Defoliate all at once, or little by little?

[Alcippe]

I'm a new grower, but I have researched the CRAP out of everything I've done, and my plants look great two weeks into the flowering stage. I'm growing them in soil (I used Miracle-Gro -- I know, I know, live and learn), with two 300w LEDs. I know defoliation isn't a technique to be undertaken lightly, but after MUCH reading and studying, I have done some JUDICIOUS defoliation, after which I leave the girls alone for a few days, as presumably it stresses them. As an inexperienced grower, I am being very conservative. Anyway, my question is this: is it better to have a big ol' defoliation session just once or twice, or is it OK to remove a leaf here and there whenever it's large and obscuring lower bud sites? TIA

[Insight]

I'm a new grower also, I'm 6 weeks into vegetative stage. I've created a manifold and have been defoliating, sometimes a little and, like yesterday....sometimes a lot. The girls always respond favorably to the defoliation. They just keep coming back stronger. I do think, from looking at others pictures who did not manifold and defoliate much, it does slow things down a bit, but I believe (and really hope) it makes for a larger plant with greater yield. So, should be worth it in the end. I think I'll be ready to switch to flower in about 2 weeks..I want the girls to be about 16" tall before the switch.

[Marley]

I recently did a lot at once, so much that after I was done I was thinking "what have I done?", but the girls didn't even seem to notice and in just a few days it looked like I didn't even touch them. They are very hardy plants.

[007]

I've thought that same thing a time or two LOL

[Beach_Town_Brit]

I've tried both approaches, just doing big trims at specific intervals, and doing almost daily small trims. I find I've settled in the middle, I do 3-4 major training/defoliation sessions across a plant's lifecycle, but I also do occasional 2-4 leaf mini trims. I will say that when I tried constant small trims (almost daily) I felt like the plant's growth was compromised.

As Marley has said, if you time it right, really brutal defoliation can seem to inspire a growth spurt.

[Insight]

Here is a series of pictures showing before the last defoliation, immediately after the defoliation and 3 days after defoliation. They come back quickly. (The pictures are out of order)

[Potted]

Take a moment an look into loliepoping the bottom third of plant after 3 weeks in flower and strech is done,works for me!lol

[oldjarhead100]

I always thought that defoliating allowed more light to the bottom bud sites. Outside the wind blows and the sun reaches all of the plant inside we have to make sure the lower areas are receiving enough light. from the pictures I think you'll be fine . I think what potted is referring to is removing all of the bottom growth that is not going to get light it drains energy from the plant so if you want bigger buds then make remove the bottom half of growth from a stem. this will increase yield I personall let my seedling get 6 or 7 nodes them cut them back to 3 and start trimming bottom grow this will allow the bottom branches to cacth up to the top one from then on I keep the canopy the same height the first pic is of seedlings that have been topped and the 2nd is of my bloom room once in bloom I thin so light gets into the canopy if you zoom in on the plant on right you can see the bottom is clear of any growth

[Insight]

My goal is maximum yield and I keep trying to keep the canopy "flat as a table"...I've just switched and copied Tika method tying the wire ties to side of the smart pots. (nice job Tika )

[Tika]

Ty..learned it from GWE....