Defoliation Help!!

Hey guys!! So far my first grow is going really well!!
My outdoor plant is in week 3 of flower and looking great. I was worried it was rootbound so I transplanted up and I don’t think it even noticed!
My indoor plant is the one I have a couple questions about! It’s doing really well! I topped and ended up with 4 growth tips so I’m excited about that.
Since I’ve transplanted it (3 gal smart pot) I’ve noticed the lower nodes really don’t seem to be getting light. I am upgrading my light in a couple weeks but I’m still worried about it. The 4 first (original) leaves are all touching the dirt, kind of spotty, get in the way when watering, and seem to be really crowding the lowernodes.
Is it cool if I take em off?
When should I start LST? Topping again and vegging so lookin at 3-4 weeks until flowering.
Can/should I defoliate anymore? Those leaves are solar panels so I’m not too keen on taking them off (except those lower ones)

Thanks y’all sorry for the ramble, hittin some new White Widow (HOPING FOR A SEED)

the only reason to cut off leaves at this point is if you're worried about lack of circulation or them falling into the soil and dying and promoting bugs. (yes cut em off you have enough foliage above to promote more growth)
other than that with proper timing you shouldnt have to cut much off or have to worry about mold or anything with proper airflow indoors

if you get a seed without males I wouldn't grow it out, It is rare to find good genetics from inbreds but it can happen

the real question here is what light and how close is it?

when you transplanted, you could have cut those off at the same time, and even buried them beneath the soil to promote rooting from those cuts, as well as taking them as clones if they were big enough at that point

Nizza said:

the only reason to cut off leaves at this point is if you're worried about lack of circulation or them falling into the soil and dying and promoting bugs. (yes cut em off you have enough foliage above to promote more growth)
other than that with proper timing you shouldnt have to cut much off or have to worry about mold or anything with proper airflow indoors

if you get a seed without males I wouldn't grow it out, It is rare to find good genetics from inbreds but it can happen

the real question here is what light and how close is it?

Click to expand...

Yeah, I just want to take of the 4 lowest leaves!
Light is a Feit 32w LED 3 Spectrum and like 23”
It’s worked for now and I’ve honestly been surprised, but this next payday I’m returning it and getting either a ms ts1000 or hlg100v2

those plants are plenty big to take the bottom fan leaves that are touching the soil off of. If you wanted to take the branches too and clone them; hell even do the next few branches if they look like they would have to make your plant into a bush to make a decent bud. but remember too with timing you don't want to remove the fan leaves and the foliage that is producing energy for the plant

I would just remove the bottom 2-4 nodes and 4 fan leaves

go with HLG dude

I try not to remove any leaves, only picking here and there if i feel it's in the way. I noticed the plants will cannibalize themselves, I let them fall off on there own. When flowering starts I will trim lower branches and buds that I feel will not grow into usuable bud.