bruxupanswered grow question 4 years ago I would say the general consensus is around the 3rd or 4th node, but it is all preference. Topping any higher means your plant could have that many more side branches underneath. Just keep in mind it's always good to monitor the health of your plant beforehand. Topping is very stressful and if done too early, the plant may take longer to recover, so you may have to adjust your veg time. Personally, I let the plant mature a little bit more and top at the 6th node. This ensures the plant is a bit stronger and will be able to withstand the topping with ease. I also grow outdoors, so I don't mind my plants growing into huge monsters, so that's another factor to consider as well. If looking to top for a second, or even third time, the general rule of thumb is to allow the new growth to form at least 2-3 sets of new leaves. At that point, you know the plant has recovered from the first topping and will grow at a more rapid pace. In terms of LST, it's never too early or too late to start. If you notice a branch growing tall and it's leaves are covering growths below, tie the tall branch down a bit to allow light to get to the spots that were previously covered. The goal is to try get as even of a canopy as possible so as much of the plant as possible gets the same amount of light at any given time. Hope this helps! I'm just finishing up my outdoor grow with seeds from QCS. Hope they turn out well for you too! Cheers.