It might help it since all the energy will be going to the top. I need to do mine. I think they look much better. The only one I don't do it to is the Shredded White. The large leaves on that one seem to protect the blooms from sunburn. They get brown spots if I take away the leaves. With those I just thin them a bit so I can see the flowers. I am really behind with the leaf picking at the moment, lol. Need to stay home this weekend and get it done.

Right now I left all lower leaves on. Just because it will shade the ground more when I am on vacation and hopefully keep the soil from drying out to quickly.

I wanted to mulch, but time ran out on me. Darn summer came way to quickly again lol

Otherwise I am thinking the same as Kristy. That the energy goes UP cause the GONE leaves are not using any water or fertilizer.

Post more pictures when you decide what you are doing with it. Is it a cutting? Got that little angel a name?

Lucy

Token you are such a wonderful daddy... I just love all your ws plants and your yard is to die for...I seen it over on the ws forum...You really have a green thumb...ps us northerners really do love you...hahhaha :)

Thanks everyone.

Lucy, all my brugs were started as cuttings sometime between November of last year and this past March. Plantmaven sent me more cuttings just a few weeks ago. I've got them rooted and will be trading two of them locally for native things I want in the garden. The best one, of course, will go into my perennial bed somewhere.

The one above is either a yellow or orange NOID. I got three cuttings from Kasha77 of her orange. The yellow ones came from a neighbor down the street. She THINKS the yellow is Charles Grimaldi, but it will always be a NOID for me. The only brug I have that I can positively identify is the Kongmansia I purchased a couple months ago from Eddie's website.

I think I'll strip all the lower leaves when I feed them this week. Trying to wait for rain, due on Friday.

Thanks rosepedal. I just had a great spring with all the rain. I've spent a lot of time making sure my soil was good before planting anything. And GardenWeb, and all her experts, has been a tremendous help. :)

See the size of the leaves on this plant? :)

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Another orange or yellow. I mixed up the tags when I repotted them in early spring, so it'll be a surprise when they bloom.

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If you aren't attempting to train your plant I'd leave the foliage. The more foliage the more food that can be produced for the plant. I don't think it will speed vertical growth but it will likely appear taller with a bare lower stem.