Ready for Budding?

I bought a plat from a dispensary a few weeks ago and it is my first successful grow,so I want to be very careful with it. Right now my plant is about ten inches tall and has several massive 5-bladed leaves. I've had the plant for about 3 weeks now and has been running on a 24/0 light schedule, although a few days I had to run the lights at 18/6.

I was wondering when it will be a good time to make it go into the budding stage? Like what are some clues I can use so I know when to go, like does plant height or leaf count play a role?

I heard your plant can double and even triple in size when you make it go into the budding cycle, so should I wait a little longer until it is about a foot and then start or what?

I can't have a plant taller than four feet but I want to yield a decent amount of crop. What do you guys recommend, and if you have any pointers for first time growers that would be great! Thanks.

the more powerful your flowering light the bigger you can grow. to make a bushier plant (recommended for just a single plant) pinch out the growth tip so that the side shoots will develop faster OR let it get a little bigger and cut the top off and clone it.

you can flowering whenever you want, just make sure you have the space for a tall plant.

don't think too hard about it bro. it's weed.

well let it be noted if u want to max ur yield dont flower it until u c alternative branching from the lower shoots. if its a clone its most likely already got pre flowers . also take the above advice and pinch growing shoots off, creating more colas at the top from the side branches playing catch up. Tie it down, or snap some of the branchs over so get more light penitration on the plant ie supercropping or lsting. wut kinda light are u runnin, and how high is ur cieling?

Since this is my first grow and I don't have a bunch of money right now, I'm using florescent tubes for lights. I am growing in a space about five and half tall, but I can't have the plant be much taller if any than four feet.

Now I am a little confused, what do you guys mean by pinching growing shoots off? Like cut off the longer branches?

the growth that keeps opening in2 new set of 2 fan leaves at the top..find that and there will be a little stem at very top. this is ur main grow shoot..cut that offf.. two head will replace that and all the lowers will catch up, i find 1 pinch gives me 8 equal growing shoots when timed right. and those floros can probably get with in 2 in of the plants so u may be able to go above 4ft on overall size..id like to c the plants and setup if u dont mind postin a few pics

Well, I can get some pics later tonight, but I don't have a camera with me now. I measured the shoots though. I have about 7 4 inch long shoots, each ending with a 5 balded leaf.

Thanks for help so far guys.