Not flowering - strategy advice needed

[mkz]

Hi there

I have nice small growbox (0.2m2, cfl 10k lumens, diy carbon filter) for two plants.
Two seeds (RQS royal gorilla auto, auto somango from some other breeder) sprouted at 2019-10-15 (moreless 2 months/9 weeks ago).
Running in 8l pots, 18/6 light; both plants healthy and bushy, never had any problems. Now both fed with organic bloom nutes.

Gorilla is already flowering for 6 weeks, still two-three weeks to harvest.

Somango showed first preflowers at 35th day; now its at 65 days, but still just some hairs here and there.
It slowed down vertical growth, first preflower hairs already browned - but nothing close to buds forming.

Now I have to decide what to do - should I treat somango as slooooow auto (and assume it will finally flower), or treat it as regular plant so I have to switch to 12/12.

And now I'm wondering what can I do
a) just wait assuming somango will finally flower; once gorilla is harvested I can start new auto plant on its place
b) switch to 12/12 until flowering starts, then switch back to 18/6 (maybe it just needs trigger for auto trait to kick in?)
c) switch to 12/12 light; this can hurt gorilla yield, and after gorilla finishes - next plant will have to grow with 12/12 (or leave half tent empty until somango is done).
d) maybe rather than that - try with 16/8 or 14/10? maybe this would be enough to trigger somango while ensuring some more light for gorilla and newcommer?
e) take some clones from somango, run them on 18/6 until gorilla is done, then switch to 12/12 and flower mother and clones...
f) just trash somango asap and start new plant...

What would you do?

m.

 

[LazyNhazy]

I've had luck on changing to 16/8 to get some to flower. Best thing really is always start an auto on 24hrs then switch to 18/6 when they are about half the size you want. Just the few less hours is all they need to get them to change gears.

 

[mkz]

Some photos


I'd say it flowers, but it has been like that for more than 2 weeks....

Decided to try 16/8 (2h more night than current 18/6); I'd try 14/10, but I'm afraid to affect other plant.

I won't be able to check what is going on for a week - and believe to see really hairy girl when I'm back

m.

 

[Proph]

Those pistils all seem to be sprouting out of a calyx... Which is just the plant showing sex. If it were an auto, even a slow auto, it would have started flowering by now. Nothing will change if you wait. The only way to know if it's a photo period is to switch the light cycle to 12/12 for a week or so.. The light cycle for autos doesn't matter.. 18/6.. 16/8.. 20/4.. 24/0.. Makes no difference on if the plant will flower or not.. If it's an auto, it will flower regardless. If it's not an auto, it won't flower under any of those light cycles.

 

[LazyNhazy]

Those pistils all seem to be sprouting out of a calyx... Which is just the plant showing sex. If it were an auto, even a slow auto, it would have started flowering by now. Nothing will change if you wait. The only way to know if it's a photo period is to switch the light cycle to 12/12 for a week or so.. The light cycle for autos doesn't matter.. 18/6.. 16/8.. 20/4.. 24/0.. Makes no difference on if the plant will flower or not.. If it's an auto, it will flower regardless. If it's not an auto, it won't flower under any of those light cycles.

I have to disagree on autos, yes they will flower under any light schedule but dropping the hours will trigger a stubborn auto. They may be autos but hidden in that plant DNA is the photo it was originally from. So I believe that by dropping hours they still sense it changing and therfore change to flower faster

 

[Proph]

I have to disagree on autos, yes they will flower under any light schedule but dropping the hours will trigger a stubborn auto. They may be autos but hidden in that plant DNA is the photo it was originally from. So I believe that by dropping hours they still sense it changing and therfore change to flower faster

That's a fine belief to have, but it isn't factual .. Nothing can "trigger" an auto.. Its an auto.. As in automatic. It will automatically flower once it reaches maturity, under ANY light cycle.. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a stubborn auto, or stubborn photo period. It's either an auto, or its not.. It can't be both, and it can't be confused about which one it is.. So there is no way to remind, or trigger an auto to flower.. At 60 days in, and no bud formation, it's safe to say that this plant is not an auto.. I will never try to change anyone's mind or beliefs, so please don't think I am trying to change yours! I totally respect your beliefs.. but there are a lot of new growers on this site that are looking for factual information.. I try to leave out my beliefs as to not confuse the newer growers seeking help.

 

[mkz]

Funny, I was about to ask about it.

It's either an auto, or its not.. It can't be both

Can you pioint me at some reading that explains why this is the case?

For me (naive) it seems every autoflower is few percent ruderalis genetics, but still 90% indica/sativa.
I belive its probaly more like a sum of conditions that control production of hormones, that after reaching specified level trigger flowering. So - far from binary "on/off" switch for "autoflower"/"photo" - more like some continues spectrum between "ideal photo" and "ideal auto". It is hard to observe photoperiod dependency for autoflower, cause its auto gene usually kicks in before this is possible. But for me this doesn't necessarily mean is doesn't react on length of day/night.

I think the mess comes from fact that in the end - observable effect is same regardless of interpretation. If you were able to breed photo strain by selecting parents that are able to flower on higher and higher lightcycles - effectively you would end up in something exposing "auto" behavior... Not telling this is possible in real life - just wanted to show that "auto" can be seen as photo taken to the limits with regard to lifecycle requirements.

Note: I might be completely wrong; please correct me if this all is bullshit .

m.

 

[automan2]

Been growing autos for over 14 years....acquired from soooooo many distributors and breeders...don't remember any that were slow or stubborn. I run 24/0 on every seedling until flowering then move to a bloom tent.
Over these years it seems so many breeders got into the auto surge and perhaps released some that weren't up to snuff...so I agree with Proph....they're either auto or they're not ...no such thing as both.

 

[mkz]

Ok then; is it worth trying with 14/10? or straight into 12/12?

Now I have two concerns - hope this will not affect other plant too much (seems to be ready in 2 weeks hopefully), and hope I'll manage to fit into box
(I'm already at limits; if it is to double size it will get funny )

 

[automan2]

I know I'm in the minority but why not 12/12....even though I veg 24/0, when I move to the bloom tent, it's on 12/12 . Even though I grow autos in small (2-3 ltr) pots, I'm happy with 35-40g per plant...my last grow of GSC, one was 76g dry....
I've grown perpetually for 14 yrs....killed a few, grown a lot...always trying to improve...but I still run 12/12 in flower.
Actually started doing 12/12 as I usually run a photo with autos...found it worked for me.