What I'm up to , True living organics

I usually veg for 2-3 months depending on how quick they grow, how big I want them and whether or not there is any space in flower. How long do you usually veg for? Do you do any plant training?

Since I switched back to soil I have only been going 3-4 weeks.. I'm upping my veg time this time around. hydro really fucked up my view of how long shit takes. trying to get that balance of time/quality/weight.

Have you tried self watering containers? They can be made with plastic buckets or smart pots. They definitely grow better in them. That should help speed up your veg time. I have heard the self watering containers are soils answer for hydroponic yields. I can say they definitely give good yields.

I do some training, i generally will top if it's a strain I have worked with before. I also do a little supercropping if I've got some extra time to veg...
as far as self watering pots go, i tried using wicks once. it wasn't for me. I have seen the self watering tomato things at lowes, but I haven't read about making my own. I am guessing you use them? what's involved?

I have done a little experimenting with topping and will try some more, but feel the plant takes to long to recover. I hear topping at night is better, something to do with the auxins, I just have no access to my ladies at night. And what kind of pots do you use the plastic or smart pots?

For the plastic buckets - http://www.urbanorganicgardener.com/2010/06/how-to-make-self-watering-container/ - now I thought this was the one I made mine off of, but I have a pvc pipe running from through the top container into the bottom (it starts at top of container and ends at the bottom) so I can water down, no lifting. I don't understand how to water it without this but he doesn't use a pipe. And for the smart pots just sit them on top of perlite (obviously you want a big enough layer that can hold enough water for the plant container size) and this is in another bucket. Just pour the water onto the perlite. Make sure it stays an inch below the perlite so the smart pot is not sitting in a puddle. I find a clear bucket works best to see the water level. I have heard to remove the buckets when top watering with any teas or such (do not put nutrients into the reservoir) but I have never done this and have not had any ill effects so far. This is just my experience you will probably hear others say to take the top bucket off the reservoir until it is done draining. I just do my thing and the plants don't mind no need to break my back over less than a cup of a diluted tea going into my reservoirs.

HTH

I don't know about topping at night vs. daytime... I thinks with your extended veg time topping would be very doable for you, my girls literally just barely fork out before they hit 12/12 and I generally end up with 4 nice tops and a nice full middle(I spread the 4 tops out on a hoop). So what do you do? LST? Supercrop?
I don't use smartpots, I tried them in the past and I just did not like them. I can't remember why, because in my head they seem like a great idea, but they did not work for me.
Anyway I checked out that link. Great website in general... It seems like a pretty cool idea, I'm going to make one today and do a side-by-side and see how much of a difference it makes... As far as how he does it without pipe, he's just drilling a hole through the side and watering with a watering can through that hole- your way sounds a lot more efficient and convenient. I can see tea getting nasty in that space, but when I use a tea I usually have barely any leakage, I'm cheap!

I do LST and supercropping. I like that they don't take a few days to get back into things with LST. Topping is just too time consuming for me as I am trying to shorten veg. I think using kelp/alfalfa teas more would help but I like just watering I am lazy lol.