This is a new topping method. You're right about these plants getting too large. I can't put those into 12/12 while mite and other problems persist. I had to do something so I trimmed them down a foot.I'm interested in the way your plants are topped and trained. It's an even canopy. Do you have any fully flowered pictures to give reference of how they turn out with this topping method? I'm still playing around with mine and they always end up being HUGE.
Green Cure was another spray that I used for the mites.
I was also reading about the Neem Oil for mites. I happened to see that at the big box today.