Autoflowering cannabis plants as the name implies are plants that flower automatically which means they flower after a certain amount of time and the seeds germinate in the same way as normal feminized or regular cannabis seeds. They are basically sativa or indica strains with modified genes for autoflowering and pest resistance.
The autoflowering technique has gained much attraction in recent years as it produces plants that grow and flower without the grower’s intervention. These strains are different from regular or traditional plants. Regular or photoperiod plants don’t begin flowering until they receive specific signals from the sun. As a consequence, they require particular light schedules.
In recent years they have become a popular choice for many cannabis growers and despite these modifications, there are both advantages and disadvantages that arise concerning autoflowering cannabis strain. If you have not grown before and are interested in growing cannabis strains, it can be tough to know which is best for you. Once you know both the good and the bad, you can then make an informed and wise decision.
PROS:
- Autoflowering cannabis strains are simple and quick to grow hence very good for beginner growers.
- They have a short life cycle or life span of 75 to 90 days and can be easily grown in hidden locations. This enables the grower to keep them out of sight and gather a quick harvest.
- Have a fast flowering stage and do not flower according to photoperiod strains. Regular photoperiod strains take a longer time to start producing buds and in some cases it is manually forced.
- They have a strong genetics which makes them resilient and sturdy to survive extreme temperature and harsh weather conditions. Growing autoflowering strains requires less fertilizer due to their speedy growth and small stature.
- Autoflowering strains provide a very high level of CBD.
- They tend to be smaller, usually not more than 100cm and can be cultivated in a small growing space, easy to care for and shield.
CONS:
- Most autoflowering strains contain a very low degree of THC. However, some genetic modifications have been done to raise up the degree of THC produced by auto flowering strains, thus closing the gap between the yield of autoflowering strains and regular strain.
- Does not produce good quality clones. With autoflowering strains cloning is very very difficult (almost impossible but not impossible in such a technological age) and transplanting auto flowering strains is quite difficult and needs much care. This means that you can only grow the seeds and not a clone.
- They are generally weaker compared to photoperiod strains
- Requires great amounts of artificial lighting which might be costly.
- Autoflowering strains produce fewer bud sites as compared to the numerous bud sites produced by photoperiod strains. This is because of their compact nature and limited size.
These are the most notable pros and cons of autoflowering strains and now that you have learned some of the pros and cons,Vela community, an online cannabis community can help you in selecting the best auto flowering cannabis seeds for your garden.