I'm afraid that I may be misinterpreting the rules for counting branches. I see 5 branches here. Am I right? Trying to get stats on some new seedlings, any help would be welcome.

I see 5 branches: 3 side & a top "V"

To be counted as a branch it must have at least two buds, and I can't tell for sure from this photo if all your "Branches" have two buds. It is crowded at the top and I can't see if you have V (2) or a W(3) terminal branching.
So here is what I can see and not see in the photo.

Branch 3 should be counted if it has at least 2 buds. For me the tricky part is the terminal branching. I watched a well known hybridizer count terminal branches(I disagreed with the way he counted them) so this is just my opinion.But if branch six has at least two buds and that is actually three way terminal branching then it would be six branches the best I can tell.

Picture sucks, way sunny today. Do you count the scape stalk? Branch three has 4 buds, so it counts. I too am having trouble with the top( terminal) of scapes. It actually creates a W at the top but only two forks have more than one bud. I do appreciate the input. At least I'm pretty sure I'm not over counting. Maybe. Hopefully.

I am so glad this is being disussed because I have been wondering about this myself.

Tina
NO, the scape does not count as a branch. A branch has to originate from the scape.

I'd say that has 5 branches. I give anything to see five branches again. Almost no lateral branching on seedlings and registered cultivars here this year.

Those cold snaps messed up scape height and branching count on many DLs here too, Debra, despite all the winter precipitation.

Great branching, Tina, however you count it! I counted 6, but forgot about the more-than-one-bud rule, and didn't know that the "scape" doesn't count. I see people (that should know) count every floral extension, including the scape end- IE, a scape with only a terminal "V" counts as two branches, I believe.

Tina, I see the tarp occultation in your picture. Very smart! I need to solarize and occultate (?) now that things are hot. We have hit the mega-weed part of the year now.

I think nearly everyone counts a v terminal as two branches. I had not really ever thought of that as counting the scape, but I suppose it is. I just thought of it as a branch originating from the end of the scape?
"2. A terminal branch occurs at the top of a scape and may be arranged to form a
"V" (two branches), a "W" (three branches) or even four or more branches. A
terminal branch which does not divide at its terminus is counted as a single
branch. ALL terminal branches are counted which meet the required standard of
two or more buds per branch."
Edited to add the rule for counting branches from ADS.

Now, that is a nicely branched scape, but I can't help answer your question. Can't wait to see bloom pics!

I have never even heard of occultation, I saw the tarp and thought that was just to lay the soil on when a new hole was being dug.
I had to look it up:
What is occultation?
"Occultation is similar to solarization, but opaque coverings are used instead of clear. While it may sound counterintuitive, fields covered in clear plastic become hotter than fields covered in black plastic."
"Why choose occultation over solarization?
While occultation takes longer, there are a few benefits.
The types of tarps used in occultation tend to be re-usable.
Solarization tarps are thin and more prone to tears.
Because opaque tarps are multi-functional, you may already have some at home."

Not really used for occultation, per se. These come from gardenmats.com and are replaced with the ones with preset holes (have several different choices of planting grids and hole sizes) when I get ready to plant. They have worked great. I find worms in normal soil under these, really let air and water thru. They just help me get a jump on the weeding. By fall the seedlings are getting big and I carefully remove the weed cover, mulch like crazy, and very little to do the following spring. I think they offer a ten year warranty. The company had a factory fire, so won't be selling till this fall. I need a few more. This is my third year using them. Highly recommend.

Larry, you got it. Solarizing steams and cooks. Occultation turns out the light. One of the additional benefits of occultation or tarping is that (in the presence of moisture) weed seeds may try to germinate and then die, so it can help reduce viable weed seeds near the surface. It did wonders for our high tunnel. Good scheme, Tina! It's good to have the courage to enact a scheme to beat weeds!

A "terminal branch" makes sense. Some poor CVs only have that.

OK, what do you think of this one? i'm sorry the pictures are not that sharp, but I did my best. I took front and back angles several times, and none of them were that clear.

This is one scape of Caught Red-Handed, and I'm not sure I am counting the branches right. I'd like to know what those of you with more experience are seeing. In addition to the branches at the top, there is something lower down on the scape.

What I see is three way terminal branching and one lateral branch. So I see four way branching.

That is what I thought! Thanks, Larry.

That's what I counted too. All those classes at National paid off!

Thanks, Zoia! I need to keep practicing. Now I have a little more confidence. Maybe I can add branching to my DotD reviews.

Same plant, different scape. This time I am counting 5-way branching. Am I correct?

Nan,
I still see the three way terminal branching, plus now two lateral branches. So I say you are right with the five way branching.
'Caught Red Handed' looks like a beautiful plant!