The 10 Benefits Of Growing Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds

If you’re still unconvinced that autoflowering plants are a step backwards, consider the following ten reasons why they might be the future of seeds!

Though autoflowering cannabis seeds have gotten a lot of media attention and good reviews in the past few years, many growers still haven’t tried them out. These people are holding onto the (false) reputation that these kinds of weed don’t perform well; when really, they’ve come a long way and give growers a viable option to consider for their next grow.

If you’re on the fence about whether autoflowering seeds are right for your next grow, read on. We’ve compiled a list of 10 advantages that might help sway you. But before we get into that, here’s some information about autoflowering cannabis plants.

WHAT IS AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS?

Cannabis auto-flowering strains utilize ruderalis, a subspecies of cannabis, to create plants that grow and flower regardless of the light cycle or photoperiod. This means they bloom based on their age rather than the number of hours of light and darkness they are exposed to (hence the name). This is due to ruderalis’ origins in Central Asia, where sunlight conditions are slightly different.

autoflowering cannabis is especially useful because you can harvest it much sooner than photoperiodic plants. autoflowering cannabis also stays shorter, which makes outdoor management more manageable in all kinds of settings. What’s more, it is usually more resilient, which is appealing for beginner growers. since ruderalis generally has a higher concentration of CBD, autoflowers are valuable for patients seeking symptomatic relief as well.

Now, let’s look at some of the advantages of autoflowering cannabis in more depth.

ADVANTAGES OF GROWING AUTOFLOWERING SEEDS

1. HARVEST SOONER

Autoflowers have a shorter lifespan than photoperiodic strains. Photoperiodic cannabis can take up to 4 months or more to mature, whereas autoflowering cannabis is generally ready for harvest 8–10 weeks after germination of the seed. This means you won’t have to wait as long to enjoy your precious buds. This is most apparent when you’re looking at sativa strains. Photoperiodic sativas can take several months to grow, whereas autoflowering sativas have a much shorter growth cycle. This is advantageous for both indoor and outdoor grows. When growing outdoors, the Plant’s shorter life cycle allows you to multiple runs in the same amount of time it would take to do one run with a Photoperiodic plant.

2. GET MORE HARVESTS PER SEASON

A longer harvest also implies that you can complete more harvests in one season. You can only finish one harvest per season under natural circumstances. However, with autoflowering DNA, you may get multiple harvests every year, which is typically the case in most regions. If you live in a region with short and chilly summers, this is something to keep an eye on. The plants will mature slightly later than usual, generally between mid-July and late-October.

3. PERPETUAL HARVESTS

Autoflower plants are not able to be used as mother plants for clones. Even though that’s the case, they are still perfect for perpetual harvests. Because they flower without relying on hours of light, you won’t need a veg room or a separate mother plant. In fact, all stages of growth can happen in the same room! If you want a never-ending harvest, begin with some plants and add more once they start flowering. You plant the next batch of seeds shortly before the first ones are ready to be harvested, and you can repeat this process up to 4-6 times a year. The number of plants you can have depends on the size of your grow space, naturally.

4. LESS HASSLE, EASIER GROWING

Auto-flowering seeds have the practical genetics of ruderalis in them. This makes them simpler to grow as you don’t have to closely monitor the light schedule. Additionally, plants are more resilient and able to withstand colder climates due this cross-breeding. Ruderalis is used to growing under harsh conditions, which then becomes inherit in autoflower hybrid varieties. Overall, autoflowers are easy to grow and resistant to a range of diseases. They don’t require as much care as other plants, making them ideal for novices who want to start growing before tackling more difficult flora.

5. MORE MANAGEABLE IN SIZE

Autoflowering strains have the potential to stay small, only reaching 1-1.2m in height at most. This is incredibly beneficial for farmers who are limited on space either indoors or outdoors. If you’re interested in growing autoflowers, consider if you want to do so inside or outside first. From there, think about where exactly you will grow them–will it be a cupboard, balcony, or garden bed? Knowing this ahead of time will help determine which genetics are best suited for your needs

6. MORE SUITABLE FOR STEALTH GROWING

Autoflowering strains are perfect for those who want a hidden plantation; they go hand-in-hand. If you’re an outdoor gardener, this is especially advantageous to you as it will likely prevent nosy neighbors or thieves from finding your crop. With a sativa tree that grows up to 2m tall, there’s a greater chance of being caught and facing severe consequences. Autoflowering plants that are 1m tall can easily be hidden among other plants, even when you’re growing them on your porch or balcony. Additionally, these characteristics make them perfect for guerrilla growers. In short, they are very easy to grow discreetly.

7. NO NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIGHT SCHEDULE

Autoflowers have the advantage of flowering independent of the light cycle, which is not only what gave them their name in the first place, but also their most important property. You don’t have to worry about changing your light schedule to 12/12 at the right time in order to force plants into bloom; autoflowers will flower with 12, 18, or even 24 constant hours of light. Nearly every advantage we listed above can be attributed to this one trait that makes autoflowering cannabis so special.

8. NO PROBLEMS WITH LIGHT LEAKS/CITY LIGHTS

Another thing to consider with photoperiodic strains is that light leaks during the dark cycle. This might result in smaller harvests or longer growth periods. Indoor light leaks, for example, but also outdoor grows where city lights at night confuse cannabis these days. You don’t have to worry about this with autoflowering strains. All types of light leaks, whether in the grow room or in the city, are acceptable for autoflowers. If you’re having difficulty achieving a dark cycle flowering period, choose auto-flattening strains to avoid it altogether.

9. BETTER RESISTANCE TO WEATHER AND DISEASES

In addition to being easy-to propagate, autoflowering strains can also withstand chilly weather and diseases better than other kinds. So, if you have experienced issues in the past with mould, pests, mildew, or any other kind of pathogen, try growing an autoflowering strain next time – it might just save you a lot of hassle! Thanks to the ruderalis genetics, the plants get tougher and are more durable overall. This not only makes them ideal for novice growers but growers of all levels. They also happen to tolerate under/overfeeding quite well too.

10. THEY ONLY GET BETTER

If you still hesitate to grow autoflowering seeds after reading this post, you should know that they are continuously improving with each generation. Some claim that they are the future of marijuana cultivation, while others believe otherwise. While this is debatable, there will always be normal, feminized, and autoflowering varieties because they all have advantages and disadvantages for different growers for various reasons. Autoflowers have shown vast improvement since Lowryder’s release, and some of the top autoflowering strains today are a testament to that. If this quick innovation isn’t evidence of a better cannabis future, we don’t know what is.