According to the how to grow marijuana website lollipopping is defined as follows:
Lollipopping is a pruning technique which creates an attractive “lollipop” shape while concentrating each plant’s energy into its upper, bud producing branches
NOTE: This was the first time I lollipopped plants by myself. Usually the person that I grow for does this process but there's a few reasons why I decided to learn the process this time.
- I need to know EVERY aspect and process from clone to curing
- The person has become lazy and I am not too happy. When I need/want a task done, it needs to be done now
- Building off the previous reason, the time schedule to grow a high yield, keep a healthy crop and keep things flowing CANNOT wait because you are not in-the-mood right now. Because regardless of the yield (or profit, I get a set amount of donations for my time, energy and costs to do this. The lower the profits DO NOT come from my portion/donation of services; but it comes directly from the other person's monetary gains. Having this process now fall upon me will up my ante/donation amount.
Mother Ak47 before and after lollipopping. Quite a difference between these two.
Every grower has his or her own philosophy and reasoning behind lollipopping or not lollipopping; mine is simply that I believe in it. For me I see how these excess branches and leaves that will not produce very much (unless you consider a popcorn bud to be too valuable to not trim later).
I see these extra leaves that are not producing a bud to be a waste of nutrients and light. All the leaves removed during the lollipopping process are UNDER the canopy light and are not being useful to the plants overall yield in the end. Think of it as being the weakest link and if you are not contributing to the success of the project then you have to go.
The Mother plants are just starting their fourth week of flowering so now was the perfect time to haul the girls out of the grow tent and get them all cleaned up and thinner.
Two more reasons I want these plants lollipopped is to prevent mold building up under the canopy where the light does not reach; which can ruin a plant or an entire crop. Plus this helps me keep up on any critters or creepy-crawlers invading the buckets and plants.
After you have the leaves trimmed off, make sure to inspect them all thoroughly. Use a microscope if available; sometimes mites are hard to find with the naked eye.
Kush 'N Cheese Before & After Lollipopping. The clones in the middle of week four
Cloning post
Excess leaves from the six clones; I have three Kush'N Cheese and three Ak47 clones. One gallon size bad from the clones and I have hopes to add an additional one-gallon bag of leaves from lollipopping the mother plants; which I will be experimenting with making bubble hash. The discolored and dead leaves I tossed out as they are not of use to me.
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