consider the axillary gowth...
can bend between the altnernating growth and shape all to be growing vertically, or you can provide a more direct route for 1/2 of it and prune off whatever is growing into the ground.
usually you have more than you need, so i'd recommend allowing 1/2 to dominate and prune the side that is facing down.
it;s good to work backward from how you intend to fill the space.. how many vertical colas can you fit in? keep everything growing out until you have enough to do that... keep it all even and let it go north together.
apical dominance is simple.. talles growth node with demand the most resources. if you catch one outpacing others, tie it down.. if it's just an inch or two taller, simply bending it in morning can sometimes be enough to slow it down. other times you gotta temproraily ties stuff down to keep it all even... the tighter you control it early on, the easier it is later... the maintenance is worth it.