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Old 06-14-2012, 09:38 AM   #8 (permalink)
Kostas
 
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Default Re: Deleafing and other stuff?

You are welcome Randy! I am glad i was of assistance!

Even yellow leafs are still contributing to the plant as its relocating nutrients and everything useful and mobile,to living tissues and thus taking back the most it can. So cutting leafs that are yellowing naturally and not from disease,is not the best thing to do in any plant. Brown and dry leafs can be cut without affecting most plants at all except for certain plants which have them persistent for a certain reason which favors their growth. Such an example are Dicksonia antarctica tree ferns which keep a skirt of dead leafs for the purpose of maintaining a humid microclimate around their trunk which favors root growth around it and keeps the plants much happier. Other plants appreciate keeping their dead leafs as well or not messing around with them as they dehisce better on their own when the right time comes. Bananas do not seem to need their dead leafs and at least while younger,dead leafs dehisce perfectly well on their own once ready.

I agree with what Mark says,what commercial producers chose in not necessarily the best for all applications,its just what is easier for commercial purposes. Bear in mind though,that most commercial practices are not taking sustainability and the environment into consideration. So what you will chose to do depends on what you want to achieve and how you want to handle your garden.
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Last edited by Kostas : 06-14-2012 at 09:53 AM.
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