I take the fan leaf that a lateral comes from (basal fan), at each postion with a lateral, except for 2-3 pairs at tips. I repeat this with every defol, as new nodes on the mains/laterals form new basal fans.
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imo, after providing sufficient energy to push its lateral out of the axillary bud, the primary purpose of the basal fan leaf is storage, something that is unnecessary in a healthy appropriately nuted plant with sufficient fans at tips (in dwc, at least), so i remove it, to open to airflow/light and redirect energy to tips/buds.
Seems under these white leds, it takes 3 heavy defols (before 12:12, when pistil balls form, 1-2 wks later)...for my tastes...