T.S.....thanks for those links. Very interesting. I think I like the idea of the FIM technique. Anything that will improve the number of growing tips can't hurt (can it)? Have you ever tried it and if so, what was the outcome? Once again, thanks for all the advice....this site is awesome!
Yup, I've tried it. Mixed results. As in the old Operation game commercial ("It takes a very steady hand"
). I sometimes managed fine and sometimes... Well, I've been known to FIM on the FIMming.
But that was due to operator failure. Fact is, once I learned about training the top of the plant to be the bottom and saw that the plant - which, like plants everywhere, had evolved to seek the sunlight - had built-in mechanisms to ensure that parts of the plant grew upwards (becoming the new "tops," if you will, which could then be treated the same way, which would send new "tops" seeking the sun, etc.), well, it was just a case of me discovering the method that worked best... for ME. As in many things in life, YMMV, of course.
I'd rather see you learn the various ins and outs of several different methods and try them out yourself under controlled conditions (IOW, not trying to do 15 different things with each of five different plants, but, instead, having identical clones growing under the same conditions with only one change at a time so you can actually experience the different results of each on an equal basis. That's experimentation as opposed to "random FUBAR guessing."
You might find that what works best for you is different than what works best for me, for him, for her, etc. And at that point you'll know it in your bones.
All I or others can do is give you the benefit of our grows - call it a working background.
Looks like you've got the stuff between your ears to take that and grow - literally and figuratively! Best of luck in doing so.
from the mountains. +rep