Is 50% Over Advertised Grow Time Unusual?

After growing cannabis outdoors for eight years, for the first time I decided to play around with autos while the big girls are growing out. I purchased Red Dwarf seeds and germinated them more than eleven weeks ago. These too, are growing outdoors and the plants look very healthy with good color and vitality, and impressive flower development.

I realize the advertised grow times (eight weeks in this case) are influenced by marketing concerns and did not expect to harvest before ten weeks. In my case though, now just a few days short of week twelve, the trichs are still over 90% clear, with no signs of amber. I don't have a single leaf fading to yellow yet. Probably 10-15% of pistils are darkening.

I'm not at all worried given the quality of the plants, and I'm not in a hurry as I've got at least a year's worth of medicine stored away, but I'm curious how common it is to go this far beyond what we are told. Of course, even though our weather has been warm since February, I realize the early start may be playing a part since the evenings early on were cooler.

Curious to read your thoughts and experiences. Thank you.

Growing auto's outdoors will slow them down unless you live in the tropics or Cali and grow during the summer under ideal conditions no cool weather that slows them down.

Also outdoors don't have enough hours of daylight to finish on breeders times, unless you live in Alaska,I grow mine 24-0

That said most will go 11-12 weeks in indoor ideal growing conditions.

The trich,s on autos' don't always turn amber and the leaves don't always go yellow they say watch the leaves more than the trich's.

I take mine when they are cloudy with 10-30% amber, or at 12 weeks having leaf fade is the best sign though.

Sounds like yours should be close to being done.

Thank you, AKN. That lays it out nicely. Appreciate the info.