new to this, need help

have been growing my plant under a 50W metal H bulb, was going to put it under my 600w hps light after a few weeks, but the ballast i bought was over heating. i have sent it back but the new one still has not arrived. its has been about a month and a half under the metal h lamp now, my plant has stretched to about a foot and a half with very spaced ouy leaves and a thin stem, how do i make it bush out and make the stem stronger, also will it only bush out at the new growth at the top now , or is there some way i can stimulate growth on the stem. thank
Muzzers

add a few cfls to it man, hand the cfls around the sides of the plant.

also to thicken up that stem you should aim a fan directly at the plant and let her dance around all day

you can also use potassium nitrate to strengthen roots and stem! its a soil like material u can buy at any garden center. and if its stretching get the light a lil closer and if you do decide to keep the plant and flower all the way through deff get a support system anything will do you can tie the stem to stick and put stick in soil you can direct with strings or you can just buy a support system like wiring or wood for her to grow through and she is able to support the buds! justatip good luck happy growing! =)

bend it over if its got a couple week to sit around. the more light the stem gets, the more it grows to try and shade it.

look up low stress training aka LST.