Shall i defoliate it?!

The Deep Dive: To Snip or Not to Snip? ✂️ ​The Potential Problem: At this late stage, aggressive defoliation can be a major "yield killer" for autoflowers. Unlike photoperiod plants, autos have a pre-set genetic clock. If you stress them out by removing too many fan leaves now, the plant redirects its limited energy toward "healing" the wounds rather than fattening up those trichome-heavy buds. ​Furthermore, those fan leaves are the plant's solar panels and its nutrient battery. If you strip them too bare: ​Photosynthesis drops: The plant loses its ability to generate the sugars needed for that final "swell." ​Nutrient Lock: The plant can't "fade" naturally by pulling stored mobile elements from the leaves into the flowers. ​The Fix: Since you’ve already taken a few off, stop right there. If you have 2-3 weeks left, your goal is "Leaf Tucking" rather than cutting. ​The Technique: Instead of removing a leaf that is shading a bud site, gently push or tie it under the branch so the light hits the flower, but the leaf remains attached to keep producing energy. ​Selective Snipping: Only remove a leaf if it is yellow/dead, or if it’s pressed directly against a bud or leaf (which can trap moisture and cause Botrytis/Bud Rot). ​How to Avoid This Next Time: For future auto runs, aim to do your "shaping" much earlier—specifically between Week 3 and Week 5 (the pre-flower stretch). Once those white pistils start forming en masse, the plant's "structure" should be mostly set. ​The Expert Verdict 🧐 ​In the world of high-performance horticulture, we often say "Less is More" when it comes to late-stage autoflowers. You want the plant to go into its "senescence" (the natural yellowing/dying off at the end) with its foliage intact so it can drain every last drop of energy into the resin production. ​Keep your humidity low, your airflow high, and let those remaining leaves do the heavy lifting!

Only the flowers ist a No Go ,since they are making photosynthesis and buds don't. And yours do need some more. Since your plants leafes are so thin there is good Air flow anyway. The only time you could do it is during the days right before harvest.

Defoliation must be done wisely, it requires experience, knowledge and a good judgement. These are just overcrowded plants, but there’s no dense canopy that requires any defoliation….

Just remember.......... Less leaves = Less energy being made = Less potential. There really isn't any real need to ever defoliate........maybe if controlling extremely high himidity is an issue, otherwise, no. I certainly would not remove any more leaves from this plant. Those buds NEED the energy from the leaves to make them grow. A plant does not get energy from anywhere else........only the leaves. More leaves = more energy being made = more potential!

Doesn't look crowded to me.. no reason to defoliate... If you find a few leaves consistently touching each other and causing condenstation every day, that's a good reason to selectively prune one of those leaves. HAve a reason when cutting anything off the plant. Cutting things off theplant does not 'allow it to focus on other things or flower' -- this is a bro science nonsense statment that is not true in any context. Selectively prune to avoid disease risk etc.. never whimsically remove leaves on some pre-ordained schedule under the assumption it somehow improves results.

What would that accomplish besided lowering your plants potential for sunlight conversion? You want less Bud ?

You can remove the old ones, and give her a small hair cut 😁 but don't do too much at once