Growing cannabis in the United States has come a long way since the days when colonists cultivated hemp for textiles. Today’s cannabis industry is wildly different than it was back then. Now, the legalization of recreational marijuana has led to states generating billions of dollars in tax revenue and made growing cannabis accessible even to novice growers. Researchers have even developed a way to take the guesswork out of cannabis light schedules by creating autoflowering cannabis plants.
At one point, trying to find autoflowering seeds was nearly impossible. Fortunately, growers can now find these online through reputable seed banks. There are some important things to know about how autoflowering cannabis seeds differ from their photoperiodic cousins, so keep reading for more information.
What Exactly is Autoflowering Marijuana?
The most significant thing to understand about autoflowering marijuana plants is that they do not require a reduction in the number of light hours they receive to enter the flowering stage. Traditional photoperiodic marijuana plants stay in the vegetative stage as long as the plant receives more than 12 hours of light per day and enter the flowering stage when the hours of light drop below 12.
Autoflowering plants transition to the flowering phase automatically after a set number of weeks, depending on the plant’s genetics. Because autoflowering cannabis requires minimal attention to a light schedule, growers can simplify their setup. It is important to note that autoflowering plants finish in as few as 8 to 10 weeks, so they are smaller than photoperiodic strains. However, growers can rotate crops faster, so they end up growing up to four autoflowering plants in the same time it would take to grow one traditional plant.
Germinating Autoflowering Marijuana Seeds
Germinating autoflowering seeds can be done in a manner that’s similar to traditional cannabis seeds. This can be done by soaking the seeds in a wet paper towel or cotton pad, placing them in a cup of pH-balanced water, or planting seeds directly in the soil. When using the towel method, it is important to maintain a consistent temperature and moisture level and to transplant seeds as soon as they start to sprout a taproot.
The most important thing to note about autoflowering plants is that they are sensitive to shock during transplanting. To avoid this problem, always plant sprouted seeds in the final pot they will be grown in rather than transplanting them into progressively larger pots as the plant grows. Because autoflowering plants take less time to grow, their root systems do not have the time to recover from damage during transplanting.
Never Take Cuttings from Autoflowering Marijuana Plants
It is a common practice for growers to take cuttings, or “clones,” from young cannabis plants rather than growing them all from seed. For the same reason that autoflowering marijuana plants should not be transplanted after the initial planting, they should not have cuttings taken from young plants. The plants do not have enough time to recover from having cuttings taken, so doing so will only damage the plant and reduce the yield later on.
Should Autoflowering Marijuana Plants Be Pruned?
Traditional pruning techniques are not recommended for autoflowering plants. Instead, growers should use a technique called “low-stress training” to promote growth. This involves gently pulling plants down to promote growth. This technique should only be used early in the vegetative stage and should be stopped completely by one week into the flowering stage to avoid shocking the plant and diminishing the quality and quantity of the yield.
Light and Climate for Autoflowering Seeds
When growing autoflowering marijuana seeds, the temperature and humidity should be the same as when growing their photoperiodic counterparts. Ideally, the temperature should be kept between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity level no higher than 70 percent and no lower than 50 percent. Because autoflowering plants do not require a change in lighting to enter the flowering stage, growers can keep lights on between 18 and 24 hours per day.
Nutrients for Autoflowering Seeds
When autoflowering plants were first created, the yields were not as significant as they are today. Because these plants are capable of producing buds on a level similar to traditional cannabis plants, they require a heavy dose of nutrients to promote maximum growth. Start autoflowering marijuana plants on a cannabis-specific nutrient solution once they no longer rely on the cotyledons for nutrition and the first set of leaves have formed.
Final Thoughts on Growing Marijuana from Autoflowering Seeds
Autoflowering marijuana strains can be ready for harvest anywhere between eight and twelve weeks, depending on the strain. The high yields and short growing time have made autoflowering seeds a hot commodity for many growers, especially if they grow indoors. Autoflowering plants are ideal for small-space growing and can help even novice growers get homegrown, high-quality marijuana in no time.
