Quantity vs size

Since autos have a finite timeline is it better to just let it grow as much as possible and get as big as possible or have the most bud sites when its starts to flower?
I'm doing my first grow and started a Critical Thunder auto amongst my others. Not knowing anything about autos I treated as I did the others ie fiming, pruning, defoliating. Its started to bud now at 6 weeks. I have lots of bud sites but it's only 9 inches tall. It has a mile of girth though at about 22 inches.
My question is since it's just starting to bud and I have so many bud sites will I be better off at harvest or should I have just let it do it's thing?

Joe3166 said:

Since autos have a finite timeline is it better to just let it grow as much as possible and get as big as possible or have the most bud sites when its starts to flower?
I'm doing my first grow and started a Critical Thunder auto amongst my others. Not knowing anything about autos I treated as I did the others ie fiming, pruning, defoliating. Its started to bud now at 6 weeks. I have lots of bud sites but it's only 9 inches tall. It has a mile of girth though at about 22 inches.
My question is since it's just starting to bud and I have so many bud sites will I be better off at harvest or should I have just let it do it's thing?View attachment 4424655

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Looks good!!! You may have to let it go a little longer... But you should be able to do a lil sumthin...

Update Day 90 now. Probably harvesting in a couple weeks. She has beautiful giant buds but very light on the trichomes. She's been going on 24 straight since flowering. I've started her on 18/6 and will continue to up her night until the day she comes down. It appears to help but not sure yet. If I see considerable increase I'll know this type of shock at the end of the flower is good for boosting trichome production. Am I on a wild goose chase?

It looks like you did a great job training it. I'd just keep her on 20-24 hours of light until the end then maybe one long 36+ hour night before harvest.

Fox tailing like crazy now, do you think you its reveging? Did the buds peak in density at one point and then start tailing off? Autos can be so weird sometimes.

Joe3166 said:

Update Day 90 now. Probably harvesting in a couple weeks. She has beautiful giant buds but very light on the trichomes. She's been going on 24 straight since flowering. I've started her on 18/6 and will continue to up her night until the day she comes down. It appears to help but not sure yet. If I see considerable increase I'll know this type of shock at the end of the flower is good for boosting trichome production. Am I on a wild goose chase?

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At least a couple weeks that looks pretty far from done maybe more like a month more

Ryante55 said:

At least a couple weeks that looks pretty far from done maybe more like a month more

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that makes more sense than what i was thinking

I've had a few larfy plants and they are haunting me.

Dendrophilly said:

that makes more sense than what i was thinking

I've had a few larfy plants and they are haunting me.

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If you have had larfy plants in the past let her go! An extra week or 2 should help density improve. some strains wait till the last week or 2 to put on some weight

Ryante55 said:

If you have had larfy plants in the past let her go! An extra week or 2 should help density improve. some strains wait till the last week or 2 to put on some weight

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not always the case in my experience

*beating dead horse emoji*

Dendrophilly said:

not always the case in my experience

*beating dead horse emoji*

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Yeah I know but letting an autoflower go a little to long is good experience if you constantly have airy buds give it more time so you can learn to find the balance