Today: 30% Off Weed Wednesday Shop Now
In the world of cannabis cultivation, there’s an age-old saying: “Prune for success!”
If you’ve ever wondered how to prune weed plants effectively, you’re in the right place. Pruning is a technique that can make a world of difference in the health, yield, and overall quality of your beloved cannabis plants. It’s like giving your green friends a spa day to ensure they reach their full potential.
Whether you’re a newbie grower or a veteran trying to improve the growth of your crop, understanding how to prune weed plants is a vital skill.
Pruning isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s a science that can boost your harvest and enhance your cannabis experience.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the ins and outs of cannabis plant pruning, from the why’s to the how’s. So, read on to unlock the secrets of successful cannabis plant pruning.
Marijuana plant care includes two similar techniques: trimming and pruning. While they are used interchangeably, there is a slight difference between them.
Trimming is the process of removing the large fan leaves and excess foliage from the mature cannabis buds. This is typically done after the plant has been harvested and dried.
Trimming enhances the quality and appearance of the final product, making it more aesthetically pleasing and easier to consume. It also helps remove unwanted plant material before consumption.
Pruning, on the other hand, involves selectively cutting off specific parts of the plant, such as branches or leaves. This is done to encourage the plant to grow in a certain way or to remove dead or unhealthy growth.
Pruning is a more extensive process and is often used to control the overall shape and size of the plant. It can also help increase air circulation and light penetration within the plant. This allows the marijuana to focus its fuel on the healthy parts of the plant instead of trying to revive dead foliage.
Pruning promotes faster and more significant growth and improves the quality of the flower, which is exactly what we want!
Fortunately, pruning weed plants is a relatively cheap endeavor. You need only one or two items, depending on your preference.
To prune your weed plants, gather shears and gloves.
Find the sharpest shears you can get your hands on. You don’t need to pay hundreds of dollars for a particular pair – you can use household scissors if that’s all you have. As long as the shears are sharp and can cut smoothly through the stalks, you’ll be fine.
For leaves, the finer the snippers are, the better. They’ll get into hard-to-reach places more easily and cause less trauma when cutting.
Before you use a pair of shears, test them on a separate plant. If they aren’t cutting smoothly through practice stalks, sharpen them first. The goal is to cut cleanly and avoid any damage. Damage can lead to disease and other nasty issues like rot.
Next, grab some gloves. Garden gloves or latex gloves without any residue will work perfectly. Gloves are more for your comfort (pruning can be a little sticky) and to prevent contamination.
If you don’t wear gloves, wash your hands thoroughly before you start pruning. Plant diseases and pests can easily transfer from your hands to the plant, potentially harming or infecting it. By washing your hands, you reduce the risk of introducing pathogens or harmful microorganisms to your plants.
Pruning in itself is a relatively simple process. However, there are small basic steps to ensure nothing bad happens to your yield.
Follow these fundamental pruning steps to master your pruning technique.
Marijuana plants go through four growing stages: germination, seedling, vegetative, and flowering. The post-flowering stage is when you harvest the buds. This is the plant life cycle most growers follow.
In the initial stages of growth, the cannabis plant’s leaves are relatively sparse, allowing them to receive an ample amount of sunlight. Pruning is typically only necessary to remove dead leaves or branches.
However, there comes a period – still during the vegetative state – where the leaves and branches become fuller. The dense growth and rows on rows of crops make it difficult for base leaves and buds to grow.
You can prune your plants between the bushy vegetative stage and the flowering stage.
If you’re still unsure about marijuana growth cycles, use this in-depth article on marijuana plant growth stages as guidance.
The flowering stage is an intensely fragile period for your crop, and pruning during this time can cause more harm than good. The goal is to set up even bud growth with vegetative pruning instead of cleaning up during the flowering stage.
While you should stop pruning during the flowering state, you can remove small sections of branches and leaves, especially toward the bottom of the plant. Only remove dead foliage and branches that aren’t getting enough light to photosynthesize and produce cannabis flowers.
Now that you know when to prune, let’s get into how to prune your crop safely.
Gather your gloves and shears. Ensure your shears are sharp and your hands and gloves are clean. For larger, more rigid branches, have a sturdier pair of shears handy.
Next, thoroughly inspect your weed plants. The goal is to give the branches with the most chance of producing high-quality buds better odds. Branches that aren’t going to flower can go because they’re only wasting energy and not producing anything.
