Calling all scrog growers.

You're better off starting the topping/training as early as ya can to get them bushing out sooner.

Generally 4th or 5th node is a good point to start, but can be done earlier as long as the plant has established a root system.

 

Do not top ever

 

Would you like to give some reasoning to that statement?

 

Look up the thread here about the 4-way LST. Do that, then scrog it. You'll be glad you did.

 

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "carry on stretching" - topping will cause a plant to bush out more, but regardless it will still grow upward as well. She's good to be topped - maybe slow her a tad (really depends on genetics and how that pheno handles it), but she should get over it quickly.

She is a very short and bushy plant already, so be sure to have enough room for managing the medium once the screen is in there... she doesn't look the type to branch out too much on her own though, so you may need to implement more training than just a simple topping. As mrgoodsmoke stated, I think some LST would be good.

 

LST can be complimented with topping or fimming to give more branching to do LST with. What kind of side branching does she have as of now? From the looks of it, doesn't look like she cares to branch out much; she'll need a bit of prodding to do so (top/fim)

 

I top em when they're small. Then I smoosh the uppermost branches to that by the time they heal the lower ones have thickened up. Then I just keep smooshing the branches between my fingers and breaking them a bit forcing other ones to grow as I shape the bastard then tie it all down to even the canopy then veg it a bit to get it over the stress and cut any shoots that try and get too tall. Then it becomes a big wide plant that's about 20 inches from the top of the tops to the bottom of the foliage. That way everything gets shit tons of light. I just put one in the other day. Lemme go get a pic of this fucker.

 

Ok here ya go. This one's been in flower about 2 days. Forgive the crazy lines in the pic. I had all digital ballasts and then I got a 1000w that wasn't digital and I think it makes my camera act crazy. Notice the width of the plant, the shortness of the foliage, and the fact that it's shape means every budsite will get ass tons of light. This plant was fim'd, lst'd and had pretty much all the main branches pinched to put them where they needed to be and create the overall shape.