The difference between an auto-flower cannabis strain and a regular cannabis strain lies very simply in their flowering timelines. Veteran cannabis farmers understand that the growth of any cannabis plant is highly dependent on the amount or lack of light it is exposed to.
Being a photoperiod plant, marijuana’s life cycle—more particularly, the flowering stage—is impacted by variations in the timing of sunlight exposure. This reasoning makes it simple for gardeners to control the growth of their indoor plants.
Giving young cuttings 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness every night for a few weeks will encourage them to begin flowering. Until this similar light change hits older plants that are grown outside due to the natural seasonal fluctuations, they won’t begin to flower. These don’t happen until far into the summer.
What is auto-flowering cannabis?
Instead of blooming in response to variations in light exposure, marijuana plants that are auto-flowering reach a certain age. This means that after a set period of time, regardless of the weather or the direction of the sun, they will start to bloom. Naturally, this has given rise to a plethora of brand-new opportunities for marijuana cultivation.
A “normal” marijuana plant and ruderalis plants were crossed to create the new auto-flowering marijuana strains. Because ruderalis plants were not produced for their high THC content (because the THC levels were quite low), smokers seldom ever utilized them. Due to this, the first auto-flower strain had to have both the auto-flower genetics from the ruderalis half and high THC levels from the “normal” marijuana strain half.
The auto-flower strains on the market today are just as reliable as any other strain – just be sure to purchase them from a reputable source. The THC concentration will match the high levels shown in the web information about the strain. The dawn of the auto-flower era has finally arrived with the stabilization of these features and the continuous growth of high-quality auto-flowering cannabis strains.
How To Grow Autoflower Cannabis strain
Make sure your plants receive as much assistance as you can when growing using auto marijuana seeds. Your auto-flower growth should ideally start indoors under programmable artificial lighting. By using this strategy, the potential of making a solid start improves, and the likelihood of error decreases. Herbies Seeds advise the cultivation of auto-flowering plants indoors. Your plants will thrive best in a space that is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit and has a humidity level of 50 to 70%.
Autoflower Cultivation Procedure
1. Germinate seeds, using paper towels
Proper germination is essential to the healthy development of your auto-flowering marijuana plants.
Using paper towels to germinate cannabis seeds is probably the simplest method. It simply entails wrapping an auto marijuana seed in a wet paper towel or piece of toilet paper and placing it in a moisture- and humidity-retaining container.
2. Transplant the young seedlings
After your seeds begin to sprout, the next step is to plant them. You should ideally only do this once because auto-flowering seedlings can tolerate transplant shock. Auto flower seedlings require more work to transplant than their photoperiod cousins. The idea that it is impossible to succeed in doing so more than once is a misconception. If you are really careful, you can re-pot an auto-flower. Additionally, you should finish the procedure prior to their dark period, when their growing media is dry.
3. Grow them under CFL lights, or take them outside
Cannabis seedlings don’t require a lot of light, so they can grow under a CFL light. However, if you keep your plants indoors under LED or light bulbs, they may become stressed when moved outside. To avoid this, you should move your plants as soon as you notice the first set of true leaves that have fully developed.
4. Feed them with water and nutrients
Your plant will be considered to be in the vegetative stage once it has produced its first pair of true leaves. At this point, you should begin watering with nutrients, beginning with a low dose and gradually increasing it.
The macronutrients nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), which plants require to thrive, should be given to plants more frequently at this stage. You should also choose your location and the area of the garden or terrace that receives the most sunlight.
The best position for your plant is in the direction that the sun rises, as this will ensure that it receives the maximum amount of direct sunlight possible each day when the sun sets.
There is no way to predict exactly how often and how much water your plant will need; the watering schedule will rely on genetics and the environment. The ideal method is to water again when the soil is around 65% dry, or by lifting the pot; if it is heavy, it likely still contains water, and if it is light, it likely requires watering because it is dry.
Dealing With Cuttings
The early growing phases of an auto-flowering plant are not the best times to take cuttings. The plant will begin to auto-flower at a certain time. As a result, the cutting’s age will blend with the parent plant’s age. They will therefore bloom at the same time as a result. When an auto-flowering plant is grown from a cutting, the finished product is considerably smaller than the parent when it blooms.
You are permitting plants to flower when they ought to be in the vegetative growth stage when you use autos. This means that you can auto-flower either extremely early (in September) or very late in the season (March). Please take note that plants can only thrive in an environment with enough heat. Experiencing an excessive amount of moisture could cause decay.
Outdoor Plant Protection
Depending on the environment in which they are grown, cannabis plants may be attacked by insects or even larger animals like rodents, cats, or even dogs. For this reason, it is preferable to have a wire fence around them if necessary. Although it may seem excessive, the fence around your plant and its roots must be both above and below ground. This is necessary because underground critters like moles and gophers can consume an entire plant in a single night when searching for roots to eat. In order to protect your plants from snow and rain and prevent mold or freezing, a great idea would be to construct a simple building – it wouldn’t need any sophistication, just plastic sheeting, and wooden stakes.
Final words
All of these great practices and precautions may go to waste if you don’t source your autoflower seeds from a reputable seed bank. Seed banks like the Herbies Head Shop has a track record of supplying highly-potent cannabis seeds. You should take advantage.
