What does Autoflowering Seeds mean in Marijuana Seeds?

What you'll read in this post:

☺ What are autoflowering marijuana strains?

☺ What light do they like and need?

☺ How to grow autoflowering plants? How to care for the growing medium?

☺ Does the size of a marijuana seed affect the plant's growth?

☺ What are the differences between seasonal and autoflowering varieties?

☺ It will take you less than 8 minutes to read. Enjoy.

Autoflowering? But not washing machines?

Professor Ziarenko, what is an autoflowering plant?

Professor Ziarenko Answers: Autoflowering Marijuana Seeds (AF).

They are also commonly called Autoflowering, Automatic, or Photo-neutral.

Autoflowering marijuana seeds have revolutionized the cannabis market in the last decade.

They are currently very popular, especially among beginner growers, but also among professionals, thanks to their easy and quick yields—without having to adjust the light hours.

So how do you ensure that autoflowering marijuana strains thrive?

PZO: The main characteristic of autoflowering strains is that they grow quite short, compact, and flower quickly, regardless of the light duration. The recommended photoperiod (i.e., light duration) for these plants is 18 to 24 hours a day. I've also seen these little flowers grown in a so-called seasonal system—12h/12h (i.e., 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of nighttime).

Professor Ziarenko, when will those lucky enough to have an autoflowering plant legally in their countries flower?

PZO: Autoflowering marijuana strains (and medical marijuana seeds as well) usually begin flowering around day 21 of their life. An added bonus when you have autoflowering marijuana seeds is that they perform exceptionally well in any environment and in all corners of the world. Autos are potent plants.

When grown indoors, on winter days, they are an incredible delicacy because they can be lit 24/7, ensuring comfortable conditions without the need for additional heating.

Okay, so now the most delicious question, Professor Ziarenko: how long will those lucky autoflowering seeds owners have to wait until the grand finale?

Automatic Marijuana

PZO: Harvesting finished buds from such plants occurs in about 70 days indoors. Outdoors, it takes about 90 days, but everything depends on the genetics and the hand of the master grower.

When grown outdoors, up to three harvests per year are possible.

As always, genetics are an important factor in the maturation time. The more Sativa they contain, the longer the plant's lifespan.

I'll also mention here, although this will be expanded upon in future posts, that you can purchase autoflowering cannabis seeds in both feminized and regular varieties.

In countries (Regions) where cannabis cultivation is legal, it's said that Af strains are getting better and better each year. This also stems from the fact that seasonal strains are increasingly well-selected and access to such genes is much easier, thanks in part to our beloved, long-awaited, and long-awaited global legalization of marijuana worldwide.

The versatility, wide selection of autoflowering seeds, and the diversity of the gene pool will satisfy even the most experienced growers.

Let's delve a bit into the cultivation issue, Professor. Due to their shorter lifespan, do autoflowering plants require different treatment than full-season plants?

PZO: Both autoflowering and seasonal plants have a growth and flowering phase. The initial lifespan is crucial for autoflowering plants, because autoflowering plants begin flowering when they're ready. What does this mean? It means that poor growth can result in poor yields. We light the machines for 18 hours and 6 hours at night, so-called 18/6

In the case of seasonal varieties, they flower only when the light level is close to nighttime, meaning it's 12/12 (12 hours of light and 12 hours of night).

For an amateur, choosing these genetics is slightly better than, for example, autoflowering. If a slow start occurs, a novice grower can extend the vegetative phase until the plant is in better condition – unfortunately, this isn't possible with autoflowering. Both types of marijuana require the same NPK fertilizers, both for the vegetative and flowering phases.

What is the optimal pot size for an autoflowering plant grown indoors?

PZO: Opinions differ regarding pot size. I've heard various things. Some say as much as possible, even 50 liters, while others say 10-11 liters is optimal.

I believe that the optimal amount of soil is when the land is well-used. A large amount of soil alone doesn't change anything, and certainly not the yield. For a plant to thrive, it must have a well-developed root system, and this is the first and foremost factor that must be taken care of – this is the number one key to successful growing, always. Whether it's autoflowering seeds, seasonal seeds, medical marijuana seeds, or regular marijuana seeds – at the base of every plant is a root.

"BIG ROOTS – BIG FRUITS," which translates to "MANY ROOTS – LARGE YIELD."

As you can see above, the amount of soil is irrelevant. Often, a small pot will have more roots than a larger one; it all depends on the farmer's skill and the additives they use to support their growth.

