I begin pinching and bending when the plants are about 6-8 inches tall; just take the main stem and at a point below the leaf set on top pinch the stem between two fingers with enough force to break the OUTER hull; as explained above too much force will destroy the inner tube that carries life.
Think of it as like bending a thin copper tube 45 degrees; you want the bend to flow and not pinch off the flow.
This is a great way of increasing the branching, and makes the plant stronger, unlike the method of typing the branches down. Keeping the auxin levbel is the goal, and as long as no one point of the plant is higher than any other point, the plant will keep trying to send shoots up.
Note: SOME plants have stems that should bend one way and not the other. It is impossible to tell until you try and ruin a branch or two and get the feel for it. If you bend the branch and it breaks....try bending it back the other way. Even branches that seem ruined can be taped back togethjer and still live: i have done it. God bless duct tape!!
I have 30 Mandala babies beginning now; Hashberry, Satori and the Safari MIX. Every seed popped and are looking good. Well worth the money.
I will post pics when I get my camera back from the shop. Remember: Gently pinch and gently bend; with practice, you can maintain level canopy for the entire veg period and have monster plants!!
