You can interlock the new growth using a tool or your fingers (I've seen people with thicker locks do this) or you can retwist using a product like gel and clips, or no product at all and just water (again, DXLYN has videos on how she retwists her clients' and family's locks this way), or you can just separate the locks at the roots if you plan to freeform and don't want a manicured look.
ETA: I forgot about palmrolling! I think I made an earlier post where there was a video showing the technique, because someone had asked. I will work on a separate post with video links to everything I referenced.
I and a few others in this thread interlock, and there are others who retwist. I thought we had a freeformer or two also. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. OP, at the very beginning in
@Platinum's first post are a list of questions that we have all answered about starting our locks. I believe one of the questions was how do you plan to maintain them, so if you read through some of the posts that may help you make your decision.
@Platinum, didn't you say earlier that you were going to start palmrolling yours?
Also, different maintenance methods produce different results, so some people choose the method of maintaining their roots based on how they want their locks to look.
Once you mentioned how long your hair was, I agree with
@BillsBackerz67 and I think you won't have to worry about unravelling. I wouldn't cut them, because during the locking process your hair will shrink up and condense through several of the stages. Eventually they stop doing that and you will end up seeing the growth that you're retaining more. So, I say just wait it out if you can and the locking process will take care of the rest and you never know...you may end up liking the shape they end up growing in.
However, if you just want a drastic change before you start your locks and don't mind your hair becoming shorter through the locking process, then go for it. Your hair will catch back up in no time. Is your hair also color treated?