how to help my weed plant?

Hi all, firstly please do not try to give advice or tell me the law I am fully aware of all risks. I am growing pineapple express autoflower as my first grow. I am growing in a cupboard converted using a 7100 lumen cfl , 1000 cfl , 2x 900 lumen cfls. I am using no official medium but I have a soil mix I have found quite good + simple but effective nutes. I am 6 weeks into my grow and all is going well, my plants are coverd with pistols and are showing no signs of any stress at all. If you could answer a few questions and give me some tips I will be really greatfull. From the first pistols showing how will I know when the buds first start to form ? In future should I use a growing medium? (if so which nutes aswell) When should I crop ? And all other info/ help you may have will be highly valued. Many thanks Osd (old school deals) * if goverment legalised weed then maybe, just maybe we can think about would peace