"You will know them by their fruits" 46-47 days from germination, she fills the canopy herself, and the apical dominance is broken. It's not all about the amount of light, but the ratio too, as this will dictate growth through the ratio of phytohormones. In order for correct bud development, there needs to be a correct ratio of RGB. Different wavelengths have different penetration depths. When one grows using top-down lighting, only the entire canopy is limited to 2-3 layers of leaf, meaning there will only be correct bud development in those layers, regardless of getting 45DLI. The biomass potential of a plant is linked to root mass. Generally, when a plant reaches its maximum biomass, you can help to chop off parts of the plant that are in less than efficient areas of the plant (low light). So that it can create new biomass growing towards the light. Strength is the maximum potential, and power is the rate of conversion. You can have the biggest veg period of 18 weeks, and it means nothing, as soon as you start flower, the chronological clock starts ticking, the only metric that matters to bud size is how much energy you convert each cycle, not by how long it took you to build the framework. Each leaf is like a satellite receiver attached to an antenna called a stem; each leaf removed lowers the energetic potential of conversion. Not saying you cannot defoliate for a reason, only that you should have one, and at the right time. Don't defoliate 30+% on autoflowers or 4 weeks into the flower period and expect an increase in yields; it doesn't work like that. There is certainly room for dictating growth patterns and clearing out overcrowded nodes, but it needs to be done in veg because once that timer starts and buds start growing, it's all just energy conversion. Most grows I barely defoliate at all in a 4x4 because with side lighting, turning a 2d canopy penetration into a 3d, even lower buds are 90% the quality and density of top ones. The rate of photosynthesis and the ultimate density of lower buds aren't just about the sheer number of photons PPFD. The specific ratio of R:G:B dictates canopy penetration and drives different photochemical reactions. The Electron Transport Rate (ETR) measures the speed at which electrons are driven through Photosystem II (PSII) during photosynthesis. The ratio of Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) light heavily dictates this rate. Plant leaves continuously perform cellular respiration regardless of the time of day, using energy and oxygen to fuel essential metabolic maintenance. If you over-defoliate, the remaining canopy may be unable to produce enough net sugars during the day to offset the constant respiratory demands of the plant. Must balance fixation with assimilation; there's no point in capturing 45 DLI if you only convert 20% every cycle due to an extreme lack of respiratory capacity to perform cellular oxidative phosphorylation. A crinkle-cut French fry has more surface area. When it cooks, it has a higher capacity for energy transfer/conversion, which is what makes it slightly crispier than a regular straight-cut French fry when it comes out of the oven. You can have a 4x4 canopy or a 4x4x4 canopy. Oversimplified, but you get the idea, yes, we know that side lights are not as effective at absorption from the sides or underneath, but it's not about DLI, it's never been just about efficiency, it's about the penetration ratios of RGB that drive ETR of/photosynthesis and trigger correct bud development. The size of each bud is its own ability to perform the ETR required for its own personal growth, and bud development is dictated by the ratio of RGB. It drives localized growth and acts as a regulatory switch for that development. Turgor pressure is another very important factor in understanding if you want big buds, for it is the "steam engine" that dictates the rate of bud expansion. Simply, never going to happen playing it safe metabolically at ambient 75F. Because buds have less chlorophyll, they do not suffer from the same photosynthetic shutdown that over-exposed, light-stressed leaves do. They can soak up direct light energy to swell in density and size. Their tolerance to intense light is heavily limited by the temperature and humidity, but if you can control those temps and keep the rot away, buds have a much, much higher tolerance to high light than leaves. Beneficial to hammer with high light before trichomes appear. Balancing this with trichome maturity is key for rich terpene and flavonoid profiles, want it just right, somewhere in the middle, not too much, not too little. Find cannabis plants can defoliate themselves come harvest, given the right signals. Every last ounce of potential is recycled into buds by the plant itself (senseceance), given you can keep the level of conversion high enough to prompt a need to do so. Get the canopy @ optimal PPFD range, 45-55DLI, then let the plant "stretch" the stems into a "PPFD range much higher, one that leaves don't like to grow in, but buds thrive in. What is optimal for a bud is different than what is optimal for a leaf photosynthetically. Genes provide the blueprint, but the environment dictates how, when, and if those genes are expressed. Must first signal the condition to increase the expression you want to exist through stress and response, cause and effect. A well-buffered CEC medium prevents extreme nutrient swings, allowing plants to maximize their dedicated genetic expression. A plant is either genetically expressing "growing" or "recycling" genes based on its nutrient starvation level in the medium. Constantly toggling between "growing" and "recycling" hormonal states creates a futile cycle that wastes valuable metabolic energy. Plants rely on sophisticated biochemical switches to manage this trade-off, and prevent rapid fluctuations that disrupt that balance. This energy inefficiency is a recognized biological challenge. Plants avoid this costly "flip-flopping" by using hierarchical master regulators (like the TOR and SnRK1 protein kinases) that act as strict molecular switches. These networks enforce cellular commitment to either growth or survival, preventing mixed signals. This is something that was missing from previous grows. Under nutrient-rich conditions, TOR promotes protein synthesis, cell division, and structural expansion. Under starvation, TOR is inhibited and SnRK1 is activated. This triggers autophagy—where the plant breaks down old macromolecules and organelles to scavenge and reallocate essential nutrients to critical sinks. "What's the point in flushing?" I'll be manipulating the C:N ratio in the medium instead. One autophagic response has multiple potential signal triggers. Nutrient starvation is not an option. Well, it is, just it's going to be manipulated Nitrogen starvation through Excess Carbon, instead of starving the medium entirely.