5 Reasons To Grow Autoflowering Cannabis Plants
There are more strains of cannabis available in the market now than ever before. With the entry of a new and improved variety of autoflowering cannabis plants, growers are spoilt for choice.
Autoflowering plants come with many benefits and therefore have a lot to offer. For example, some are chockfull of THC, some with CBD, and some strains contain a unique equilibrium of both.
According to HomegrowncannabisCo, autoflowering cannabis seeds come with many advantages; not everyone is rushing to use them. This is because they also have some difficulties.
Before we dive into the benefits of autoflowering cannabis, let us try to learn a bit more about what it is.
The Difference Between Autoflowering Cannabis And Other Strains
The main difference between autoflowering cannabis and other strains is that they flower naturally.
Unlike different varieties of cannabis, autoflowering plants are not dependent on external factors to crop resinous buds.
The marijuana growing cycle is made up of two main stages. There’s the vegetative stage, and then there’s the flowering stage.
Autoflowering cannabis does not have to wait for a cue in the stages to begin producing flowers.
Most cannabis plants will wait for different seasons to flower. But, autoflowering cannabis is not photoperiod sensitive and only needs some time to pass before it can flower.
Take a look at it this way; most traditional cannabis plants will require a certain amount of light (usually 16-18 hours) for them to complete their vegetative cycle. A trigger in the photoperiod, mostly a reduction of light, will trigger the flowering stage of these plants.
As for autoflowers, they will only reproduce flowers on their own without your help or interference. This is one of the reasons why cannabis growers prefer autoflowering plants to the more traditional strains.
It’s quite interesting to note that the autoflowering species was not accidental.
It developed from Cannabis Ruderalis, which adapted to specific environmental conditions in Russia, Europe, and Central Asia.
To beat the harsh weather conditions that would cause a significant fall in temperature, this strain of cannabis developed autoflowering characteristics to guarantee production.
Feminization Of Cannabis
Most beginner growers prefer to grow autoflowering strains. They are also the variety of choice for growers who are looking to make a quick return.
When it comes to cannabis strains, the likelihood of a plant being female when modified is 99.9%. This is why growers are always looking to feminize their plants by changing them.
When it comes to this trait, it is essential to note that both the traditional varieties of cannabis and the autoflowering kind can be feminized.
When plants are feminized, the grower removes male plants from the equation and produces only female seeds.
Smoked cannabis buds are only found in the female plants, and therefore it makes sense to modify plants. Here are a few advantages of feminizing your autoflowers:
- Ensures fast and simple work. A grower does not need to waste time and resources on unwanted plants.
- It allows maximum yield. If only female plants are produced, then the grower is assured that all plants will produce the buds. Space is therefore used effectively.
- Creates uniformity in the plants, and the feminized seeds can be used to grow other plants.
Advantages Of Growing Autoflowering Cannabis
Here are five reasons why you should opt to grow autoflowering cannabis instead of other strains:
1. The Plants Do Not Take Up Much Space
Autoflowering cannabis strains get most of their genetics from Cannabis ruderalis. This is a small and compact plant.
Because of this aspect, autoflowering species are ideal for growing in much smaller spaces, and they are also effortless to look after.
Taller plants require much more effort to take care of because the tops cannot be seen.
Autos do not grow more than four feet, and they are, therefore, easier to take care of when it comes to trimming and taking care of them as they grow.
Since they are much smaller, autos can also be produced in small spaces such as balconies.
2. No Dependence In Light Cycle
Cannabis Ruderalis, which is native to Siberia, can mature and grow much faster because it already adapted itself to the shorter daylight hours.
It can, therefore, flower very quickly regardless of the weather conditions it faces or the light period it is exposed to.
Autos behave in the same way. Because of their genetic adaptations, they can flower depending on a period and not because of environmental factors that other cannabis strains depend on.
As a grower, you, therefore, do not have to keep changing the light period for your plants so that they can flower.
3. They Are More Resistant Than Other Strains
Because of their heritage, and fast adaptation, autos are resistant and hardy to harsh conditions.
Other varieties or strains of cannabis are quickly affected by pest infestations or diseases, but autoflowers are resistant to conditions such as underfeeding and mold.
If you are a grower in a place where the weather conditions change abruptly, choose to plant autos. They will fight their way through even when the circumstances seem to be against them.
4. Multiple Harvests In A Year
As discussed earlier, autos are not dependent on photoperiods. Therefore, this means that a grower can harvest multiple times a year by staggering plants.
What this means is that you grow some plants a few months before others. When some mature, you’re already harvesting from others.
This will guarantee you supply throughout the whole season.
5. They Are Suitable For Beginners
If you don’t have any prior experience planting cannabis, then autoflowers are the best for you to begin with. They are much easier to grow and require less maintenance than regular strains.
For instance, regular strains require that you trigger their flowering period or cycle for them to have 12 hours of darkness each day when they are flowering.
If they are exposed to any light, they will produce poorly, or the flowering process will end suddenly. This will make the plant go back to its vegetative phase.
Autoflowers grow much faster, with less worry about lighting and other conditions, while producing quicker.