The question is do I defoliate the outdoor plants?...

ya it is better but be carefully not to stress her much be gentil when taking cuts

Personally I wouldn't with being outdoor and the natural light penetration from everywhere. Let em grow big n wild!! Also looking good love following this post!

I agree and concur with VG regarding defoliation on an outdoor plant. Really, you wanna just pluck off the stuff that the plant clearly isn’t using anymore. Dead or dying yellow leaves etc. Clean’n er up so to speak. I also agree on his answer respecting the intensity of the sun in relation to an indoor grow light. There’s simply no comparison there. Where we may have divergent opinion however is with respect to lst. At least with regard to outdoor plants. We have to keep in mind that the sun moves - and the plant being a living thing moves with it. If the plant has been growing in its natural form since time immemorial, why would one need to change how it captures what it needs from it’s light source? Albeit, from a mobile light source that also changes in intensity throughout the day. Seems counter intuitive. I tried it once too - both it and i sucked on that grow. I don’t think lst satisfies a need for, or improves upon, the plants ability to photosynthesize. Rather (and if your shooting for yield especially😉), you’d be best suited to topping or main lining the plant in a biiggg container. You’ll grow out a low (by comparison) and bushy monster with a massive nutrient highway for a stem that splits off like a “fork in the road to glory” - so to speak. The principle idea being multiple main colas as opposed to a tied back single main take’n the lions share of the nutes away from a bunch of side branches. In the alternative and to answer the question simply - let a bitch grow up, out and as high as she damn wants. Don’t defoliate er but do what’s in her best interests by prune’n Er up from time to time😎. holy fuck, I’m high....

I can’t say it any better than Valhalla did!

You don’t need to but I mean you can it will jut even more light on the nodes with new growth

I think you can defoliate just to keep air flowing around easily and keep dampness away when humid. 💕

Its a yes and a no, I always try to give my plants structure so they can develop nice branches filled with flowers, Iam not Defoilating that heavy like in indoors, just picking away small flowers in under 30 percent of Plant, same to thin stalks and leaves. from halfway to the top i let her grow as she wants, only tucking awy to big leaves. The sun reaches other Places of the plant like an indoor light. The sun in walking and changes the ankle of her light, so normally the plant gets enough light. I take away the small stuff on the ground small leaves and branches .

Defoliation on and outdoor grow isnt really needed and heres why . Firstly your light source is the strongest your ever gonna get with the deepest penetration so even if by chance some of your colas are being blocked out from the light the penetration of the sun still gives them light . Secondly defoliation is usually an indoor technique to allow further penetration of light into the canopy because no light can ever compare to the light of the sun in any aspect . I think in this case some lst would suit your needs far better then defoliation . You could still defoliate if you wanted too but in would only do it where its really needed . With lst you can place the branches were you want them and have the colas be in the light all the time for optimal growth . This will also open your plant up and allow some true light to shine down on them beautiful tops allowing for more colas to be formed . I hope this information helps you on your quest to the finish line . Happy Growing

Defoliation is usually done with the indoor grows to help with the light coverage and the outdoor UV index penetrates much deeper to that effect. The girls look good pick off dead matter as you see fit and maby some lower level thinning ..it could be bad for the plant when they look to be doing good ..good luck cheers..

Hey after looking at your plants I don't see any need for much defoliation. The sun penetrates a lot better than artificial lighting and I don't see too dense of foliage anywhere from the last photos you uploaded. Once they get further in flower I just pick the yellowing leaves from the bottom as they appear. Animals and bugs are always going to show up outdoors. Defoliate too thin then have a deer show up could be a bad day. Good luck flowering them!