Autoflowering Seeds for Beginners – Easy to grow cannabis strains
Have you ever heard of “autoflowering” cannabis seeds? Do you know how these strains differ from traditional (photoperiod) strains and why it’s easier to grow autoflower seeds?
If you want to grow your own cannabis, autoflowering seeds are one of the easiest ways to do it. Autoflowering cannabis seeds are very easy to grow outdoors and indoors. They also require less maintenance and labour than regular cannabis strains. These traits make them ideal for beginner cannabis growers.
Why autoflowering seeds are great for beginners
They automatically start flowering just a few weeks after germination. For this reason, they are referred to as “autoflowering” strains. Traditional photoperiod strains grown indoors need to be stimulated to start forming buds. This is done by changing the lighting (which is why they are called “photoperiod” strains).
Autoflowering plants maintain a manageable size. Most autoflowering strains stay below waist height and won’t grow into tall plants (2-3 meters) that unexpectedly fill the entire grow space or get taller than your fence. Although some autoflowering strains can also grow quite tall, all autoflowering strains with a tendency to grow particularly tall are usually labelled as such by the breeder.
They are ready to harvest just 2-3 months after germination.
While traditional cannabis strains take an average of 3-5 months from germination to harvest, autoflowering plants are typically ready to harvest in 3 months or less from seed germination. Many growers prefer a faster harvest.
They can be grown outdoors in most climates. Traditional outdoor cannabis plants need to be planted in spring and need at least 4-5 months of warm and not too humid weather before fall. These requirements make it difficult to grow cannabis outdoors in many climates. But as long as the climate you live in has warm, semi-sunny weather for at least three months straight, autoflowering cannabis plants can also be grown outdoors. This is great for growers looking to grow during a short summer, during warm winter months, or for early or multiple harvests outdoors.
Insensitive to light pollution or light cycles.
Accidentally leaking light into the grow room during the dark phase of a traditional photoperiod plant can cause problems. The time that the grow lamps are turned on every day also has a big impact on how photoperiod plants grow. Outdoors, and photoperiod plants are dependent (sensitive) to the season and their internal cycles can be disrupted by spotlights, street lights, or even the light from a nearby window. Mild stress can disrupt bud development or even cause photoperiod plants to produce “male” buds, which growers don’t want because you can’t actually smoke or use them and they can pollinate the female buds. Autoflowering plants are generally unaffected by light pollution or other light cycles influenceable. Again, this is one less thing for a beginner to worry about.
Autoflowering seeds always produce female flowers.
Speaking of male vs. female buds, when it comes to autoflowering strains, you usually don’t have to worry about gender. In fact, you would have to look explicitly for the seeds that produce male flowers, as almost all autoflowering seeds available online are also feminized. When you buy feminized autoflowering seeds, you are essentially guaranteed a “female” plant, meaning that every plant will produce female flowers and you don’t have to worry about male plants, seeds or pollination.
Autoflowering seeds are female
Did you know that? Half of all traditional non-feminized seeds (the kind of seeds you typically find in marijuana) grow into male plants that need to be removed from the grow room once you’ve identified them. Growing with feminized seeds prevents these potential problems!
Where do autoflowering strains come from?
All autoflowering plants are descendants of a wild hemp species growing in Siberia called Cannabis Ruderalis, which is the cousin of Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica (THC-producing cannabis plants).
Wild ruderalis plants produce very small buds that don’t contain much THC, but due to the extremely short summers, they have a habit of starting to flower shortly after germination, regardless of the number of daylight hours.
Some forward-thinking cannabis breeders saw the potential and began crossing ruderalis plants with cannabis strains rich in THC or CBD. The results of the first hybrids were disappointing, but breeders didn’t give up and continued to select plants with higher yields and more potent buds, while carefully maintaining ruderalis traits from generation to generation.
According to tradition, the first experimental crosses between “Cannabis Sativa & Indica” and ruderalis strains were done in the 1960s, with some strains being sold in seed banks by the 1980s.
Better genetics in autoflowering strains
The first time we heard about autoflowering strains they were often referred to as “Lowryder” plants or variations thereof. The ‘Ryder’ range was very limited at first but they were beginning to make inroads into the seed market.
Breeders who grew at home began to demand bigger and better choices, and some breeders began to specialize specifically in producing autoflowering strains. Genetics have improved exponentially since then.
There are now hundreds of autoflowering strains to choose from, and many traditional strains now have an autoflowering version as well. There are now competitive breeders who consistently sell autoflowering seeds that grow extremely fast, produce great yields, and produce bud that feels as potent as their photoperiod counterparts.
Autoflowering plants grown outdoors don’t care about the sun’s light cycle or time of year.
Your climate is probably suitable for growing an autoflowering plant if you have at least 3 months of sun and warm weather (over 16°C during the day and no freezing cold nights).
Cannabis plants love the sun and naturally grow with it. This is useful if you live in a very sunny area and have a lot of time. Unfortunately, many breeders don’t have that luxury. Therefore, the best strain for beginners is one that doesn’t rely as heavily on on the sun.
Regular cannabis plants enter the flowering phase as soon as the seasons change (from summer to fall). If you’re growing indoors, it means you need to mimic this shift by creating a specific light cycle. If these strains or plants don’t get the right light shift, they won’t flower. In other words, with regular cannabis seeds, there is a lot of room for error, making them not beginner-friendly. In contrast, there are autoflowering cannabis seeds.
Autoflowering seeds produce some of the easiest cannabis plants to grow. These cannabis plants mature in just 8-10 weeks and do not rely on a change in sunlight to start flowering.
Autoflowers are mould-resistant
Mould is one of the most common problems new growers face. This need not be. Some cannabis strains are more resistant to mould than others, making them easier to grow.
Mould typically occurs on cannabis plants grown in high humidity and low temperatures. It can also happen in plants with dense bud sites and low airflow. Many novice growers suffer from mould growing their plants because they don’t have the ideal environment for growing cannabis. Indoors or outdoors, our mould-resistant seeds help prevent dangerous mould growth.
When space is an issue, indica strains are usually the right choice. Compared to Sativas, these plants are much smaller and therefore easier to care for. Indica plants produce dense buds on a compact plant and are perfect for indoor growing. And they are easy to grow.
Indica plants also grow faster than Sativa-dominant strains, making them ideal for those craving a quick harvest. If you are looking for easy-to-grow feminized seeds, indica dominants are the easiest cannabis strains to grow.
Cannabis cultivation made easy
Since you’re a beginner, you’re likely to make a few rookie mistakes. That’s okay, we made them all! However, certain mistakes can have serious consequences for your plants and ruin the entire harvest. Our combined experience has helped us learn from the mistakes so we can help you avoid the same. Buying the seeds is just the beginning of the process.
Growing cannabis doesn’t have to be difficult, especially when you start with the best beginner seeds. Just set up your grow room, make sure your plants’ roots have enough room to spread and give your plants a comfortable temperature and plenty of light.
In a few weeks (often less than 10 weeks), your autoflowering plants will be ready for harvest. Then it’s time to dry, cure and store your buds for future use. Whether you decide to smoke your buds, make ointments or oils, or cook with them, you’ll likely enjoy the fresh taste of your home-grown cannabis and have your first successful cannabis crop growing as a beginner in no time.