MrStinkyanswered grow question 3 years ago Nope.
You dont need to defoliate outdoors (especially not on lil plants, they need all the energy they can make).
Plants outdoors generally get sun from 3 angles a day if they are unobstructed or south facing, indoors the light only ever really shines from 1 angle which is why defoliation helps expose parts of the plant that are not receiving light from directly above.
Outdoors the sun moves all day and the plants get light from all different angles so no need to defoliate them.