Go to the base of your plant and remove the leaves and branches that don’t receive much sunlight. Trim close to the node and be gentle but quick. Don’t pinch or bruise the plant by hauling and tugging it too much. Continue this until you have most of the duds out of the way.
After doing the base of the plant, move to the middle section. Remove branches that are getting overshadowed. The exact pattern will depend on where you have your lights, but generally, if the branch is mostly in shade, it can go.
Lastly, go in with your shears and gently remove yellowed or dead leaves. Do the same with small branches that are dead.
Pruning can be traumatizing for marijuana plants. So it’s essential to practice good pruning care to prevent the plant from weakening and going into shock.
Follow these pruning aftercare tips:
And then, lastly, give your plants a few words of encouragement!
The above guide is all you need for essential pruning. Still, as you gain more experience, you can incorporate more strategic approaches.
Weed plant leaves, branches, and buds constantly fight to access light, water, and air. The plants at the top have better chances, but it doesn’t prevent the lower rung buds from also trying.
The following methods fall under pruning but have specific focus areas to improve harvest.
If you’re unsure about what constitutes a node, leave, and branch, use this marijuana plant anatomy guide.
Pruning weed plants can be time-consuming, especially if your crop is large. Some growers skip the process altogether. However, it only takes a quick search to compare the results of pruned weed versus un-pruned weed to see the benefits of pruning.
To visualize how pruning improves weed plant yield, let’s take a look at the role pruning has in weed plant wellness.
Marijuana plants want to grow upwards and outwards. As they grow taller, the top foliage shades the branches below, forcing them to grow sideways to reach sunlight for photosynthesis.
In a typical setting, this would be fine. But in a grow room situation, where marijuana plants are often quite near each other, there isn’t space for horizontal growth. Because there is no space, the lower-rung branches and leaves don’t get sunlight and grow slowly, if they grow at all.
By pruning, you can manage their shape and prevent the plants from growing into sub-optimal shapes that waste energy better used to produce high-quality buds.
If we leave marijuana plants to grow without pruning, the lower-rung plants start to die. But even as they die, they still consume energy and nutrients. The plant will try to revive the dead bits until they are completely dead and they dry and fall off.
All that energy could have been used for other buds to grow more during this time. When we cut off these energy-draining leaves, branches, and other low-rung branches, you can target the growth to the top-level buds.
These are the buds with the best chance. They’re close to the light, water, and air. They can grow beyond your wildest imagination if you prune well and get that extra energy boost.
Pruning dense undergrowth and leaves that aren’t going to produce buds opens up marijuana plants for better airflow and light penetration.
Air can move freely between the plants, improving oxygen supply and preventing issues like mold. There is also less competition between the branches and shade, which allows the light to reach all the high-potential buds.
The pruning process also allows you to examine your plants closely. You can use this time to check for health issues affecting your crop.
This, combined with the above benefits, ensures healthy marijuana plants. Healthy marijuana plants produce bigger buds, and the above wellness pruning routine will ensure every bud is of the best quality.
To ensure the best possible results, remember these tips when you start the pruning process.
Pruning is relatively straightforward but a common issue, especially among new growers, is over-pruning. Cutting too many leaves and branches can cause the plant to go into shock and die.
Generally, never prune more than 30% of the plant in one go. If you need to take more of the plant off, put a week or two between sessions. There needs to be time for the plant to get its bearing after pruning.
Pruning should also be limited. The plant doesn’t need to be cleared more than three times in its lifetime. This doesn’t include removing dead plant matter – that can be done whenever you spot dead foliage.
If you have already pruned your marijuana plant and notice it’s struggling from over-pruning, give it extra time to heal. Don’t prune again; give the plant extra time to grow before harvest. If you can’t afford additional time for the over-pruned crop, harvest them as usual and use the situation as a learning experience.
Whether you’re new to the growing game or looking to improve your bud quality and yield, pruning can be intimidating. But with so many benefits – targeted growth, shape control, improved airflow, and better light penetration – pruning is too good to ignore.
Fortunately, you can use this guide to gather the right supplies and prune safely. Take it slow, don’t over-prune, and give your weed plants time to heal between sessions.
To access high-quality cannabis, culture, and community, join the Embarc family. Visit your nearest Embarc location today!
