Autoflowering cannabis seeds are perhaps the easiest cannabis seeds to grow. Although smaller than traditional cannabis plants, autoflowering cannabis plants require minimal attention and no manipulation of the light cycle. Check out the autoflowering cannabis timeline from your favorite Colorado seed bank today.
WHAT IS AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS?
In most cases, the growth cycle of cannabis depends on its photoperiod. In other words, the stage of growth of a cannabis plant is usually determined by the amount of light (or rather darkness) it receives in a day. Long days tell the plant that it is spring and therefore time to stretch and grow. Short days (those with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of total darkness) indicate impending winter, prompting the plant to produce flowers/pollen and, in some cases, seeds.
Autoflowering cannabis seeds, as the name suggests (or autoflowering seeds), refer to cannabis seeds that produce flowers regardless of light cycle and duration. Autoflowering strains grow fairly quickly and reach maturity at around 10 to 11 weeks of age. Although smaller than the average cannabis plant, they can compensate for this by allowing growers to harvest several times in one season.
Note that autoflowering cannabis plants do not clone well. Once growth begins, the plant will flower whether or not it is attached to its mother. For several cannabis crops in one season, it is essential to buy many autoflowering cannabis seeds.
THE CULTIVATION CYCLE OF AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS
SELF-FLOWERING CANNABIS SEEDS-SILENT SEEDS BANK
WEEKS 1 TO 3
The timeline for autoflowering cannabis begins as soon as the cannabis seeds appear in the ground. They will be in this initial seedling stage for the first three weeks, during which time they will develop their first set of leaves. Leaf development continues rapidly at this stage; a gentle nutrient mix can encourage development at this time.
By the end of the third week, most autoflowering plants will show signs of sex. Males should be removed immediately at this time, lest they pollinate the females and cause them to set seed.
WEEKS 4 TO 6
Autoflowering varieties generally begin to flower around the fourth week. Commonly referred to as the pre-flowering stage, this is the period when plants show their deepest growth – often up to an inch a day! Although many growers mistakenly switch to flowering nutrients at the first sign of flower development, we do not recommend this. Flowering nutes contain much less nitrogen; using it too early can slow vertical growth and reduce final production. The best time to start autoflowering cannabis plants on flowering seeds is actually week five or six.
WEEKS 7 TO 9
By the beginning of the seventh week, most of the vertical growth will have ceased. The buds begin to thicken and become denser, and the pistils begin to develop unique shades of brown, red and orange. The trichome heads are well developed at this stage and often emit a strong fragrance that may require air filters to tame. Larger fan-shaped leaves may yellow and lose their leaves at this time too.
WEEKS 10 TO 11
Those who waited to add flowering nutrients until weeks five and six may continue to see flower development in weeks 10 and 11. These last weeks of growth are the ideal time to remove nutrients from the plant. To do this, simply switch from nutrient rich water to pure distilled water. Failure to do so may result in hard smoke. It is important to allow enough time to rinse the cannabis plants before harvesting.
THOUGHTS ON AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS SEEDS
Autoflowering cannabis seeds have a bad reputation for the small buds they produce. But autoflowering cannabis actually has many advantages, especially for those with limited space or those looking for regular harvests.
Are you ready to grow? Buy feminised collection seeds from Silent Seeds’ seed bank [shop/graines-autofloraison] today!
Have you grown autoflowering cannabis seeds? How was your experience?
