New grower need advice on my plant

[Nightghost]

Hey everyone first time growing, I’m trying to grow a photoperiod blue dream plant. She’s 7 weeks old right now. I know I should top it and start lst but I’m nervous with it being my first time that I may overstress the plant and ruin it. Can anyone tell me me if this looks like it’s growing ok for the age or am I doing something wrong? Ik I lost two lower sets of nodules one to nitrogen deficiency and one to a magnesium deficiency. I left the magnesium one just to monitor make sure it didn’t keep spreading. So there should be two more sets of nodules on there, but hey we all gotta learn somehow right? My understanding is they would have gotten lollypopped anyways is that true? Sorry if I’m over explaining or sound like a dumb noob but I just trying to grow some good clean product and save a little money. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[compostmike]

New growth looks fine enough, but she is small for 7 weeks, so I wouldn't top her yet. Topping is best when the plant is growing hard and has a root system to back it up. Right now I'd get her moving steady first.

If you want to train, start with light LST. Bend the main stem over a little and tie it down loose, then let the side branches come up. That gives you the same idea as topping without cutting anything off. Once she puts on clean new growth for a week or so, you can top above a healthy node if you still want to.

Those lower leaves/nodes being gone won't ruin the plant. Lollipopping is usually done later, when the plant is bigger, to remove weak lower shoots that won't amount to much. Early leaves are still useful while she's small, but losing a couple sets is more of a delay than a disaster.

The container/root zone is what I'd look at first. If that tote is the actual container, make sure it drains freely before anything else. Big wet containers can stay low oxygen and stall a young plant, and clear plastic lets light hit the root area. Cover the outside or move her into an opaque pot/fabric pot with good drainage. Keep the feed mild, let the medium dry back some between waterings, and judge recovery by the new top growth.