Autoflowering interest is getting bigger and bigger. Since its early beginnings, these strains have been used for growers outdoors for its characteristics, that allow to be grown all year long without problems due to its autoflowering gen. As the time goes by, and the evolution of the autoflowering family occurs, nowadays is possible to find out some autoflowering strains able to give improved taste, bigger size and yielding.
Arrived to this point is where most growers, specially those not experienced doubt if to grow them indoors or not. Read this article and find the solution for some of your common questions about autoflowering an non-autoflowering strains.
Photoperiod of light
One of the most interesting characteristics of marijuana is its traditional dependance of photoperiod of light they percieve (hours of light / hours of darkness per day). Non-autoflowering strains are susceptible to photoperiod changes so require determined hours of light (and darkness) to be able to flower:
- Growing phase: 18 hours of light - 6 hours of darkness
- Flowering phase 12 hours of light - 12 hours of darkness
The main difference of autoflowering strains is its no dependance to photoperiod of light. Being not dependant they can be grown (and it's recommendable to do it this way to increase yields) at 18 hours of light - 6 hours of darkness (or 20 hours of light per 4 hours of darkness). To this characteristic we can add a short flowering time , resulting in a short cycle plant (usually takes between 9 and 12 weeks from germination depending on the strain).
Our tests show that growing autoflowering plants it is better to use the same photoperiod of light along all cycle, whereas non-autoflowering strain (comming from seed and not from clone) will give better yields being grown with a short time of vegetation phase (3-4 weeks) and then corresponding flowering weeks (depending on each strain).
Taste of autoflowering plants Vs non-autoflowering plants
Taste is probably the main argue of every single strain of marijuana. Looking to non-autoflowering strains we can find out hundreds of different tastes that go from the sweetest to the citrus, including those with tints of haze, skunk, kush, etc.
If we point on autoflowering strains here comes the first against: The autoflowering gen does not come alone, and usually brings a dominant taste, characteristic in these kind of plants. This taste, could not be a problem for those less experienced smokers, but is more than obvious that certain experienced smokers will find it a lower quality smoke.
Electricity bill growing autoflowering Vs non-autoflowering
On previous articles we have talked about the possibility to grow non-autoflowering strains indoors directly to 12h of light - 12h ours of darkness since the germination occurs. Looking for differences in all aspects this is a point to highlight that we should not forget: The electriccity bill. If we want to get a good result with non-autoflowering plants in less time as possible, the best solution is to grow them with a 12h of light 12h of darkness during whe whole cycle. This photoperiod, from germination to harvest, will let plants develop for a period of 3-4 weeks before start flowering (without changes on photoperiod), saving 6 hours of light per day and many headaches. Once the plants start to flower growers will only need to wait the necessary weeks of flowering depending on the strain.
With autoflowering strains, as we commented before, it is recommendable due to yield production, to grow with a 20h - 4h period (it is also accept<ble to do it 18h - 6h). This difference between hours of light used can produce some suprise to the grower, an non positive (2 days of autoflowering are equal in consumption to 3 days of non-autoflowering ones). Such a difference per day multiplied for 80-90 days is a siginificant increment, specially these days were the electricity is so expensive.
Effect of autoflowering strains Vs non-autoflowering strains
The same way that in taste, growing autoflowering strains limits the type of effect we'll find. Autoflowering strains could be a good election for lovers of stoner efect close to the indica. With non-autoflowering strains we could choose a wide range of effects, specially those smokers who like mostly sativa effect will become more satisfied with a non-autoflowering strain due to a higher effect, non-stoney, clear and euforic.
Difficulties growing autoflowering Vs Non-autoflowering strains
Usually beginner growers believe that autoflowering plants require less care than non-autoflowering. What is real is that autoflowering plants have faster cycles than non-autoflowering, so it is normal to require less nutrients and cares than non ones. If we use as refference the 8 weeks of an autoflowering, probably we will have less problems during the cycle but, if we choose the 10-12 weeks ones (the ones that give best yields) we will find the same problems and needings that we find with the non autoflowering ones. The true is that autoflowering plants grown with a 20h/4h cycle will probably give more problems due to high temperatures (more hours of light per day) and probably more pests. Grower will battle against high temperatures, lower humidities and problems derived from both. Talking about nutrients, autoflowering plants will need the same feedings than the non-autoflowering ones. As they are growing will need some root stimulator and growing nutrients, and as they flower the bloom nutrient and bloom booster. Tell the growers that autoflowering do not need nutrients is not false but is a not 100% true thing: They are able to work without as the normal ones but if we feed them with nutrients and boosters is more than possible to double the yield so... We specially recommend to use them.
Conclusions of indoor growing: autoflowering Vs Non-autoflowering
The final conclusion is that growing autoflowering strains indoors is so much expensive, less tasty and probably become in a lower yields compared with a non-autoflowering plants, specially for those experienced growers. Our advice as growers is that no matter if the growers is a beginner or advanced grower, if we talk about growing indoor, non-autoflowering plants are better in all specs. We advice to those who are meditating about their first indoor grow to choose non-autoflowering strains, with a fast flowering cycle (more indica hybrids, that will help in the first steps, producing higher average yields.
Autoflowering one are much better solution for those who grow outdoors, specially out of the normal season from May to October. They are a good option if we finished our last crop because in 3 months will be able to get some weed (not the best quality but true a medium one, resulting so much cheaper than buying stuff from the dispensaries, black market or whatever.