Think I got 12 of the 18 topped for their second and third times, then removed the 2nd node from each side so everything will be nice and even come flowering time. Tied all of them down with some of the crappy sharp garden wire for now, just got more of the nice soft rubber stuff in today and will switch to that when they start vegging out more.
They reacted great to the 1/4 dose of Fox Farm Nutrients, though I also gave them a full dose of the NOT "Big Three" supplements like the Microbe/Kelp/Fish/Roots. A few days more and the next ones will be topped and ready, then a week or two before I switch to flower and see who stays with us!
UPDATE 05/05/21:
Topped the rest of them and started getting the training done with the nicer plant wires. Accidentally snapped a couple of them again and one of them didn't make it, so I'll have two plants with six nodes instead of eight...whatever shall I do?! Meanwhile the other three took well to being taped and are doing splendidly, with the first two actually having their tape taken off today.
Doing a LOT of fan leaf tucking, so I will be defoliating a lot of the larger unnecessary ones tomorrow or the next day. I know many people believe in only defoliating 2-3 times during the life cycle but my own experiences show no problems with proper defoliation throughout the veg period and some light snips during the flowering period. As long as I don't get carried away or take a fan leaf too early for the newer leaves to be taking over, all seems well!