When to Defoliate and Prune

Vegetative Stage:

Start defoliating and pruning after 4 to 8 weeks from planting your seed, once the plant has developed 5 or 6 nodes. Continue defoliating every 2 weeks until 5 days before flipping to the flowering stage.

Flowering Stage:

Avoid defoliation during the first 3 weeks of flowering (the stretch phase). After this period, perform a thorough defoliation and pruning to remove lower leaves and branches that aren’t catching light and to enhance airflow.

Pre-Harvest:

One week before harvest, defoliate again to expose lower buds and stress the plant slightly, promoting increased trichome production and making trimming easier.

For detailed steps and additional tips, read our full article on How to Defoliate and Prune Your Hemp Plants for Maximum Yield.