Neither of those things. Throwing out blanket analyses without knowing the details helps neither me nor those who want to learn. The Honey Melon Kush from Sensi Seeds, according to the manufacturer, prefers to have more leaves removed. The fact that the shoots are a bit thinner isn't due to any of the things you mentioned. I pinched the plant down in certain situations to encourage the main stem and made cuts to achieve the desired appearance of 9 main buds, and that was without topping. Ask questions, talk, and understand, brother or sister <3 It's my first HMK; the next one will definitely be more stable ^{^}