Hi folks just curious when the general "12 week" rule of thumb for growing is supposed to start. I realize the 12 weeks isn't set in stone but I'm still trying to establish a timeline that generally is successful. In the past I've started "counting" once the seedling is out of the seedling pot and into the larger container I use until harvest, ie 10 ish days old. At the moment my seedling (auto flower) has 5 small leaves and is about an inch and a half tall. I would ordinarily pot it in another 3-4 days and start my "timeline" then, but it occurred to me that maybe I was meant to start it from germination. Any thoughts are appreciated thank you!
Not sure what 12 week rule you are talking about. Auto's are unpredictable, they can start flowering at 3 weeks old or 6, depends on stressors and genetics. I've been growing one or two autos to supplement my photo grows, I top them when I first see signs of preflower pistils or when they reach 5 nodes (usually works out to be about the same time), the stress of topping delays flower slightly, allowing for a larger plant. Like I said initially, there is no 12 week rule, photos I veg for 5-6 weeks (count from germination), then flip to flower, which takes another 8-9 weeks depending on the strain (sometimes longer), the plant is done when it's done, really no reason to count weeks when growing autos. Now I just write the date of germination and the date of flip for my records.
12 weeks is the general flowering time for an outdoor grow. Here in our area, the perfect window to start flowering is anytime between July 25th and August 5th. As mentioned, though, certain strains can take longer or you might have an indica done in 10 weeks.
People have timelines, plants do not. but YEAH that's when flowering STARTS here too, when they finish??? Whenever they damn well feel like it. IDK
Might I suggest reviewing the definition of "timeline". Since that word is applicable to pretty much anything.
@sweedright @caljian @nachoboomer I appreciate the responses, for sure I do get that "timelines" aren't super useful and shouldn't be hard lines. I grow in a tent, with auto flower seeds, for reference. My thing is that I haven't ever had success to trying to judge harvest time by trichomes, I guess it must be my microscope but I have never seen one amber trichome ever, and a couple times I waited so long for them to come that I need up molding my plants :/. I think I waited as long as 15-16 weeks once. So I have been using the general recommended grow times from the seed purveyors, my books, etc, that call for a general 12 week timeline for autoflowers. The last time I loosely adhered to that timeline I got the best results I've gotten so far, wasn't incredible but very smokeable and it's been good for me. So that was the reason for the question, it generally takes me 10-14 days to get the seedling from germination to a point where it can come out of the seedling pot and into it's long term setup. So I was just curious if that point is the general time to start "counting" or from germination, that's all. I'd love to get to a point where I am doing things like aggressive topping, etc but I think that's probably a little more down the line when I've had more experience. Appreciate everyone's help and input.
As far as auto's I'm on my 1'st grow with them but a trichome is a trichome, no? I hear you been there. I've resigned myself to be an observer in this growing thing & not have expectations as shit happens, too tall, too short, flower early, flower late??? Look for more clues to your flowers being ready to harvest like the plant leaning over, leaves yellowing, buds swelling, etc
thanks that makes sense, and I hope I'll get better at making those judgements, I got so thrown off with the "wait until you see 50 ish percent of your trichomes turning amber"...like I said I guess it must be my microscope but I never did see one, just the milky ones. And then the mold came it was such a bummer
I guess it's a learning process, I'm flying by the seat of my pants too & trusting my instincts/feelings (right or wrong). Listen to some good advice here but think before you try it.