Stretchin

adjust light based on the length of internode that results (stem between growth nodes) stick to that or you'll cause larfy shitty buds. This is your guide to light intensity. If you want slightly more spacing between nodes, raise or dim light, yes. Don't try to force a squat plant into something it is not. Little manipulations are fine, but you can't change a leapard's spots. stocky plants are just stocky plants (*assuming it was not a self-inflicted problem with too much light for too long) Does not look to be the case here, as the nodes have proper spacing from what i can see. stretch really is a misnomer. Some plants do grow more than others (genetic variety), but it's as much about the age of the plant, too. Even if left in vege (in theory for an auto), it would probably double or triple in size over the course of 4+ weeks regardless of vege vs flower phase. The plant is in "flower" before you can see anything on the outside. It takes time for flower to develop to the point your eye can even see it. your eye seeing it is not when it is in flower phase. that has to do with the biology inside the plant far beyond the resolution of your eyes. by the time you see prflwoers on an auto, it's been in flower for at least a week. That's a better comparison to a photoperiod or existing knowledge relating to photoperiods and translating it for autoflowers. They don't flower faster, people just erroneously start counting 7-10 days late because they are relying on what they see and then comparing apples to oranges as far as flower phase length with photos. Just marketing nonsense, really.

Make sure to slowly increase light intensity but you should be able to slowly get your light really close to the plant move closer just a little daily. You can get about 12 to 15 in from the plant by time the plants are getting close to harvest then the last week or 2 of flower slowly lower light intensity maybe 20% over the 2 weeks

I see you said you raised your light to trigger the strech that phase is done and gone you need to be pushing a bunch of light at this time to make buds more dense

Hey there the 1st 21 days the plant is in flower is when it stretches that happens b4 flowers start to forum You stunted growth durring that time period The stage your plant is in now is where it makes buds one the available bud sites. Everything you see is about all you will have In the future never top an auto unless you grew that strain b4 and know what to expect on a timeline Also I would suggest to anyone to grow fem photo seeds and not autos. Autos are so random if your trying to legit grow weed so you don’t have to buy weed I’d go with fem photos you will have more constant harvest Also with photo plants you can get your plant how you want it b4 you flip to flower also you can make sure the plant has a good stride when you flip to flower If a plant is in good health and grow thing quickly when you flip to flower that’s how you get the plants to strech out correctly Also sometimes sales light is more durring the strech I do sog in my tent I don’t grow my plants to big b4 flipping to flower