Talking to me hydro store guy, he suggested that "most" growers keep there plants really small (2 feet max) and that they "trim" them to produce one large single bud as opposed to allowing side branching (which also means higher density and more plants / clones).
I have never been muchg of a trimmer, I just let them fill in. How would you best trim to keep it confined to a central bud? If you trim, won't that stimulate even more side branching?
Basically there are 2 types of growth that comes off the main stem, Fan leaves and then Flower leaves (is there a better name for these). Which ones should you trim and which should you keep? Should you trim all the lower ones?

First, you have to be growing a strain that supports central budding. Sativas aren't going to respond as well as indicas.
Yes, trim the lower flowering branches, and anything that does not receive the brightest light available.

Thanks, I assume that means leave the fan leaves and just trim the flowering branches..
No Sativas.. To keep my clones under 2 feet I have to begin flowering at 5-6 inches.. Traditionally I started flowering when they were 8-10 inches and I end up with 2.5 - 3 footers.

There is no need or gain by trimming the lower leaves. The lower banhes that are not getting intense lighting can be trimmed as they will produce very little in the way of buds. Somepeople remove some of the large upper leac ves to let nmore light to the lower limbs. But in general the lower limbs do not carry their own weight (production wise) and therefore it is believed they waste the plants energy that could better be used by the rest of the plant. This is pretty absurd, however there are some good reasons to remove the lower limbs. Some of those reasons are that the lower limbs being less healthy and slower growing often become an easy place for insects to get take hold and there are also increased disease aspects with the less vigourously growing lower limbs. That and so much of the lower limbs and leaves end updieing and their litter is hard to remove from a grow room during the grow cycle so this invites plant disease and insects.

Well said and I agree. One thing you left out. If the plants are planted very densely; the trimming prevents side branches from stealing light from the main bud of its close neighbor. That was what was told to me and that was what I was asking about. I was told to grow more densely and to trim so that all the light was failing on main colas instead of any side branch interference. I am trying it. I planted 25 in a 3x3 flood and drain table. Normally I would have done 9-12.

and I'll add that it makes for better airflow when the bottoms are little trimmed up as well