sun scorch ? ... dont think so .... the buds not fully developing - thinking that's a watering / nutritional problem ... check your potting mix, fertilizer labels for the micronutrient - Boron -
if Boron is missing ....look for a liquid type fertilizer that contains all micronutrients (aka: Trace minerals) ~ Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum & Zinc ....
as for chopping the plant ....would wait until early spring - and - warm enough to stay outside ... then the plant has all year to recover ......
