Over crowding and height issues

Our ssh are just starting to flower. They have been in 12/12 for weeks but just began showing.

We have 9 plants in a 4x4 tent. 5gal containers.

They are nearly reaching 4.5ft in height, and the light can't be raised much higher. Right now the distance is under 12". And we're saved by the cold temps. Otherwise the plants may get toasted.

The canopy is super dense. And it's been hard to get time to thin out the lower level. Because of the light schedule and our work schedules.

We are really hoping the stretching has ended but aren't sure.

Can this be salvaged? It's also too early to just bring them outside.

MM's

Did you do any training? Topping, lst, supercropping? I wouldn’t top in flower stage but you could do some lst and supercropping if they are healthy and if it’s still very early in flower.

How many weeks have they been on the 12/12 schedule?

I definitely recommend doing 2 things, as long as they are within week 1, 2 or 3 of 12/12.

Keep your night temps the same or even warmer than your day temps. You can do this for the first 3 weeks of flower and it drastically reduces stretch. (After week 3 I like nighttime temps around 71 until the decrease towards the end)

Defoliate. Again, only if they are healthy and vigorous, and only if you are within the first 3 weeks of flower. Take off many of the fan leaves especially from the middle and bottom of the plant. Don’t take bud sites, just leaves. They’ll keep growing leaves until about week 4 of flower, so you can take off leaves in the very start of flowering with no worries. If you have been defoliating all along, you can really strip em. If you’re unsure, take less than you think at first. Don’t wanna shock em. Defoliation helps reduce upward growth, helps improve air circulation to prevent mold, and helps get light penetration further down the stems so you’ll get buds throughout the plant, not just on top.

No training this time. We didn't have the time to do it.

Biggest mistake. Not realizing for 3 weeks the timer was still set to "On". So even though there were on/off times the light was on 24/7 for an extra three weeks...

We believe the stretching may have finished. But the ladies are now under 10 inches from the light.

Going to try and trim off the lower third. And then do some lst to bring the height down some.

They are startingt toflower nicely. Albeit super crowded, with almost no light reaching below the canopy.