Why the bottom comes off
No light: Lower leaves that never see lamp or sun are a net drain.
Humidity: A leafy skirt traps moist air around stems and later around buds.
Airflow: Open space under the canopy lets air travel through the room instead of stalling in a thicket.
Infection: Removing shaded, damp tissue lowers the chance of rot starting down low.
How to lollipop
Target
Take lower branches that will never reach the light sheet
Keep the factory
Do not strip the sun leaves that still sit in the canopy
Clone bonus
Those lower cuts can become clones if you need them
Timing
Do the cleanup in veg or very early flower so the plant heals before buds pack tight
Single-cola and few-bud plants
Early flip
Plants flowered at 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) before they branch can finish as one swollen main bud
Space
A single-bud plant can live in about a quarter to one square foot of floor
Stakes
One, two, three, or four colas each get a bamboo stake and a loose tie
Small pots
A four-bud trim suits containers about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) across
Support while they fatten
Ties
Use twist ties or soft tape. Cinch loose so the stem is not girdled
Spacing
Stakes hold colas apart so they do not lean into each other
Energy
A plant with few tops spends less on wood and more on the flowers that remain
Watch
After cleanup, confirm air actually moves through the trunk zone, not only across the room ceiling