Whether or not to defoliate is a BIG debate.
Those fan leaves are there for a reason though, and I leave them. Except for the lower stuff. It's good to get rid of the lower stuff that won't get enough light and will only produce larf, which is a PITA to trim and not much good. You will also increase air flow by removing lower leaves and branches. It's called loli-popping.
It always feels strange chopping half the plant away, but at harvest time I'm always glad i did....I just loli popped a tent full yesterday, that I flipped several days earlier and are starting to stretch. Now all the growth goes to the tops.
From this....
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To this...
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and then I make clones from the cuttings, for the next batch.