Growing shorter and bushier plants

I currently have 5 seedlings and have been debating on the size of the container for them. Home Depot has the 2 gallon pots and 3 gallon. I'm wanting to do three of them indoors and two out. Should I put the ones outside in bigger pots? also, would I just keep pinching off the top to encourage side growth or is there a better way?

outdoor plants will require much bigger than a 3. 15+ IMO.

you can top them, but I just LST(low-stress train)

I have grown great buds indoor and out. I think topping(cutting the tips) throughout the veg stage (not too much but in a uniform way) is better for outdoors. Indoors I always cut the first top, then when the lower 4 branches grow past the upper ones I top those and let it go without cutting anymore. I only LST when I have a few stretching wild ones when it starts to flower. I started off here and tend to look back for answers to new questions. The thing I found is take what everyone says into consideration, then decide what is your best move, nothing teaches better than doing.

Home depot also has 5 gal orange buckets, I recommend using those. I have a clone in a 5gal bucket and it's loving its new home.

thanks ya'll. As far as the 5 gal buckets, I am growing stealth so orange would be bad LOL I''m mainly wanting shorter plants so that they aren't so hard to carry around if need be. I LST'd and topped my girl last year (only had the one) and she did great, so I will def do that again. So should I go with the 3 gal?

Got any pics? 3 gal pots should be fine but not optimal for root growth. Root-bound is a myth in my opinion you can grow in any size pot really. If you want to keep them short and bushy topping and super-cropping is the way to go.

3 gallon is fine for indoor, after you harvest look at the roots. Most plants after harvest are root bound, even if you had a 5 gallon pot you'd see the same condition.

awesome, thanks! one more question, can I clone the tops?

Sure you can, but only if they are healthy enough to survive. Its best to clone the lower-most branches of the plant because they contain hormones that develop roots faster than the upper branches.

Yes although bottom branches root faster, tops work just fine.