"Most of the reading I have done about growing emphasizes flowers and buds. I am wondering if pinching off the buds will yield more leaves or if there is a better way to go about this."
We recommend waiting for the havest to finish before removing the leaves. Buds produce trichomes which benefit the plant in numerious ways.
Trichomes give cannabis its unique mental and body effects so without the trichomes your leaves may not have as much of the desired effect that you are looking for from cannabis.
Cannabis plants need essential oils to deter insects and protect the plants as well, and trichomes come into effect here as well.
Your plant may be healthier if you allow the buds to grow naturally and then at the end of the harvest you may collect all your leaves at once. Leaves then can then be flash frozen so that they can be preserved for later use.
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