Pruning and Defoliating Your Cannabis Plants

Pruning and Defoliating Your Cannabis Plants

One of my favorite ways to train a cannabis plant to ensure the best growth and development possible is using the pruning and defoliation technique. Not only does pruning allow your plants to focus their energy on the largest buds, but it is also a simple process and ideal for beginner growers. In this article, I will explain everything you need to know about this effective method for achieving optimal yields and the benefits it offers. 

What Does Pruning a Cannabis Plant Mean?

You may have heard about pruning tomato plants to allow the tomatoes to grow as big as possible. Well, the same can be done with cannabis plants, and basically means to strip away all of the lower growth from small shoots to fan leaves, otherwise known as the lollipop method.

The remaining leaves and shoots on the plants then focus all their energy on producing a top-heavy canopy, removing all the lowest growth sites that would have become small and low-yielding buds.

Tools and Equipment Needed

The best part about pruning is that you don’t need to spend large amounts of money; all you need is to visit your local hardware store and purchase a sharp cutting tool.

• A box cutter scalpel
• A sharp pair of scissors
• One healthy cannabis plant.

The Benefits Associated With Defoliating and Pruning

There are many benefits associated with pruning your weed plant, and one of the reasons why so many growers love to get their hands on their plants and remove so much foliage before flowering starts. Below is a list of the benefits and why you should consider using this advantageous plant training technique for your crop.

• Pruning allows the plant to focus its energy on the upper canopy.
• Air flow is significantly improved.
• A grower can save the removed growth for cuttings.
• Smaller-sized and lower buds are not able to develop.
• You only need a sharp scalpel or pair of scissors.
• The plants will only produce big, uniform buds.
• An easy technique ideal for beginner growers.
• Ideal to combine with the low-stress technique.

When Is the Best Time to Prune Your Weed Plant?

Pruning your plants and removing all material beneath the top internodal growth site works best, one week before flowering, on a 12/12 light cycle. The reason is that during the vegetative stage, your plants will focus on growing roots, leaves, and side branches. It is during the vegetation stage that your plants will develop a bushy structure, which is the optimal time to remove and prune away all the lowest growth. 

• Only prune cannabis plants that are at least 4 weeks old.
• Working with healthy plants is advised.
• Do not prune your plants late in the flowering stage.
• Do not prune during the seedling stage as they are too young.

5 Top Tips for Pruning

Below are my top tips for pruning, along with guidance on achieving the best results possible.

Tip #1: Use Sharp Tools

It is essential when carefully cutting away the lowest growth beneath the top internodes to use sharp tools, allowing you to achieve a clean and clinical cut. You want to aim for a smooth finish, and rubbing the side branches with your fingers and thumbs after stripping away gives the finishing touch.

Tip #2: Take Cuttings

When the goal is to cut away 80% of the foliage, then why not take this opportunity to save the removed shoots for cuttings? As long as the plants are in the vegetative stage or early flowering, the cuttings will root without a problem, allowing you to prepare your next crop in advance.

Tip #3: Prune Until One Node

I have found over the years that pruning away everything beneath the top internode yields the best results. Even though you may have taken far too much lower foliage off the plant at the time, the top of the plant will produce 2-3 feet of colas that are all uniform, dense, and will eliminate the concern of little popcorn buds.

Tip #4: Bushy Plants Are Best

Bushy plants are the best type of cannabis plants to use for pruning, as you can clean up the side branches, improve air flow and reduce the chance of bugs and insects. If you are applying the pruning technique to smaller-sized plants, then wait until they have developed at least 5 internodes.

Tip #5: Combine Pruning with Other Training Methods

If your goal is to train your plants using the topping, LST, and super crop technique, then I suggest adding pruning to the training regime. This is something I always do every single grow, ensuring that I only grow fist-sized buds with a top-heavy canopy. 

Final Thoughts on Pruning and Defoliating

Pruning can take some time to really master; however, once you learn how it’s done and realize how advantageous and beneficial it is, there is no going back! Not only is pruning an excellent opportunity to take top-quality cloning stock, but you also don’t need to worry about those small, hard-to-trim nugs when harvest time comes around. 

Pruning dramatically improves airflow, reducing the risk of powdery mildew, and allows the plant to use its energy on the most critical flowering sites, resulting in uniformly sized buds all over the plant.

Photos credit: Stoney Tark

Feature photo: These plants were stripped and pruned one week before 12/12.