1st grow Questions for Experts!!

Hey everyone ,
New to this site but, been reading thread for a while now. I have a couple questions that never seem to be answered with 100% accuracy (always mixed answered)
First a little about what I got going!

-I have 2 mid sized beauties!(Black Buddha strain 9-10 weeks flower time)
One btw 15-16" the other 17-19" tall (alittle small i know but remember Itsmy first time and didnt really know anything at first so decided to be cautious and kept smaller then obviously I've learned has time progressed )
- Two single Dwc buckets (DiY)
- Real cheap setup originally and upgraded as time went on
-Currently tented 4x2x5 with a 400w hps w/ cool tube ventilated with active air intake/outtake
-Been kinda low humidity through out flowering at highest maybe 35% and lowest 16%
-Been flowering for 52 days (since 12/12 flip) around 10 days later both had pistils showing!


With that said my first question!!

1st - When do you start counting the photoperiod time when flowering at first signs of pistils or at 12/12 switch? (I kno I'm sick of that question too!)
And
2nd - How far along do y'all think my babies are and still neee!? (at end of 6th week of flowering tomorrow" if counting from 10 days out from 12/12 flip when both had pistils showing- at end of 7th week if counting first week as 10 days lol)
And finally
3rd - There still not alot of actual bud growth yet just alot of suger leaves so I guess the question is should I even expect more bud growth or what?

I am no expert, fairly new myself but I do know some of this.
1)12/12 starts the transition to flower not flower itself I think 3-7 days to transitions and show pistols is the norm so your 10 day mark is probably the closer timeframe.
2&3) Plan to run your advertised flower time or a bit more, your plant looks like it has plenty of tricks and bud sites for its size, it just has not packed on weight yet which will happen in the 3-5 weeks you have to finish.

Any of the more experienced RUIers can go ahead and correct me if needed.

1. you start counting when the first preflowers appear. I myself will start counting a week after i switch to 12/12 its never failed me


2. from your pics your babies need another3-4 weeks leaning on the 4 IMO

3. yes your plants will go though a series of "plumping" do NOT miss the last one as that is the biggest one.

zubey91 said:

1. you start counting when the first preflowers appear. I myself will start counting a week after i switch to 12/12 its never failed me


2. from your pics your babies need another3-4 weeks leaning on the 4 IMO

3. yes your plants will go though a series of "plumping" do NOT miss the last one as that is the biggest one.

Click to expand...

Spot on as to where i think I'm at, thank you for the reassurance!