Mainlining and defoliation

Hey, wanted to ask for some advice because there's lots of conflicting info about defoliation during mainlining out there.

This is my first grow and I just topped and tied down the two main branches. However, I've kept the bottom set of branches and all but lower leaves from the stem. I've removed growth tips from the mainlined branches and also from the bottom ones to keep it from growing more lower leaves.

Some mainlining guides I've seen instruct to remove all but the mainlined branches, but others say that defoliating in this stage will stress the plant and hinders growth. She's is growing really fast and the center is getting real crowded which might be an issue since I have humidity spikes at night where VPD goes as low as 0.23 kPa (trying to fix with a kitty litter in a tube + vent ghetto dehumidifier).

1. Should I keep the bottom branches short and/or long-term?
2. Should I prune some leaves from the middle to give others more space?

Leave your branches full until you top them. Then leave those full until you top them. Your job is to target the growth where you want it, and you do that by removing growth tips and channeling the photosynthesis to the nearest branches. The leaves wont send energy to other branches but will to other nodes on their respective branches.

Hopefully this isn't to confusing. I just jumped into them myself this year. I hit a 12 header in 2.5-3 gallons(5g pot). Haven't weighed yet. (Stole one head last week to see how she smokes at different phases. So it's 11 you see lol)

Also, I forgot to add. My 12 was a 4 header that I preserved two side branches on each. So I technically only topped twice and because i left the other nodes and leaves on each branch, was able to shape her and create 12 colas

Ok, apparently I overlooked the part of snipping lower nodes before first topping. Removed the lower branches now, shame about the wasted growth...

Get used to throwing away perfectly fine plant material if you’re going to mainline. It’s the hardest part. Watching it grow then chopping it up.

Wattzzup said:

Get used to throwing away perfectly fine plant material if you’re going to mainline. It’s the hardest part. Watching it grow then chopping it up.

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Haven't thrown away anything besides some fan leaves, lets see if these clones will make it. Bottom one is first topping from last week, left in in the sun by accident and damaged that tip.

I just mean letting it grow to 6 nodes then chopping back to the fourth. Removing branches and leaves that are perfectly fine.