Defoliate more, or let it rock for now? 5th week in

Yes you should remove 4 or 6 of the large fan leafs and it will explode again. When the new fan leafs become so large they block the undercanopy, defoliate again. What the plants are telling us is more important than calendar 😉. And really nice job btw !!

Just remember, those leaves are providing the energy your plant needs to grow her biggest and fastest. Defoliation just reduces your plants capacity to make energy, thereby slowing growth and leading to potentially smaller yields too. Defoliating at any time during flowering is a big no-no in my book, this is exactly when she needs as much energy as possible to grow her flowers and reducing her energy levels at this time can severely limit her true potential. You would be better off doing some lollipopping or much more LST to open her structure a bit, but removing too many leaves and then forcing your plant to grow new leaves is rather pointless in my opinion. Besides, if she did not need those leaves, she would not have grown them in the first place! Those "potential bud sites" (branches really) are relying on those big fan leaves to make the energy they need to grow, and in a few days will grow out from under those leaves anyhow, making removing the leaves unnecessary. If you are extremely concerned about any potential shading of "future bud sites", then tucking the leaves out of the way is far better than removing them. After all - Maximum amount of healthy green leaves = maximum amount of energy production = maximum growth. It can be no other way and is basic plant biology 101. Hope this helps, Organoman.

I've made a mistake not defoliating early on my last one, it was a test, but nevermore... Now I'll have to wait few more weeks to have more growth after defoliation... So do it as soon as possible on Veg especially on higher and the ones that shades new growth! Check my first diary (Crazy Dream) I defoliated it a lot in veg and got great results!

I would defoliate 1 week before you start flower, and once more about 3 weeks into flower

She’s looking good. I’d wait a bit if possible, because right now those leaves are fueling your growth. Take back some leaves closer to 2/3 weeks into flower. Look down over her and pluck out light blockers. You’ll loose some lower leaf growth to lack of light, but trim out those larf sites too 🌱