Auto-flower plants not flowering

[FrostbiteFallsMN]

Auto-flower not flowering:

I ordered gorilla cookies auto flower,( sunwest genetics it looks like they’re MJ seeds Canada)

Seeds. They came up the 11th of May: seven gallon fabric pots, super soil mix in the bottom third, the rest of my soil is Fox farm Ocean forest in the rest of my containers. Plants are under hortibloom- 720 watt eco. there is a far-red supplemental switch which I have had this entire time but haven’t used it… yet. From the beginning my light cycle is 20-4.

Ph water in at 6.4-6.6 ; soil comes in at 6.7. I have a moisture meter and typically 8 cups every other day. I did have some light stress and moved my LEDs up to 20” and 80% on the dimmer. I’ve done LST training to keep the canopy even with light defoliation.

After reading everything on the web I waited to week seven and still no signs of flower or pre flower. My plants are 20” high.

I have half photo period plants in the same 5x5x6.5 grow tent, manifolded to 16 bud sights. They are doing well and are about 14” talI. I was hoping to have the gorilla cookies chopped in mid august and then induce flowering for the photo period plants. Question : Was the living super soil and the Ocean Farm to hot to allow flowering why have they not flowered? The plant morphology on GC auto is exactly as an auto flower. Just no flower. Should I switch to 18-6 on the light and turn on the far-red light? Other than the flowering no happening my plants are healthy as can be.. Or should I treat them as photo period plants and move on?

[Allenpro]

The one thing you can count on with Autos is surprises. This sounds like a breeder mix up though, it usually goes the other way, order a photoperiod and it autoflowers. I always assumed that is to get rid of autoflowers that no one wants,lol. I would treat it as a photoperiod, you dont have anything to loose

[FrostbiteFallsMN]

I waited through week eight. They must be photo period, I had them in my 5x5 with photo period plants hoping to harvest the Gorilla Cookies before I induced flowering. I manifolded the photo periods(orange creampop) to 16 colas and was waiting to induce flowering. Now Ive done defoliation and LST-ed and brought them outside. I'll let them mature in the sun. This will give me more room for my photoperiod plants. If they are delayed Auto-flower they'll start flowering outside between now and Mid-August. They'er a little over 24". The last two grow seasons I was outside anyway and flowering commenced between Aug 7th and aug 15th. Ill loose some on yields but at least I'll get back the money I spent on soil. Otherwise the plants are super healthy.

[Rwise]

Some autos dont auto until week 8, give them another week and if no flowers then flip them to 12/12, if they flower then they are not autos. You may be able to get them replaced, have you contacted they seller?

[Allenpro]

So what is the point of an auto flower that has to veg for 8 weeks? I dont veg photoperiods in hydro for more than 5 weeks

[Rwise]

It makes larger plants (4+ feet tall) and yields, also they take longer to finish like 120+ days rather than 56-90 days like the more popular autos.

[Allenpro]

I thought the main point of autos is less time from seed to harvest. I would be surprised if light leaks are that big of a deal with photoperiods these days

[FrostbiteFallsMN]

Auto-flowers not flowering…
one of you requested photos of these plants. I moved them outside two days ago. In one photo you can see three of the plants for their overall health. As well as close-ups of the leading branches, which are just laying alternating Philllotaxis. If you zoom in you may see pre-flowers? ( I’ve not grown auto-flowers before).

This year is my first indoor grow. (See original message) . I decided to leave the gorilla cookies outside and let them do whatever their mutation that are doing. My photo period plants will have more room to grow, get more light.

[Rwise]

Look closely at the plant in pic 2, the branch to the right of the one you are holding looks like it may have balls starting, that part of the pic is out of focus so it may be nothing but worth a closer look.