Topping plants and LST ?

This is a highly debatable topic. I wouldn’t top a plant that has any less than 4 nodes. But shaping a plant is definitely an art and definitely there’s no rules of when you should or shouldn’t do something. I more or less read the plant and too the plant when I feel she’s ready to handle it. As for LST, I start that fairly immediately after it sprouts. I push the plant around with my fingers. Just to make the stem work a little. I use my fingers to spread the leaves out a little. Kind of like a stretch but not enough to damage it. Then as she progresses after three weeks and she’s well rooted that’s when I start tie downs and other more aggressive LST methods. Check out a few of my diaries I really have fun with trying to shape my plants. Anyway hope that helps friend, good luck with your grow 🤙