Quick One Auto - Royal Queen Seeds

Your plants look good. I find that growth is usually slow in the beginning. The sprout will emerge. Then set it's first pair of true leaves and then they often take a pause for 5-7 days. Then after the pause they grow at a moderate rate until they have set 4 or 5 nodes. Then after that the growth rate often speeds up. I avoid tying plants up unless it is absolutely necessary. If I do I tie them, I will tie very loosely and have a fan blowing gently over them so they get bumped around which helps force the plant grow a stronger stem.

Do not worry. You can not kill your plant with LST. That's why they call it "low stress" since it is easy on the plant. And... your ladies are looking good. I usually try to tie the lower part of the stem to be vertical and bend it horizontally above the first or second node. This leaves the 1st & 2nd nodes to be pulled to the open side of your pot and away from the main part of the plant. Then I start tying longer branches down so they grow horizontally. I want to get the plant spread out and all the branch ends at the same height. Then when they flower and stretch the bulk of my training begins, making sure to give good light and air to each bud site.

Keep your lights on your current 18/6 schedule. Your plants will want to soak in the light. More light, bigger buds. But rest is also important- so no pushing them 24/0 or 20/4. With the amount of pistols you are seeing I’d say they are officially in flower, just the beginning. Enjoy the ride 🌱

Looks like a nutrient lock out coupled with over heating and possible PM??? How is the airflow? Feeding autos at 1/4 strength?

Best practice is to harvest when your plant is ready. There are so many environmental factors that dictate speed of growth a d ripening. Flowering usually takes 8 weeks- give or take on such factors. I like my trichomes milky with a touch of amber. Other people like them heavily amber. All a matter of preference. Make sure you are checking the color of the trichomes as she gets close. You absolutely can harvest gradually, but you’ll find most people do it in one go. It’s a process. So isn’t the drying. Then the cureing. Most of my previous grows bulked up massively in their finals two weeks. I like to feed until trichomes are nearing where I like- then just continue to feed ph’ed water untill there are where I want them. 🌱