Indoor Biggest factors that slow down auto's switching to flowering other than genetics

[lunarman]

I know autos are supposed to have their own clock and will flower on their own without having to change lighting schedule. I thought that also meant that you can expect auto's to switch to flowering on their own at a specific time (e.g. after 3-4 weeks). But in my experience so far I have found they will not flower automatically based on some elapsed time like 30 days (took that number of days from the Mephisto growing guide).

And I've read many times posts from people that cant' get their auto to switch. And how they try to switch to 12/12 or even 24 hours of dark. Which I have tried on my autos and it did not work. Which is why I'm posting this. I think but want to confirm with others that know this stuff better than me that there are other factors involved.

Here is a list I came up with of factors that I think will slow down or even halt an automatic plant from going to flower mode. Is this list pretty accurate? Would any of them be more significant and important than others? Did I miss something important?

1) Temp is too cold. E.g. 20 degrees C is too cool compared to 25C.
2) Plant foliage and structure is not properly maintained or trained with too many fan leaves sucking up energy away from the colas.
3) Plants may need to be coaxed out of veg/growth by introducing bloom nutes in the feed.
4) Light spectrum not right for flowering

 

[Arthur]

Stresses on the seedling would be my number 1 "not genetics related" choice.
Honestly, I believe the main problem is in the breeding. Bringing in photo genetics you may get the photo gene recessive, but still there, it'll pop ocasionally. Or just plain poor breeding practices.selling seeds prior to having them stable.

Had autos outdoors this last summer, both started flowering just after summer solstice, about 35 days in. Smoke was crap... but they autod' both were just poorly crossed.

Don't know what I'd do in a multi plant tent, if one was being cranky... I'd probably cull it and move on. If it was the whole tent, I'd drop to 11 on 13 off and see what it looked like over a couple days.

 

[lunarman]

Stresses on the seedling would be my number 1 "not genetics related" choice.
Honestly, I believe the main problem is in the breeding. Bringing in photo genetics you may get the photo gene recessive, but still there, it'll pop ocasionally. Or just plain poor breeding practices.selling seeds prior to having them stable.

Had autos outdoors this last summer, both started flowering just after summer solstice, about 35 days in. Smoke was crap... but they autod' both were just poorly crossed.

Don't know what I'd do in a multi plant tent, if one was being cranky... I'd probably cull it and move on. If it was the whole tent, I'd drop to 11 on 13 off and see what it looked like over a couple days.

Really stress during seedling? Didn't think that would even be on the list. I think the seedlings were fine. It's been a while. But the veg growth phase for me anyway was fantastic. Tons of growth. Healthy looking. So if its a seedling stressor wouldn't that show up on growth too? Or more so in flower?

 

[Arthur]

Honestly autos are a new adventure for me, I've grown photos for a long time, and was part of the "why would you grow those?" Crowd.
Gave them a shot, if I hadn't found afn, I would been back to photos only.

From what I've seen and read, overly stressing an auto in the early stages can slow down and or stunt the growth. I would assume (love that word so very accurate ) that if you stressed in veg, ie dropped the temp to 65, growth would slow/stop...or some kind of lighting issue gone wacky....

Also, it would help to know the strain/breeder we're talking about since some flower and finish in 60-70 days, others go 110 plus. I just reread thru the original post, but didn't see a day count for your plants?
Have also seen a few switch to flower nutes to get them to go...

 

[Arthur]

A quick ps.

I was kinda freaking when I wasn't seeing pistils 3 weeks in... I'd have to go look, but believe I was in the 30 day area before showing sex.

Just went and looked, was just showing pistils on day 35.

 

[Simplicio]

I know autos are supposed to have their own clock and will flower on their own without having to change lighting schedule. I thought that also meant that you can expect auto's to switch to flowering on their own at a specific time (e.g. after 3-4 weeks). But in my experience so far I have found they will not flower automatically based on some elapsed time like 30 days (took that number of days from the Mephisto growing guide).

And I've read many times posts from people that cant' get their auto to switch. And how they try to switch to 12/12 or even 24 hours of dark. Which I have tried on my autos and it did not work. Which is why I'm posting this. I think but want to confirm with others that know this stuff better than me that there are other factors involved.

Here is a list I came up with of factors that I think will slow down or even halt an automatic plant from going to flower mode. Is this list pretty accurate? Would any of them be more significant and important than others? Did I miss something important?

1) Temp is too cold. E.g. 20 degrees C is too cool compared to 25C.
2) Plant foliage and structure is not properly maintained or trained with too many fan leaves sucking up energy away from the colas.
3) Plants may need to be coaxed out of veg/growth by introducing bloom nutes in the feed.
4) Light spectrum not right for flowering

We shouldn't expect autos to begin flowering fast.
I've got four different strains that took 4, 5, 6, and 7 weeks to begin flowering.
I seriously doubt that anything less than traumatic stress will alter flowering more than a few days.
Good breeders have autos that grow almost like photos, including size and yield, except for automatic flowering.

 

[AutoWonders]

I'd say that most of my strains began pre flower or flowering at about weeks 3-4. If I have a plant that isn't a lengthy grow strain and if it doesn't show and I'm say six weeks in, I will do 12/12 to try and kick start.

I currently have two stunted plants and that was directly attributed to too much light. I was testing two cobs each on two plants. Even at 30" above canopy, they still had a bit of tough go of it. I am curious what their potency will be.

I grow in low humidity, but have gotten 5 ounces from a Royal AK, so I'd have to say that any humidity problems seem to be more hit and miss strain by strain. There is still tons of info that breeders could give us and they just don't. That does rankle my ire from time to time.

 

[lunarman]

I'd say that most of my strains began pre flower or flowering at about weeks 3-4. If I have a plant that isn't a lengthy grow strain and if it doesn't show and I'm say six weeks in, I will do 12/12 to try and kick start.

I currently have two stunted plants and that was directly attributed to too much light. I was testing two cobs each on two plants. Even at 30" above canopy, they still had a bit of tough go of it. I am curious what their potency will be.

I grow in low humidity, but have gotten 5 ounces from a Royal AK, so I'd have to say that any humidity problems seem to be more hit and miss strain by strain. There is still tons of info that breeders could give us and they just don't. That does rankle my ire from time to time.

Agree with you on the RH and the breeders. I'm going to grow some Mephisto for the first time soon and I'll follow their guide to a point and I'll be real interested in how my grow/bloom cycles go compared to what they say is the norm.

 

[lunarman]

I cut a lot of veg off both my plants today and left just what I believe will be the main cola stems and their leaves. I lost track of when I popped these (rookie mistake I won't make again hopefully) but I'd say its been over 8 weeks. These are DP Auto Ultimate and a Think Different.