Autoflowering Seeds

Speed Weed: The Pros and Cons Of Autoflowering Seeds

Let's be frank: people in the 21st century have no patience. Whenever we want something (especially cannabis!), we want it right now. Many home growers don't want to invest the time it takes to grow an average indica or sativa strain of cannabis. Yeah, yeah, it's probably true that "enduring patience is the highest austerity," but there's nothing wrong with wanting to speed the weed process. Luckily for impatient cultivators, there is an easy way to cut your total growing time down to about ten weeks: invest in autoflowering seeds.

What are Autoflowering Seeds

As the name suggests, autoflowering seeds flower automatically (duh). That means these plants go through a rapid vegetative stage before moving into the flowering phase. Besides their speed, many growers are attracted to autoflowering seeds because they don't require set amounts of light/darkness and they produce short plants that are easy to hide.

In nature, light cycles are an extremely important part of plant growth. Vegetation usually happens when days are longer. Cannabis plants have evolved to grow and flower in sync with the passage of the seasons. If you are growing outdoors, your cannabis seeds must be sown around early summer in order to be ready around the autumn (when days get shorter).

Indoors, those conditions must be simulated manually by adjusting the light intake of your plants. That’s why many growers keep their crops in an 18/6 light cycle (18 hours of light followed by 6 hours of darkness) during vegetation. When it is time for flowering, the grower must switch to a 12/12 regime. The plant will sense the change and will begin developing buds. Unless of course, it is an autoflowering strain, in which case it will flower regardless of light intake.

Just because autoflowering seeds are quick and easy to grow, however, doesn't mean they are perfect. There are a few major cons to consider when using these seeds. If you're still on the fence about giving these seeds a go, then take a few minutes to read through this piece. Below, we'll go over everything you need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of autoflowering seeds.

Ruderalis Rules: Explaining Autoflowering Seeds

Anyone interested in marijuana most likely knows about the two major strains called indica and sativa. There is, however, another significant cannabis strain called ruderalis that's essential for autoflowering seeds. Although there's still some debate in the scientific community, most believe ruderalis is a variant of the indica strain that developed in northern countries with little sunlight, especially Russia.

Because ruderalis plants were exposed to less heat or sunlight than cannabis strains in tropical climates, they were forced to adapt to their environment. Rather than relying on changes in light (aka photoperiods), ruderalis plants grow to maturity during a pre-set cycle. This means ruderalis cannabis has a far more reliable growing period (about two months) compared with indica or sativa strains.

Once botanists discovered the ruderalis strain, they immediately began scheming ways to create hybrid weed that would mature quickly and offer a high yield. So, these researchers set out crossbreeding ruderalis plants with the other major cannabis varieties and, voilà, we now have autoflowering seeds.

In case you were wondering, ruderalis plants aren't usually cultivated on their own because they are so small and produce virtually no cannabinoids. Typically these plants only grow to a max height of about 2.5 feet.

Pros Of Autoflowering Seeds

They Are Fast Growers

The main draw for autoflowering seeds is their rapid growth cycle. Once these seeds get going, they move from the vegetative to the flowering phases in a matter of weeks. If you get a high-quality autoflowering strain, then you might be able to harvest your plant within about nine weeks after planting your seeds.

Since these plants flower quickly regardless of light schedules, they also tend to be more forgiving than traditional sativa and indica strains. This makes autoflowering seeds ideal for new home growers who don't know the intricacies of the cannabis plant's light cycles.

Don't Fear The Light

It's worth highlighting the pro that autoflowering seeds take away the stress of monitoring your plant's light cycle every day. You could literally give this plant about 16 hours of light every day, and it will reach maturity with no issues.

Of course, since autoflowering seeds aren't reliant on light, that also means you could plant these seeds any time within the standard growing season and get a good result. So, if you want to make a quick batch of cannabis late in the season, consider going with an autoflowering strain.

Avoiding Nosy Neighbors

Got pesky neighbors? Need a way to keep your weed growing on the down low? If so, then autoflowering seeds are exactly what you need.

