New Leaf developement on nodes

growing outside in new england...i topped it a few weeks back and have bent it into a spiral, to conceal it from site, i have no deffinate sign of sex yet but the past few days i noticed alot of new leaves coming out of the nodes... is this the preflower stage? or just a growth spurt? i growing in soil and getting it ferted up with a 20-20-20 water soluble mix.. let me know what everyone thinks thanks

probably will be preflowers anyways it will be near to flowering now with the fall coming. the 20/20/20 fert solution sounds O.K just keep up the tender loving care till harvest man

those just sound like branches coming out. more branches the better i say.
try to post some pictures & good luck