if i top, it's at the 3rd or 4th node in the seedling stage. the plant recovers fully with no comparable size diff next to an untopped. i would never top during veg...especially one as mature as a 2-3 footer. i've got pics of last summer's grow somewhere around here showing the early pinch and running along about 18" off the ground for 7' (hw). it was a 1.2 pounder...

i should have made it clearer in the 1st post...