Do you want a marijuana garden but don’t have the time to devote to it? If that’s the case, autoflowering seeds might be your answer! Rather than waiting for a particular lighting cycle, these unique strains blossom automatically. In general, your plants will finish blossoming after spending only 2-4 weeks in the vegetative stage.
Autoflowering strains of cannabis have only become popular in the last few years. These types of plants include Cannabis ruderalis genetics, a species of marijuana first discovered by D. E. Janischewsky, a Russian botanist, way back in 1924. When you cross ruderalis genetics with indica or sativa varieties, you get crops that will grow and flower without any help from people.
This article covers everything you need to know about autoflowering cannabis seeds. This includes information on how to cultivate them, advantages and disadvantages, as well as five of the most popular strains.
Autoflowering Cannabis: What Is It?
An outside grower must rely on the seasons with normal ‘photoperiod’ marijuana plants. An indoor grower, on the other hand, must alter their lighting schedule. To induce your plants to enter the blooming stage, for example, you’ll need a 12/12 light cycle. The change in light duration tricks the plants into thinking that winter is approaching, which leads to them beginning to bloom.
Autoflowering marijuana strains get their name from the fact that they flower automatically, as opposed to waiting for a specific light cycle. This means that these plants produce buds when they are ready, without needing you to mess with your lighting.
While the potency and yield of photoperiod cannabis continue to improve, the gap is narrowing. Autoflowering marijuana strains with significantly higher levels of THC are now feasible as breeding techniques advance. They also produce far greater amounts of cannabis.
For example, Amnesia Haze Automatic produces up to 14 ounces of bud per square meter planted. With fewer disadvantages than ever before, it is no wonder that ‘auto’ plants are becoming increasingly popular.
The typical grow period is around eight weeks, but you can expect your plants to mature in as little as four. As a result, each year you may harvest several autoflowering strains. Even the way they used to be is changing. Auto Sweet Soma seeds produce plants that reach heights of up to 155cm! If you want tiny bushes like Royal Jack Automatic, which rarely grows taller than 80cm, you can still obtain them.
Your Exclusive Autoflower Grow Guide
When growing auto-flowering cannabis seeds, make sure your plants get as much support as possible throughout the process. Indoor autoflower development with controllable artificial lights is ideal. This procedure reduces the chances of making a mistake and increases the chance of a strong beginning.
Autoflowering Marijuana Seeds
The germination process is key to ensuring the wellness of your autoflower marijuana plants. You can use soil like everyone else, or get creative with a container and different growing mediums. The paper towel method is by far the simplest way to go about it.
Once your seeds have sprouted, the time has come to transplant them. You should only move them once, since autoflowering seeds are more susceptible to transplant shock.
Though it is more complicated than with photoperiod plants, you can transplant auto-flowering seeds more than once successfully. Re-potting an autoflower is possible if you are extremely careful and take the proper precautions. If you need to transplant your autos to a larger pot, make sure they end up in the same soilless growing medium or soil as before. Additionally, finish the process before their dark period when their growing medium will be dry.
Avoid Early Cuttings with Autoflowering Marijuana Strains
We suggest that you do not take cuttings from auto-flowering weed plants during their early growth stages. The plant will autoflower when it reaches a specific point, and the age of the cutting will be merged with the age of the parent plant. This means they both will flower at the same time; however, if you grow a cutting of an auto-flowering plant, its final size is significantly smaller than that of the parent when it reaches flowering stage.
Training Your Autoflowering Weed
During the vegetative stage, it’s preferable to complete the training process. It is critical to act quickly since this phase lasts only a few weeks in automobiles. We recommend utilizing a low-stress training (LST) approach, such as pulling the plants down sideways, to help promote upward growth. Prune them for up to a week into the flowering stage and DO NOT top them when they start blooming.
Pruning an auto-flowering plant is much different than pruning a traditional plant. If you want your plant to thrive, it’s important to start the pruning process early on in its life cycle.
Best Lighting & Climate for Autoflowering Marijuana Plants
If you autoflower your plants, they will flower even when they should still be in the vegetative growth stage. You can autoflower pretty late in the season (in September) or very early on (in March). Just keep in mind that your plants can only grow if it’s warm enough outside. If they’re exposed to too much moisture, they might rot.
If you have the option, we recommend growing autoflowering plants in a room with a temperature of 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit and 50-70% humidity. nIf feasible, grow your plants indoors. Your plants should develop in an environment with a temperature of 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit and 50-70%, or
Plants with ruderalis genes are more resilient than those without, yet they still need light in order to nourish themselves. Many autoflower growers still believe that providing their plants with light 24 hours a day is essential. They can absorb CO2 throughout the photosynthesis process continuously as a result of this technique. Ruderalis plants grew for an extended period of time in the northern hemisphere. On rare occasions, they were exposed to 24 hours of sunlight per day in that environment.
24-hour lighting provides for quick initial growth, but it will typically slow down development after a few weeks due to plants not getting proper rest. With an 18/6 schedule, you’ll find the perfect balance of light and rest while also saving some money on your energy bill! For example, if you were to use an 18/6 schedule for one month as opposed to a 24/0 schedule, that would save you 180 hours’ worth of light usage!
