LST -- Do you have to start early?

I want to grow a plant to about 8", then LST, but I hear that you have to start LST early.

How early though? Can't I wait until the plant is 8 or 9 inches tall then bend it over? I'm thinking, the longer the plant, the more budsites... ??

no i just took my plants that were nearly 30'' tall and bent them over almost 90 deg with a trellis . they flex a lot . Don't panic if something snaps just scotch tape it back together . They are really pretty hard to kill i am finding out . You can even cut the top of two plants switch them and tape them on opposite plants and they will grow .

You can "technically" start whenever. It's just better to start early bc you can train it more and have a little more control of how it grows.