Outgrowing space and not flowering

Hi everyone,

So I am growing a Mexican Airlines from FB in coco with a quantum board and ph perfect AN nutes, and this is the first time I tried topping an auto. She responded.... Too well, she now has an even canopy with dozens of bud sites and I was very excited about it but now its day 31 and she has outgrown her space and still no signs of flowering. I am doing everything in the book, light defoliation, lst, leaf tucking and now also supercropping but still she isnt slowing down! My question is how do I "force her" to flower? Of I start feeding flowering nutes like big bud will it help her transition? Here are the photos

As you can see, there is further horizontal space so I hope she starts flowering soon and that she wont grow much more...

 

[Jimmythenugg]

I'm no expert @Odissey but perhaps a defoliation is in order..
I defol autos and photos the week before flower so perhaps it wont be damaging if you do it now, more, 'preemptory', but will certain put a halt to stretch (and allow canopy to be opened to maximise bud sites)
However, I say this only if your height is definitely maxing out...

 

[Odissey]

I'm no expert @Odissey but perhaps a defoliation is in order..
I defol autos and photos the week before flower so perhaps it wont be damaging if you do it now, more, 'preemptory', but will certain put a halt to stretch (and allow canopy to be opened to maximise bud sites)
However, I say this only if your height is definitely maxing out...

Thanks Jimmy! Yes I have been defoliating but very conservatively as I am afraid its too much stress. I still have vertical room but not horizontal. What I think will be problematic is the stretch after she starts flowering. Then I have neither horizontal nor vertical space. Do you know from experience if switching to a more PK heavy nute ratio will induce flowering?

 

[Jimmythenugg]

I'd go ahead and do a heavier defoliation anyways, if its in veg it ain't hurting it. The switching of feed is usually a slightly divisive issue related to vertical growth. As in 'avoid feeding autos bloom feed in case it does as you say 'flip' em and slow growth...

I might consider (only as an alternative view) throwing the light schedule to 12/12 any genetic layover from its photoperiod parent - which is likely to be causing the growth, will be triggered by the flower cycle switch - the light schedule.

 

[pop22]

You need to wait a bit longer, Mexican Airlines is a Sativa and they take longer to flower and to finish. I've grown this twice. 35-40 days to flower and another 40-50 to finish.. Changing the light schedule may reduce your harvest. So give her another week, if she doesn't flower, then try putting her on 12/12 for 3-4 days. once she starts to flower she'll continue to on whatever light schedule you are using now.

 

[Odissey]

You need to wait a bit longer, Mexican Airlines is a Sativa and they take longer to flower and to finish. I've grown this twice. 35-40 days to flower and another 40-50 to finish.. Changing the light schedule may reduce your harvest. So give her another week, if she doesn't flower, then try putting her on 12/12 for 3-4 days. once she starts to flower she'll continue to on whatever light schedule you are using now.

Thanks! I sure hope she starts flowering soon as I do not know how I will manage if she gets 3x the current size. What about bloom nutes? I started adding big bud today in the hopes that will trigger flowering. Do you have any experience with this?

 

[Odissey]

I'd go ahead and do a heavier defoliation anyways, if its in veg it ain't hurting it. The switching of feed is usually a slightly divisive issue related to vertical growth. As in 'avoid feeding autos bloom feed in case it does as you say 'flip' em and slow growth...

I might consider (only as an alternative view) throwing the light schedule to 12/12 any genetic layover from its photoperiod parent - which is likely to be causing the growth, will be triggered by the flower cycle switch - the light schedule.

Right! Have removed some additional leaves already

 

[Jimmythenugg]

Good stuff it'll help her.
Get the light at those budsites, fingers crossed it pushes out flowers with all that energy... (As an assist, a seaweed drench is always good after a trim - a great for relieving stress)
Autos don't often stretch as much as that, in fact most photos don't either - so far I've seen an avg of 30-50% for that final stretch, although Sativa's tend to gain the most and I grow mostly indica dom!
Keep us posted please..

 

[pop22]

I doubt the nutes will make any difference. She'll flower when she's ready. Top her and prune her if she gets too big!

 

[Odissey]

Good stuff it'll help her.
Get the light at those budsites, fingers crossed it pushes out flowers with all that energy... (As an assist, a seaweed drench is always good after a trim - a great for relieving stress)
Autos don't often stretch as much as that, in fact most photos don't either - so far I've seen an avg of 30-50% for that final stretch, although Sativa's tend to gain the most and I grow mostly indica dom!
Keep us posted please..

Seaweed you say? I am afraid that might mess up the AN ph perfect system though, as the calmag for example most definitely did :/