This topic grew alot, for me the best approach is is to remove big fan leaves that sit in the shade and a bit of lollipopping nothing major, i don’t want leafy buds i want calyxes. Only if i want to focus on bubble hash production i might consider heavy defoliation so that is easily washed, but imo it’s not worth it.
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Haha! Yeah it blew up a bit. Welcome back!
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if you really want to increase calyxes - go with “sidelighting” this really increases amount of bud’s on a lateral branch - only draw back one gets larger yields BUT main colas are a bit smaller in bud size - don’t get me wrong you still get large main buds but many smaller good for hash making . ect (use 12by12 led full cycle panels)- If you really want tio increase buds use a “blue” 12by12 panel for veg and a “red” panel for flower
Out of all the years I’ve grown this is the only one that I’ve defoliated …This is Ogre and It needed it so the light can penetrate the buds…
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Photos of buds deep into the canopy, just smothered with leaves (no light) are very nice.
Harvested a Cannacopia Lapis Mtn. indica few days ago. Doing the root pruning thing again, this time with MicroKote - #75 by OldUncleBen
dude, we have ALL had that - and i think we can all agree that some strains pack better lower buds than others (and yours looks small… even for what it is). youre beating a dead horse with nick picked pic that honestly doesnt prove anything yet… you… well… youre gonna do you.
i agree no defoliation - to little defoliation might be best (im actually on your side in this discussion lol) but when it comes to actual evidence i will go with the people that have actually made trials with control groups. not a guy a regurgitating ONE pic and dropping the mic 
lol.
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Been growing cannabis since the 60’s. How about you?
I also have a deep and long (about 55 years) horticultural background and know what makes a plant tick. How about you?
Again, it’s all about science.
See these DEEP green leaves. Know anything about chlorophyll and it’s value regarding photosynthesis?
Uncle Ben
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Please stop reading your growing resume. Your experience and science are not the same thing.
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This is actually getting kind of funny
OG folks discussing something
OUB: “GRRR… I’ve grown weed for the last 92 years, and I refuse to acknowledge different ways of doing things! Now excuse me, I gotta go to my weekly blood letting so I can get the demons out!”
OG folks nod and smile
OUB: Grrrr…NATURE GAVE PLANTS LEAVES…DON’T CUT EM OFF… now if you’ll excuse me it’s time for me to cut off half the roots and dip em in a chemical.
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Sure they are. My “experience” has been predicated now and in the past based on science, period. Not some lame dumb shit stuff you read in cannabis forums posted by noobs who have never grown a plant before. It’s a no brainer.
Here’s the same old crap from the usual sources on defoliation - cannabis forums. Seems Jorge Cervantes and me understand what produces and support flower formation - leaves. Certainly not bloom foods. 
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=do+you+need+fan+leaves+during+flowering#ip=1
UB
Yup, this counts.
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Not trying to butt in to prove any point…
Pls have a look at my journal…
I defoliate from veg through flower…
I don’t see anything detrimental to plant health…
Indoors it definitely works…helps in reducing rh and ive seen lower bud sites get bigger with more light penetration within…
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In general, it’s not about plant health, it’s about production. (Actually it’s about Herd feel good mentality - “they all do it!”)
I guarantee ya, you would have had more bulk if you had left the “healthy” productive leaves on.
Having said that success is really all about the roots. The more the leaf and root mass, the more the flower production.
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Oh Boy !! experience vs textbook knowledge – there is a very big “gap” between them - that is were you have your learning curb - even with many years of cultivating behind one’s “belt” (knowledge base) you can learn something new after each grow - no matter esperience --At least I do and have 1/2 century of cultivating experience + (let’s keep peace withiun the ranks)
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I’ve done both ways…
I stick with defoliation indoors definitely…
Yeilds only differ marginally…
I remove the lower buds sites and that my loss…
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You keep saying almost this exact thing, but I notice that you fully ignored my attempt to establish a discussion around defoliation based on recent peer reviewed scientific research.
Doesn’t speak too highly of your “scientific” knowledge, when all you are willing to do is decry and belittle folks who disagree with you.
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really if one grows indoors you have to do some defoliation be it light or heavy
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Starting out from veg is the way to go…
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now this is one i can reply to with actual experience that says otherwise. i will post the picture of a cabinet a friend used. he did a thing where he had the same light in both sides, same nutes, same plant cloned. he defoliated one and left the other natural. the one that was natural had a lower yield, but not more than 15% if i recall. granted it was 20 years ago, but it was a valid run of identical setups. i don’t have any pics of the actual grow as it was not mine, but i helped build the cabinet in my living room.
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good rule of thumb for yields - onces per gallon -meaning 3 gallon pot should bring 3 oz’s This is a good starting point BUT there are many factors with big yields -#1 is genetics #2 light #3 medium #4 clutivators experience