First Time Grower

No let's not remove the primary power cells of the plant to free up energy for bigger buds. If you have your heart set on it, start to defoliate 1 leaf every other day from each cola in last week or so once rapid growth is no longer a priority. This saves alot of time come dry and cure as there is almost 0 trim to come off. The plant registers the removal off a odd leaf as mechanical damage from herbivory. Plant will increase antioxidant production within trichomes to attempt to prevent insects eating anymore precious leaf. Might not be much but a 1% increase is still increase. For every stress there is a equal and opposite reactionionary response. Bud size is primarily determined by turgor pressure. The amount of buds that develop is based on many factors but somewhere at the top of that chain is "energy" available each cycle. Removing 40% of a plants leaf does nothing but reduce potential photon capture by 40%. Less leaf, less gas exchange, less carbon, less atp, less nutrient uptake, less cellular respiration.