Disclaimer: I’m helping my brother with his legal (medical card) grow. His third grow, all autos, and I have watched from the beginning. He trimmed before every time when the leaves were covering the flowers and never got great results like so many of you have so this time he has three autos at one month of growth and is trying extremely hard not to cut anything. And even for me watching, it is very hard not to. He is doing the LST thing and even tying big leaves with pipe cleaners to prevent them from blocking the lights. He is doing this because 50% of the people say cut the leaves and the other 50% say absolutely do not! (then they show their enormous plants) It is driving both of us crazy. One month in and they look very nice, just very bushy and not very tall, like when he used to cut the leaves. They have started flowering already and he’s trying real hard to get the flowers to the light. It would be so much easier just to cut the big fan leaves, but here we are… Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Pictures would help with recommendations but generally you won’t go wrong if you only trim for really good reasons…airflow, humidity concerns, etc.
Quantity, or quality?
Why do you ask that Mozzy? Explain please.
I personally clip a few off as they fade or block light. 5-6 fan leafs at a time. I just try not to do anything to drastic and shock the plant. BUT thats just part of my style. with the right touch lots can be done with autos. I dont attempt some of the more aggressive techniques (topping, and transplanting) because im not confident that I wont stunt the plant. But I know it can be done with great results with the proper know how. I think many say dont because it can be easier to mess up than get it right. its a matter of go easy and get decent results- vs - go hard and get great results or stunt the plant and get horrible results. happy growing
What are
“great results” to you two?
Thanks Melo.
What I do with auto is only dead leaves. Bottom leaves touching soil etc. Since on a timer u want all the veg you can get. I trim after stretch. Lower worthless stuff. Airflow clean. Thats it. Full canopies. Big flowers.
Widowmaker.
The fans make the flowers work. Big fat energy absorbing fans.
I agree with the Growmies above. I only remove what’s necessary for training and airflow. Just transplanted a G13 auto yesterday. The first pic is from this morning
I grow autos and photos here’s a link to my journal.
I guess I don’t see it as a matter of if you defoliate, but what you defoliate.
Plants are living, adaptive beings. Sativa and Indica grow differently, autos themselves just have extreme variations as well. You cut a leaf away, another will spread into its place.
Just try to apply the concepts mentioned above, air flow, moisture on leaves from them touching, light blockage, etc., and don’t get hung up on rigid protocols of do or don’t rules.
Now if you want to practice a certain style, like a lollipop after some heavy LST, then there are other concepts to learn, but the same adaptive applications would still apply.
Just my 2 pennies… Good Luck!
I like to keep it simple and defoliate only as necessary to maintain good airflow within the plant’s canopy.
Whether or not you remove some fan leaves is not going to determine the final size of your autoflower. If you want big autos there are far more important factors that should be mastered before worrying about defoliation.
Using a good quality soil or medium, in large enough containers, preferably at least 5 gal fabric pots.
Good feeding/watering techniques, proper lighting, good airflow and environmental conditions.
If these things are all in order, you’ll get big productive autos, whether you do heavy defoliation, light defoliation, or no defoliation at all. I hope this helps clear things up for you a bit.
This is a link to my current journal. They’re autos that will be done in another week and change, but you can see my methods from start to finish.
I’ll also be starting a new journal later today for my next batch of autos, I’ll try to remember to come back here and post a link for you.
Seeing all the journal links reminds me of a great feature on this forum, where (at the bottom of your profile page) you can link a topic (journal) to your user card. Then anyone can click on your name/icon anywhere in the forum, and click the link to your selected journal.
Just seems like a cool feature that seems under used, so thought I’d throw in a little pitch for it… Carry on 
I treat my auto plants no different than photos top one time and remove leafs when needed for better light penetration an air flow. Good luck
The split in advice is no doubt from the wide variety of growers and conditions plus the unpredictable nature of auto flower plants. I have had autos grow 2ft tall and stop and have had at least one grow 7 ft tall in the tent. If I have a 2x2 tent and the particular plant I have is a good grower then yes, I will prune it and do whatever I need to get a good harvest. That may mean removing branches to keep it from being too densely populated with buds so as to avoid mold. The same plant in a 4x4 tent I would be able to LST the branches and not prune at all. So no matter where you ask this question you will get differing answers. But you will never hurt the plant itself by cutting stuff off. Removing leaves is ok but if done too much can be counterproductive. Leaves provide the materials for growth. What you feed the roots are just the building blocks for the leaves to make the real food for growth. Most of us say not to top an auto because they tend to stop growing and finish flowering on a set timer, but sometimes they will continue to grow and you may need to address it.
Bottom line…
Trimming is ok if you need to. It wont make MORE by being trimmed but may be healthier if crowded.
A big thank you to all who replied. He’s gonna clean them up today and hope for the best. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone.
Thanks for the info budro just went and done that 
Nicely done! 