Dude, you keep saying you're an amateur, and that's fine. We were all noobs at one point. I mean hell, I grew in soil for over a decade and I'm doing my first hydro run and I feel like a noob all over again. But when you're a noob, don't try silly shit that you read on the internet because you think you're going to get crazy yield or potency. Read up on basic horticulture. Read reputable books on cannabis cultuvation. Worry about just getting through your first grow.
Also, always use nature as a reference guide when you're new. Do you see plants completely defoliate themselves before they bloom in nature? Obviously experienced growers use techniques not found in nature to maximize their crop, but they use techniques that are based upon how plants react to specific situations. And you are not , as you have stated, an experienced grower. So for now, and preferably for your next couple grows, focus on raising health, vigorous plants.