The 20/4 schedule is a reasonable balance. The choice of 18/6, on the other hand, is the best since your plants require several hours of darkness each day for particular metabolic activities. The extra crop you obtain from continuous lighting is more than offset by the increase in your lighting cost!
Feeding Your Autoflowering Plants
Auto-flowering plants of the newest generation are more distinguished than earlier versions and produce a higher yield. They need more nutrients for this reason, though they still require fewer, on average, than photoperiod plants. The first two weeks are vital for their growth–be sure to water them during this time frame.
There is no requirement to give nutrients throughout this time. You can start adding nutrients and raising the feeding frequency every week after week three. Keep in mind that because the vegetation stage is so short, you’ll need less nitrogen. Light feeding is best unless you detect a nutrient shortage. When the plant reaches maturity, you’ll need to change the foods provided.
Harvesting Autoflowering Marijuana Plants
The ideal approach to harvest auto-flowering plants is to wait until the lower buds have developed before harvesting the colas. Because these plants develop so fast, they rarely have time to form a canopy. As a result, you must maintain the buds that are lower down on the plant. It isn’t unusual today to find automatics that produce up to 22 ounces per square meter.
By growing 4-5 batches a year, you can produce a lot of buds! And, to ensure your garden is always producing , we recommend that you plant the next crop as you are harvesting the current one. Before collecting your existing plants, pop in some seeds so that there’s no break in production. Additionally, because your plants automatically flower, there’s no need to change lighting conditions!
Curing & Storing Autoflower Weed Strains
There are many of the same rules for drying, curing, and storing when it comes to auto-flowering cannabis plants. To dry your buds, hang them upside down for a few days. When storing them in airtight containers, make sure that there is some space in each jar so that they can breath. Initially, open the jars once per day for only a few minutes.
Allow about a week for the jars to open on their own, after which you may simply open them every two or three days. When there is just a little amount of moisture left in your buds, they are ready to use. Within a few months, transport your cannabis to a sealed container and consume it.
Five Awesome Autoflowering Strains
Amnesia Haze Auto
Amnesia Haze Automatic is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a sativa-dominant strain that doesn’t take forever to flower. With 30% ruderalis, 20% indica, and 50% sativa genetics, it’s one of the largest autoflowering strains around, reaching up to 120cm in height.
What is most appealing to growers about this strain is its relatively short grow time; it can go from seed to harvest in only ten weeks. In the past, autoflowering strains were not very strong, but Amnesia Haze Automatic has a THC content of up to 18%. Additionally, it has a fairly high yield for an autoflowering strain, producing up to 14 ounces per square meter planted.
Apparently, the Spicy Haze strain is a crossbreed between The Bomb, Ultra Haze, Champagne Haze, and a few other popular strains. It allegedly offers users a nice sweet and spicy taste. In addition, it supposedly provides an uplifting cerebral high that can be used to manage the symptoms of depression and perhaps boost your appetite.
White Widow Auto
White Widow is a widely-regarded, classic strain–and this autoflowering version is an excellent new cross. It features the same dark green leaves and glistening trichomes as its traditional counterpart. However, the auto version has a significantly shorter crop time of under 85 days!
The buds provide users with an indica effect, and its woody, intense aroma and taste combine beautifully with a hint of lemon. White Widow Automatic has been bred for several years to ensure genetic stability. The plant can grow to 100 cm, although it is more likely to hit 50 cm. The overall yield is up to 9 ounces per square meter, although some growers claim they have attained a yield of 16 ounces.
The White Widow Automatic strain is incredibly potent, with a THC content of 15-20%. It’s commonly used to relieve pain, insomnia, stress, and nausea. For the best results possible, growers should keep their plants under 24/7 light as much as they can. The White Widow Automatic strain is 20% ruderalis, 40% indica, and 40% sativa.
Quick One Auto
As one of the first members of the Royal Queen Seeds collection, Quick One Auto was aptly named by its creators. A mix of Northern Lights, Ruderalis, and The Williams Wonder genetics, this autoflowering strain is 30% ruderalis, 60% indica, and 10% sativa.
Quick One is one of the most rapid-growing strains ever. While there are quicker developing automobiles today, Quick One is still lightning in terms of growth time, taking around 8 to 9 weeks to finish. However, for a more mature final plant, you may want to give it an extra week.
Quick One is a fantastic strain for novice smokers due to its low THC content of just 13%. If you’re short on space, it’s perfect because it only grows to be 50cm tall. You can expect 12 ounces per meter square when Quick One is grown indoors, and 6-7 ounces outdoors. Not to mention, the smell is fresh and herbal with citrusy undertones. All in all, it’s a great smoke.
Easy Bud Auto
While it’s true that Easy Bud Auto isn’t widely recognized, it’s a real shame. It’s among the simplest autoflowering strains to grow, so novices should look into it. It is an enduring plant with few growth conditions where it won’t produce at least a few grams of high-quality buds.