It's not just the amount of soil that matters; watering is also important. I believe that 6-7 liters of soil is optimal for an autoflowering plant. Keeping in mind that watering in a smaller pot is more frequent than in a larger one is because the plant absorbs water more quickly. Assuming the vegetation period for autoflowering plants is 3 weeks, I don't think there's any point in giving more than 7 liters of soil. I've also noticed that more soil for an autoflower significantly extends its lifespan. So, again, there's a trade-off. When an autoflower has a lot of soil, it grows larger, but its flowering time is longer. The harvest time from such a variety can be similar to seasonal plants, but that's probably not the point of growing autoflowering seeds.

What would you recommend as a nutrient solution for such plants? Mineral fertilizers? Organic fertilizers? What works to ensure that the plant has both flavor and a proper size?

PZO: Fertilizer selection is truly a matter of individual preference. Any fertilizer works well, as long as it has the right NPK.

I compare the choice of fertilizer to eating tomatoes in winter. People buy them even if they're not good, whether they're hydroponic or using mineral fertilizers in the ground. Similarly, when growing autoflowering varieties, if a farmer cares about their health, they'll choose organic fertilizers. With proper soil health, there won't be any problems with pH or EC. Choosing mineral fertilizers, however, requires a bit more patience and knowledge of the growing process itself, as monitoring the water, nutrient solution, and soil must be done daily, due to fluctuations in pH levels and the amount of nutrients in the nutrient solution—known as EC.

In terms of taste, or the typical collector's approach, organic fertilizers win, and there's no point arguing about it. However, a large group of people who use chemical fertilizers have a different opinion—namely, that mineral fertilizers simply need to be rinsed out, or flushed.

I disagree. Water quality alone can ruin the taste from the start, so what are we even talking about here? This target group probably eats tomatoes from the supermarket because they simply don't see the difference. Experience gathered over the years has its say, in my opinion. But since there are so many farmers, there are so many opinions, this will likely always be a controversial topic, although, let's be honest, it's completely unnecessary. Organic Ruled!

An opinion should be based on knowledge and personal experience, not forgetting, of course, that even organic plants can produce unpalatable fruit. So knowledge, especially the farmer's knowledge, is an important aspect of cultivation.

Professor, a technical question - what do autoflower seeds look like?

PZO: They look no different from any other category of marijuana seeds. It's impossible to distinguish autoflower seeds from seasonal seeds, or outdoor seeds.

Okay, that's another question that bothers many people. Professor, does seed size affect the future plant?

PZO: Absolutely not. Both small and large seeds have the same potential. There's no such thing as one seed having better or worse vigor—the collecting power remains the same.

It's also important to remember that even three identical seeds from the same plant can have a genetic mix, called phenotype. Consequently, they can produce different results, taste differently, and the scent may not be identical. It's a mix of genes from the parents.

Since autos first appeared...

But how exactly did it happen, Professor, that we have so many varieties of automatic marijuana seeds available today? Who is the creator of the first autoflowering strain?

PZO: So, I'll briefly and concisely tell you about it. Truth be told, this is a story for a new blog post, but to avoid keeping you in the dark, I'll describe it—for now—very briefly. We owe our automatic marijuana seeds to a well-known and beloved grower from the US called Lovryder. The guy was undoubtedly a visionary and passionate all in one. Lovryder began working on plants with the goal of breeding a small and fast strain. One that would be suitable for small spaces and places where the farmer wanted it to remain anonymous. This is what's known as a compact marijuana strain, also known as an autoflowering strain.

Summary Question Professor Ziarenko, will consumers notice any difference in potency, flavor, or even duration of the effects when consuming an autoflowering plant versus a seasonal plant?

PZO: This isn't a simple question, as we're dealing with many factors. It's primarily an individual matter. If we're talking honestly, grower to grower, we must be clear that the tolerance of a given grower has a fundamental impact on all the experiences. It's like a skinny person who constantly eats and doesn't get anything, and a fat person who even has a single bar stored in one of their pockets. Tolerance increases with consumption. So... it also depends on the amount of cannabis consumed in a lifetime, how much goodness has accumulated in the body (fat), and even how one feels on a given day.

Personally, I believe that autoflowering plants are weaker. However, each year they are made with stronger seasonal strains, which increases their potency. With my tolerance and love for marijuana, I admit that autoflowering varieties from top producers aren't much worse than seasonal varieties, but... just like the strongest season, no autoflower has ever truly captivated me, so you can enjoy the joy of having autoflowering seeds in your collection.

It's worth remembering that the main recessive gene in an autoflower will always be there, and it will always be an autoflower. Even if it's a strain bred during the strongest season, it will still be an autoflower – the taste and smell depend on the type of cultivation, as I mentioned earlier. And is the potency shorter? I'll leave that to you, my dear readers, to judge.