No defoliation is needed. And on the LST front. Simple outdoors is best buddy the way you have it now. Hmmmm that'll be a headache and it'll grow much better natural.
Defol is used for 2 things mainly
To keep RH down (you don't need 2, you're outside. To get more light to buds after pre flower is over and general light direction, in sense, only needed cause leds are a static light.
The sun moves, so no defol at any stage is needed, nor recommend. Only if your buds are super dense to allow airflow in between actual buds sugars can be pult up to allow air flow (only needed in high RH outdoors or if very rainy , also a good method for indoors to avoid rot)