Slow or normal growth after 9 weeks? Newbie thread

[RootFarmer]

Synchronizing light/dark cycles while the plants are inside with the sunlight/night outside is key, I think, but I discovered that it isn't as easy to do as it sounds. Where I live, our longest daylight period is slightly more than 16 hours at the summer solstice. So, I was going to match the tent light to the daylight. But then we had a period of warm, clear weather. So, I thought it would be okay to put them outside. It wasn't. My two autos flowered way too early when the weather changed to cold and wet and stayed that way for several weeks. Nevertheless, despite their small size and only flowering at three nodes, they look healthy. I'm going to let them go to harvest, thinking I'll at least get to sample the weed. I have one more seed and plant to grow it in a tent this fall.

If I try again next year, I'll try to be more self-disciplined, and both synchronize the light better and wait till the solstice to put them out. Till then, I'll ponder whether having them on a shorter light period while inside might be better. I might also start using longer dawn/dusk simulation. That's because I'm wondering if an abrupt change may have been a shock. Their tent had a half-hour transition, whereas natural dawn and dusk are much longer.

Abrupt and persistent change is a good way to trigger them. I get what you were trying to do tho.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Abrupt and persistent change is a good way to trigger them. I get what you were trying to do tho.

I've grown outside many times, but I've never autos outside. I don't know if that matters, but this is the first time I've had a problem like this. We had a lousy spring, though. Today is our first sunny day in several weeks. It's usually not so wet and cold. Oh, well. Live and learn and there's always next year. Meanwhile, my plants didn't die, so I have an opportunity to see how they finish.

It looks like we'll have a good potato crop, at least. It's the first time I've used potato pots.

 

[NorCalNate]

What light cycle were you using before you put them outside?

I believe 18/6, though that was for only a week or two

 

[NorCalNate]

Thanks for all the replies, you all hit it on the head, super helpful and a lesson learned the hard way lol

 

[Oldchucky]

Maybe. Sadly, the climate is becoming less predictable, and so the calendar isn't what it used to be. We must change with the times, I suppose. Like I said, I'll try to adjust my procedures next year.

By the way, my two outside plants have white spots like those in some other threads. They're only on lower leaves, so I'm going to leave them, for now. It doesn't seem to be spreading. I'm just wondering if they have something to do with the cold, wet weather we had for a few weeks.

The hours of sunlight and dark never change! And that’s what has the most bearing on premature flowering in my opinion! the hours of light and dark on the summer solstice are the same, whether 100 years ago, this year, or 100 years from now! Don’t overthink it! Mother nature doesn’t like that!

 

[RootFarmer]

I've grown outside many times, but I've never autos outside. I don't know if that matters, but this is the first time I've had a problem like this. We had a lousy spring, though. Today is our first sunny day in several weeks. It's usually not so wet and cold. Oh, well. Live and learn and there's always next year. Meanwhile, my plants didn't die, so I have an opportunity to see how they finish.

It looks like we'll have a good potato crop, at least. It's the first time I've used potato pots.

Always something to learn indeed. I'm always trying some kind of experiment. Last year I was focused on a particular bacterium and it's ability to mitigate abiotic stress. This year I'm looking primarily at nutrient balance and some interesting things I've read that seemed counterintuitive.

 

[Toasterman]

I hope I have the right thread.
First timer. Started 3 9 pound hammer autos. Started indoors, moved out when temps permitted. One stunted as a sprout. The other 2 were transplanted to 25 gallon pots. The "runt" was moved to a 10 gallon. All are outdoors and have been fed and cared for the same. At 5 weeks, just about 2 weeks after transplanting they developed thumbnail sized flowers. I trimmed them up some and waited. At 9 weeks I have 8 x 2 inch flowers.
Seems to early.
The "runt" hasn't started flowering, And shows no signs of it yet.

I'm not sure if this is the normal run for autos.