Personally I like to clean off all that lower trash that won't really be productive. Focus the energy on developing flowers. What are your thoughts on that?
After the flowers start I wouldn't tie them any longer. Let them reach up and fill in.
Have you ever tried less plants and more topping for spread and SCROG them?
I wouldn't get too carried away with lower branch topping if you are trying to do LST. You kind of want the branches to grow a bit so you have something to tie down, but still grow a decent nug. You could easily fill that tent with three plants. They look pretty happy at this point.