By Veronika Cannabis has for long been used by people of all ages, thanks to its intoxicating effects. It’s widely used for a variety of purposes, including recreational and medicinal reasons. Nowadays, some users prefer to grow marijuana at home, and you can get cannabis seeds from leading stores. One of the commonly used seed varieties is autoflowering cannabis, and growing it comes with numerous gains.
What are cannabis autoflowers?
Autoflowering cannabis strains are an excellent choice for beginner growers. Unlike photoperiod plants that depend on the light and dark cycles, autoflowers automatically flower without intervention. They also mature fast. For instance, the dwarf varieties are ready to harvest in ten weeks. They are ideal for indoor cultivation and usually grow up to 150 cms. They may be shorter or taller depending on the growth conditions.
How are autoflowering stains created& what are the popular strains?
Autoflowering cannabis strains are generated by crossbreeding Indica or Sativa plants with ruderalis. Ruderalis is a common wild type of marijuana that thrives in short summer regions with many daylight hours. It’s common in areas like Northern Europe or Siberia.
Autoflowering strains have evolved to suit many climates and don’t rely on daylight hours to flower. New cannabis strains emerge each day, and impressive auto flower seeds keep coming up. Some of the common strains are;
- Lowryder Autoflower
- Northern Light Automatic
- Amnesia Haze Autoflower
- Fat Banana Automatic
- CBD Kush Autoflower
- Magnum Autoflowwer
- Royal Gorilla Automatic
- Quick One
What are the advantages of growing autoflowering marijuana seeds?
- Faster lifecycles
Autoflowering seeds are renowned for their adaptive prowess and are queens of speed! They grow fast and mature within 10 weeks of growth, which allows for a constant supply of fresh yield. Despite the rapid growth, these seeds produce the same levels of yield. This can be attributed to the short vegetative phase and fast flowering stage. Although some seeds may not yield as their regular counterparts, they flower quicker, allowing for various grows and frequent harvests in the same space.
- Continuous harvest
Autoflowering marijuana seeds don’t rely on light cycles to flower. You can grow them all year round without bothering about seasonal changes. You can have multiple harvests and is a plus for novice growers who lack knowledge on light cycle management.
- Discreet plants
Autogfloweing cannabis strains are short and don’t grow above 1.2 m in height. You can grow your plants in any location allowing for a lot of discretion. That’s not all! You can grow these strains in hidden spots in your garden or balconies. The small stature of autos makes it easier for growers with limited space.
- Fewer lighting demands
Autoflowering strains require simple light schedules of 18 hours on and 6 hours off. The plan provides adequate light throughout the life cycle and saves on energy. Moreover, you don’t need to change the lights schedule once the plants start flowering.
However, growers who need more impressive yields can run the lights on for 24 hours a day. No matter your chosen lighting schedule, the light demands of the autflowering strains are more flexible and easier to meet than other photoperiod strains.
- Autoflowering plants are resilient
Autoflowering cannabis strains are resistant to infections, pests, and cold. They thrive well in cold regions, and you can grow them in winter seasons and harsh weather. Most of the autoflower stains can fend for themselves and can easily defend themselves against mold that can affect the plant’s yield.
- Fewer nutrient requirements
Autoflowering cannabis plants don’t require many nutrients and can do well in less nutritious soil. They are hardy, unlike photoperiod strains that require varied nutritional levels throughout their lifecycle. A good soil mix for auto flowing strains includes;
- 3 parts peat moss
- 3 parts compost
- 2 parts perlite postended
- 1 part vermiculite moistened
- Easy to grow
Cannabis autos are simple to grow and are a favorite among both beginners and veteran growers. They require minimal maintenance are very resilient to extreme weather conditions and pests. What’s more? They are very forgiving in case of minor errors and will do well despite neglect.
Autoflowering cannabis strains ideal for both indoors and outdoors, and you can get high-quality seed varieties from Homegrown Cannabis Co. But, if you prefer feminized or high TCH seeds, you can still get them from the same vendor.
8.Cost-effectiveness
You don’t require many resources to grow autoflowering cannabis strains. They are great options for growers who wish to achieve perpetual harvest. Since they grow and mature faster than photoperiod strains, they require less energy expenditure, water, and nutrients.
Moreover, they thrive well in low nutrient soils. The cost is even much lower when growing in covered outdoor locations, as long as you water your plants well during dry seasons. With a potting mix of compost, coco coir, and perlite, the plants will grow to full maturity. However, an occasional nutrient top-up will boost healthy growth, but you don’t need to use excessive fertiliser.
9.No need for transplanting
Autoflowering strains send their roots deep onto the oil and grow into mature plants in the same location. They don’t require transplanting, which can stress the plants or slow down their growth. This way, you save a lot of labour and costs as well.
You also don’t need to invest in different pot sizes; you only use one pot and grow your plants to maturity. Remember to water your plants and ensure that the growing medium contains sufficient nutrients for optimal growth.
10.Autoflowering strains aren’t susceptible to ambient light.
Whether face with a 24 hour light cycle or a few hours of daylight, autos will still grow or create resinous buds. They will flower anywhere, and you can grow them in ambient light without upsetting the bloom phase.
They are different from photoperiod stains that require a 12 hour on and off light cycle to flower effectively. With the photoperiod stains, ambient light can interrupt the bloom cycle and slow the growth cycle, which isn’t the case with autoflowering strains.
Final thoughts
Some growers shy away from autoflowering cannabis strains due to poor harvests. However, breeders have made a lot of progress by crossing them with Indica and Sativa strains. You can now get high-quality autoflowering seeds that rival many photoperiod stains and still maintain the famous brevity associated with autoflowering cannabis strains.
Lorenzo Billie 
james