I cant believe how many people are saying not to trim some of that off.
I guess if you really really like popcorn bud sure leave all that on.
Pot plants are amazing little things if you pluck all that CRAP that isn't going to amount to much off.
All the energy that is being wasted producing airy popcorn bud would be
re-directed up to the top of the plant, to buds that will actually produce some weight.
Before I go into flower all the growth on the lower 2/3 of the plant gets removed.
What that dose is removes all the stuff I would be pissed about having to trim.
And allows the plant to use that energy on the upper buds that are getting good light.
In turn I get plants that yield around a lb each and I don't have to trim popcorn.
Sure leaves are a source of energy to the plant.
But the lower leaves and bud sites wont get much light once the plant gets bigger.
At that point they become a hindrance to the buds at the top of the plant.
The plant will continue to send energy to the lower buds that wont fatten up.
With them gone on the other hand the plant will send all that energy to the top buds that
are getting good light.
And that my friends will cause the main colas to grow bigger then if you leave that energy sucking crap on the plant.
Here is a extreme example of stripping the lowers and focusing the energy to the top of the plant.
https://www.rollitup.org/subcools-old-school-organics/542308-main-lining-thread.html