Thanks to the ruderalis genes, autoflowering-derived cannabis only grows to a height of between 1 – 2 feet on average. This is a far cry from Sativa plants that can reach as high as 20 feet once they're ready to harvest. Yeah, just try hiding those bad boys in your outdoor garden!

In addition to being easier to hide, shorter autoflowering plants are fantastic for growers who don't have a great deal of room to work with. If space is a premium in your growing area, then consider giving autoflowering strains a try.

Cons Of Autoflowering Seeds

Lower Yields & Weaker Highs

One of the biggest bummers with using autoflowering seeds is that they don't yield as much as other cannabis seeds. No matter how much light you give your plants or how well you train them in the vegetative stages, they won't produce as much as a standard cannabis plant.

Not only will you get less cannabis in terms of quantity, but autoflowering seeds also produce cannabis that's of inferior quality to most other strains. People who are striving for the maximum cannabinoid content will most likely be disappointed with the result of these autoflowering seeds.

Fear The Lighting Bills

To squeeze the most yield out of their autoflowering seeds, many home growers give their cannabis plant the maximum amount of light possible every day. Obviously, this strategy will add a not-so-pleasant increase in your energy costs.

Cannabis cultivators recommend growing autoflowering seeds outside to take advantage of the natural sunlight. If, however, this isn't a possibility in your region, be prepared to pay extra on your electricity bill.

Tips For Growing Autoflowering Seeds

As you could see from the info above, autoflowering seeds don't require as much maintenance as other cannabis strains. This is great news for beginners who don't understand nuanced issues like light cycles and nutrient distribution.

That doesn't mean, however, you can just throw your autoflowering seeds in the soil and hope they'll grow as you watch re-runs of Bong Appétit. Indeed, since these plants flower so quickly, you need to be on top of your autoflowering seeds.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when growing your first batch of autoflowering seeds.

Average Nutrients For Autoflowering Plants

The best way to ensure your autoflowering seeds are getting the nutrients they need in the early phases of development is to invest in a high quality organic potting mix. Once they move into the vegetative stage, you may need to supplement with a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer. Often gardeners recommend feeding autoflowering seeds in this phase N-P-K mixtures between 10-5-5 or as high as 20-10-10.

As the autoflowering plant switches into a flowering mode, it's time to ramp up the phosphorous count. Look for a fertilizer that contains a healthy N-P-K ratio like 5-10-10 up to 10-20-20.

While nutrients are essential for healthy growth, please don't go overboard. It's far easier to oversaturate your autoflowering seeds with nutrients than for them to be nutrient deficient. Only add nutrients at a snail's pace and ramp up if you see warning signs of nutrient deficiencies like drooping leaves.

Learn Training Techniques

To get a higher yield out of your autoflowering seeds, it's a good idea to look into a few low-intensity training techniques. For instance, you could pull your plant to the side to help create more vertical growth. Not only will this increase your plant's yield, but it will also give you good practice in training techniques that will serve you well once you move on to sativa or indica strains.

Please keep in mind that you should only use these training methods during the vegetative stage. This phase usually only lasts about two weeks in autoflowering plants, which means you need to start training right away for the best benefit.

Watch Out For Winter Weather

Yes, ruderalis is one of the most forgiving cannabis strains because it has experience with colder environments than other cannabis varieties. This doesn't mean, however, that you can put your autoflowering seeds out in bone-chilling winter temps and expect them to survive.

Use common sense if you're growing your autoflowering seeds late in the season. If it's going to be cold outside, then cover your plant with a blanket or bring it inside for warmth.

Are Autoflowering Seeds Right For You?

So, are autoflowering seeds right for your needs? As noted above, autoflowering seeds are particularly suitable for new growers, but anyone searching for a stealthy, fast-growing (albeit lower yielding) cannabis strain will most likely enjoy using autoflowering seeds. As with other seed varieties, it's best to give your autoflowering seeds a close inspection before purchasing them. Healthy seeds should feel firm when you squeeze them and have a darker color like brown. Whatever seed variety you're buying, avoid immature seeds that are green and squishy.