If you are new to growing, try things in small doses first. Same for smoking, too, I guess.
There's a lot of hype around defol, and some vids I see online people just strip and strip and quite frankly end up with small buds, but they somehow seem impressed with their own results.
Plants need leaves. The idea that leaves "take away energy" is kind of silly, as leaves are the energy producers in the end -- photosynthesis.
Still, if you plant's leaves make it congested and stop air flow, then open them up a bit.
That's a big reason for lollipoping.
But if you strip to a point where your light is falling on the ground, then that's a waste, too.
Leaves don't have to be in full light to photosynthesize.
And buds also don't have to have full light to grow and bulk up.
Mañ'O'Green recently had a nice example of where he doesn't defol and got very thick lower buds that didn't have good light.
There are few really good experiments on defol.
One is over at another forum... not sure if this is permitted:
If that's deleted, just search for < marijuana growing defoliation experiment on nycd side by side grow> and you'll find it.
Page 10, results at the bottom.
Of course, different strains will give different results.
You could always try defol on a couple of branches or half your plant.
It'll give you a better idea if you can compare defol vs non-defol.
:smoking:
). Stilton x 3bog ain't a great morning smoke, I could actually go back to bed 
.
:smoking:
from college days and I used to talk about "stoner gremlins".
