I wouldn’t call myself an expert on growing cannabis; I’ve only been growing since 2019.
However, I have spent 500+ hours growing, and countless more working with experienced growers to share those experiences and lessons learned.
In that time, I’ve only grown two autoflowers.
Autoflowers are cannabis plants that do not need a photo (light) trigger to move from vegetative to flowering states. They perform best in 18–20 hours of intense light, and move from seed to harvest in as little as 70 days.
Historically, autos were considered lower-quality.
Due to the way they grow, the structure of the buds was often less-desirable than photo-period plants.
Today, breeders are fine-tuning autoflower genetic lines, getting them closer to the quality of their photoperiod relative.
By increasing desirability and stabilizing expressions, breeders are giving new life to the autoflower category, improving harvest quality. Plus, the reduced burden on growers (no clones to take, transplants to make, or light cycles to change) makes them an attractive option, especially for a home grower with limited space.
The goal for the next cycle is fill the tent with autoflowers, growing from seed to harvest without worrying about keeping moms, taking clones or phenohunting.
Over the next few months, I’ll be comparing the process to my experience with photo period plants, and enjoying a lower maintenance grow cycle in the process.