Royal Queen Seeds bred an indica-dominant hybrid (possibly White Indica) with an unknown ruderalis plant to create kush as we know it today. It consists of 30% ruderalis, 55% indica, and 15% sativa genetics. Its total growing time is 8-9 weeks regardless of whether you grow it indoors or outdoors.
Although it is a slow-growing plant, its height measures from 40 to 70 centimeters and benefits most when used with organic nutrients and dirt as the growing medium. It doesn’t require many supplies and thrives under a wide range of lighting conditions. In ideal growth circumstances, it can produce up to four ounces of bud. It won’t give you a dangerously powerful high, but it’s a relaxing smoke with decent body effects. THC content: 12%
Royal Jack Auto
This autoflowering strain is a cross between Jack Herer and a Ruderalis plant. The term “Emperor Wears No Clothes” was coined for the legendary activist who wrote The Emperor Wears No Clothes. The strain’s genetic makeup is 30% Ruderalis, 30% Indica, and 40% Sativa. If you are enthusiastic, you may harvest several times each year with a total growth period of around nine weeks.
Royal Jack Auto stays relatively small, topping out at around 80cm. It has a moderate yield of 4-5 ounces per plant and an THC content of 16%. This makes it a fairly potent option that provides mostly sativa effects like increased creativity and mental clarity. Additionally, users will enjoy the fresh, peppery scent from this autoflowering strain.
The Pros and Cons of Growing Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds
It’s likely that by now, you know how important it is to grow auto-flowering cannabis as often as you can. Some drawbacks, on the other hand, come with the slew of advantages that autoflower strains have to offer. Here are a few highlights of the benefits and drawbacks of autoflow marijuana when compared to traditional marijuana.
Pros of Autoflower Marijuana Strains
Greater Variety
The shorter growing season means that autoflowering varieties are more prevalent. Imagine being able to produce five distinct strains in a single year! If you enjoy the growing process and want to try as many marijuana types as possible, multiple harvests can be beneficial.
Uncomplicated Setup
With autoflowering weed, you only need一个 single space, as opposed to the specific, grow and flowering room required when growing marijuana traditionally. Further, if you have access to multiple rooms, planting at staggered intervals will allow for a harvest every few weeks.
If you follow a typical growth technique, make sure your grow room has light-proof sealing. It’s a catastrophe if this happens. In contrast, a little amount of light leakage has no obvious influence on the development of your autoflower marijuana during the flowering stage.
Durability
Because autoflowers contain ruderalis genes, they are more hearty than other marijuana strains. As a reminder, they are based on plants that could grow in harsh Russian weather conditions. usually,If there is a power outage, a cannabis plant’s flowering and growth phases will be interrupted; however, this is not the case with an autoflowering plant–one of the many reasons why autoflowers are so popular.
Fast Blooming
Some auto strains have a flowering time of as little as five weeks! So, if you factor in a 2-4-week vegetative stage, you could potentially harvest your crop within seven weeks of planting the seed. For example, Bubble Kush Auto usually takes 7-8 weeks from sprout to harvest.” This means that you could enjoy several harvests throughout the year.
Stealth Growing
With autoflowering strains, you can find versions that only grow to be around 40-50cm. Because of this, they take up less space and can be planted in a closet, tent or balcony! You could even hide such a plant in tall grass if it is remote enough! Also, ‘support systems’ are not needed for autos because they don’t have long branches that could bend or break under the weight of the buds.
No Messing About with Lighting
There’s no need to change your light cycle to a 12-12 schedule. As a result, if you want to preserve the same lighting regimen all year, you may do so. You can grow auto-flowering plants in different rooms at various stages of development!
Cons of Autoflower Marijuana Strains
Smaller Yield
The yield gap between automobiles and photoperiod plants has shrunk dramatically. Some automobile cultivars create more buds than low-yielding photoperiod plants at this point! On average, though, an autoflowering strain produces less. Super Critical, for example, produces up to 800 grams per square meter. The autoflowering variety has a yield potential of up to 650 grams.
You could make the case that photoperiod cannabis is more efficient than autoflowering strains since they require about the same amount of light. However, there isn’t much of a difference anymore, and the convenience that comes with automobiles makes any minor increase worth it.
Lower Potency
As time progresses, this problem is solving itself. For example, Royal Gorilla’s THC content has increased to 25%, while theauto version’s THC is at 20%. Although the photoperiod version is stronger, the difference between them isn’t as grand as it used to be.
Final Thoughts on Autoflowering Cannabis Strains
The practice of using auto-flowering marijuana plants is becoming more and more common because they can be harvested from a seedling in eight weeks. All you need to start is a small amount of space, and these plants are stronger than those that rely on the photoperiod. With recent advances in development, auto-flowering plants also produce more potent marijuana with greater yields.
The number of reasons for not trying autoflowering cannabis strains is on the decline. Perhaps you don’t have enough time on your hands to devote to a photoperiod strain. Alternatively, you enjoy the prospect of producing several different cannabis types each year. Auto is unquestionably the future of marijuana cultivation, whether it’s because you haven’t got enough time on your hands or simply like the idea of growing many marijuana strains at once.