Trimming, cloning, and dressing wounds

If you’re referring to the plants in your diary on a profile I wouldn’t be defoliating for a while. Leaves are where the plants gets its energy from and that being said I say it’s best to leave them on for a good while. Until the plant gets to the point of for instance, one large fan leaf is blocking the light to 4 other ones, then that’s when I would cut that leaf off to get 4x the light energy if that makes sense. As for wounds I just make a nice clean sharp cut and the plant heals its self well. When it comes to cutting off lower branches it may take a day to recover but it will recover fast. And when it comes to taking clones I just did this to my grow, wait until just before you start flower assuming you have photoperiods, and then I cut off any small branches that will give popcorn or larf buds so the plant will divert its energy to the main tops. And when selecting a food clone it’s better to use one more towards the top that gets a little light a nice healthy one. I just threw away about 30 branches I could have cloned but I kept some that I liked. Also I defoliate just before flower promoting air flow through the plant good for a number of things. And then once more after stretch to keep the energy going to those tops. Hope this helps a bit good luck brother and let them thangs grow

Around week 4 should be good to grab a few clones, but the longer you can wait the better quality clones you will have. You don't have to really worry about sealing the cuts after you trim either. I wait to cut the lower stuff until I start to see it decline in health or it's just so shaded out that it's just more in the way than anything. If you are going to top the plant around week 4-5 would be a good time to top it, nad you may be able to get a nice clne from it