Autoflower Cannabis Seeds

What are Autoflower Cannabis Seeds?

Autoflowering vs. Photoperiods

Autoflower seeds differ significantly from photoperiod seeds. While photoperiods rely on light cycle changes to induce flowering, Autoflowers do so automatically. The shorter life cycle of Autoflower seeds, provides advantages such as quicker harvests, multiple harvests, smaller plants, easier outdoor growing and less plant maintenance needed.

However, growers must weigh these benefits against the benefits that photoperiod strains have: larger yields, the possibility to ‘train’ the plants, usually higher THC levels and the possibility to take clones & reveg the plants.

Autoflowering vs. Feminized

Autoflower seeds are typically Feminized, producing only Female plants.

As the ‘Auto’ feature is the main reason as to select these varieties, typically the word auto is used for Autoflowering Feminized Seeds, whereas Feminized Cannabis Seeds is used for Photoperiod Feminized Seeds.

The Benefits of Growing Autoflower Seeds

More light equals more flowers?

The nature of Autoflower seeds, presents both an advantage and a disadvantage. While the independent flowering allows for a shorter lifecycle, concentrating growth into a condensed period, it may lead to smaller plants. However, this outcome is not inevitable, especially when cultivating indoors with plenty of light.

Providing 18-24 hours of light during both the vegetative and flowering phases ensures optimal energy absorption, promoting robust flower production.

Perfect to grow outdoors

Outdoor growing, usually poses challenges such as the heightened risk of mold towards the end of flowering. Typically, outdoor plants approach the end of flowering in autumn, characterized by rising humidity and falling temperatures. These conditions often trigger mildew or botrytis, causing significant concerns for growers.

However, cultivating Autoflowering plants offers a solution for this as there’s no strict requirement to harvest during these problematic periods. By planting earlier, growers have the flexibility to harvest sooner, avoiding the more riskier period associated with autumn temperatures & humidity. This adaptability becomes especially valuable for cultivators in Southern countries, where Autoflower strains have gained popularity for enabling multiple harvests within a single outdoor season.

Selecting Autoflower Cannabis Seeds

Like with photoperiod seeds, there are different reasons why you would select particular strains over others.

How to Choose the Right Strain:

The first thing to look into is to see whether the variety is Indica, Sativa or a Hybrid, as with it comes the effect, more relaxed or sedative, more Happy and even Euphoric or more balanced.

Secondly, you should pay attention to the expected THC levels and expected yields when picking your preferred strains.

Growing Tips for Autoflower Cannabis Seeds

Practical growing tips for Autoflower plants:

• Vegetative Stage: As there is a short lifecycle, make sure that the plant grows the most it can during this stage. Provide enough light, water, nutrients and make sure they have the best climate conditions.
• Lighting: While Autoflowers are less sensitive to light, providing 18-24 hours of light during the entire growth cycle makes sure you maximize yield.
• Training: While training is not really required, low-stress training (LST) techniques can enhance light exposure and with it increase the plants’ overall yield.

Care and Maintenance of Autoflower Seeds

As Autoflower plants have a short life cycle, proper maintenance and care of the plant is required to get the best of your cultivation.

• Little Training: Avoid to much intervention with the plant, high-stress training (HST) will often be too much for the plant to recover from in it’s short life span. Low stress training and removing dead or yellowing leaves to promote air circulation and maintain overall plant health is good practice.
• Environment: When indoor, as with all seeds, make sure you give the plant the best conditions to thrive. If possible aim for temperatures between 21-29°C, enough ventilation and a RH of .
• Ensure proper ventilation and temperature control. Autoflower plants thrive in temperatures between (21-29°C).

Frequently Asked Question about Autoflowering Seeds

Can I grow autoflower seeds indoors and outdoors?

Autoflower seeds can be grown indoors and outdoors. Nevertheless, autoflowers are particularly popular with outdoor growers. In more northern regions of the world where summers are short they are grown to maximize the potential of the midsummer sun. In other regions, outdoor growers prize the potential of multiple outdoor harvests in summer through successional planting.

How long does it take for autoflower cannabis strains to flower?

Autoflowering strains transition from vegetative growth to the flowering stage automatically, without the need for a specific light cycle change. Typically, this change happens within 2-5 weeks of growth. This inherent feature significantly shortens the overall time from seed to harvest, often completing the cycle in just 8-11 weeks. Consequently, this enables multiple harvests within a single season.

What yields can I expect from autoflower varieties?

The yield per plant varies, depending on the strain. As vegetative growth is predetermined with autoflowering strains, this limits the size the plant can reach, which in turn restricts the yield. To get the best out of the plant, put it under 18-24 hours of light per day. On average, you can expect between 75 grams to 150 grams per plant.

What THC% can I expect from autoflower varieties?

THC percentage in autoflower strains typically ranges between 14 to 24%. We recommend checking the strain information to get an estimation of the cannabinoid contents.

To get the most out of the plant, you can autoflowers don’t require a light cycle change to induce flowering. This means that the vegetative light cycle can be used during flowering, meaning, they thrive under 18-24 hours of light per day.