Outdoor, your fan leaves are horsework for flowering and it is actually just because of growing hormone called auxin which is mostly situated in the main top and is inhibiting grow of those lower ones. Not because of they stay in shade of fan leaves, it works completely opposite. Outdoor plants are never “shaded” unless you put them in real shade. Thats because in shade there is bigger far red to red ratio, so shade causes stretch like crazy. Once you provide some action which change plants common habits, than the lowers are no longer inhibited so much and get more strenght from the plant. You are redistributing overall energy and there are better and faster ways how to achieve the same effect. I use supercropping only as handbrake, when running out of space, obviously indoor. You might feel like Chriss Columbus, its probably because you got some good stash, but yer too late. Anyway good luck.