower leaves start turning yellow thats the plant deciding it don’t need them. The plants not trying to keep that leaf alive it’s pulling all the stored up nutrients & water that are mobile back out.

Like a space shuttle there not going to drop the rocket boosters half full there going to run the fuel out then drop the dead weight

If im not concerned with airflow I let them leaves ride till they fall of by themselves or they start to develop a fungal issue

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[Thickems]

Those plants look healthy, not sure what youre disagreeing? The lower leaves you explained the same thing i said, take lowers as they die, i never said they were trying to stay alive. And why wait for fungal issues? Prevent them ahead of time.

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[backwoods_mountain_grower]

Oh my bad I thought you were saying the plants trying to save those yellowing leaves thus sapping energy from the plant

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[Thickems]

I think it confused me more than you lol. I agree, as the leaf dies the plant takes the nutrients. Even a green leaf has a point where its no longer getting energy. The energy is now getting sucked from it making it turn to the dead look. Taking those leaves will possibly assist the plant on its focus.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Thickems.

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[pnwgrown]

Thanks! I will just let the girls ride for now. I forgot to mention….. a 1/4 dose of grow dots plus my magic formula that seems to work. Weather has been varying from 90’s to low 70’s today with cloud cover. Outdoor is always an adventure!!! More pics for your viewing pleasure! I love this plant!!!

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[backwoods_mountain_grower]

Do you spin your pots everyday or some frequency? I try to spin my plants in pots atleast every other day 180°

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[chad-westport]

That is awesome to see some outdoor in the PNW. It was mentioned that outdoor typically doesn’t need defoliation for light penetration, When growing indoors, the light is always overhead. But outside, it makes an arc, which brings more light to the lowers and sides than if the source was always overhead. But if they are up against a fence, that could block some of the low angle lighting. Defoliation however can help keep good airflow in the plant and can be a benefit for massive plants.

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[backwoods_mountain_grower]

Hey we got a celebrity in the discussion! What’s up Chad Westport 👊. NY has that clone dome weather right now 73° with 92% RH. By the time fall rolls around NY has historically been quite a bit dryer but the last few yrs the weather has been crazy so who knows how this season will shape up

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[pnwgrown]

My backyard is situated east/west so they get good morning sun and good afternoon sun. My neighbor has some palms that block noon sun which is good, it gets super hot!!! Typically i like to defol right before flowering stretch as the girls usually put on a lot more foliage and I like to keep it open but I may let them ride this year till 19 days into flower and then strip them heavily? This is my 5th run outside and the results have been decent as long as we keep the sun around till croptober! This was last year.

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[backwoods_mountain_grower]

If you want to get more light in on the side paint the fence white or get a pice of plywood painted white lay it against the fence on an angle it will reflect the light back on to the plant. It make a considerable difference i seen it first hand with a plant in front of a white building & 1 that wasnt

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[Culver-Creek]

Last weekend I went through the garden and took all the lowers out to get better airflow. They’ve pretty much filled out the 8×16′ area and are about 7.5′ tall.

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[Thickems]

Those are some nice outdoor, seem to be doing it great!

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[pnwgrown]

When did you start those?!?! I got a late start and my clones went into 1 gallons around June 7th. They went outside around the 12th. Those are some monsters!

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[Culver-Creek]

I started the seeds late march I think, I’d have to check my notes. I really struggled to try and keep them small prior to the transplant since I was vegging them and trying to get some autos to finish inside my tent. I’m in Finger Lakes region of NY and didn’t want to put out until beginning of June. Our spring weather was very wet this year and there is always a frost chance in May. In the garden I went with a 50/50 mix of topsoil and leaf compost. Had 5 yards delivered. mixed in 4 bags of worm castings and 2 bags of perlite since the topsoil was a little to clay for my liking. Growdots at a rate for 7 gallons (extended) and been doing a gallon of recharge for each plant on the weekends (at the label rate). Water only now.

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[Culver-Creek]

@jmystro Hate to bug you Mystro but You have been very helpful and a trusted voice.

In the pic that shows the top of the plants filling in the 8’x16′ fenced in area. I have that horizontal 2×4 supporting the fence. I have a roll of 6×6 netting for scrog in my tent. Since these plants are kind of tight to one another I am trying to decide if I should scrog the top of that whole area for support through flowering or are they packed in there tight enough to support themselves?

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[pnwgrown]

Update…..Pre flower stretch has started!!! Tallest is 3′ and about 3′ around. They are all healthy, no bugs and are loving life!!! Now, if we can just keep the sun till croptober!!!!

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[Culver-Creek]

They look great.

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[pnwgrown]

Still letting the girls ride!!! They are all now 5+ tall and at least as around!!! Flowering has started and I am resisting the urge for some defol! Its tough!!! I see some trimming in my near future!!!

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