Autoflower seeds have become a bit of a buzz in most cannabis communities, with both commercial growers and home growers talking about them. But, wait, what are autoflowering seeds? And how do they relate to cannabis?
Never heard about autoflower weed seeds? Not to worry, Elevate Holistics is here to help you get a better grasp of these not-so-mysterious seeds.
Below, we’re talking all about autoflowering seeds and how are they different from regular autoflower seeds.
We’re even letting you know what the best autoflower seeds for sale that you should consider. Let’s get started.
What Are Autoflowering Seeds?
Autoflowering seeds are from cannabis strains specially bred to start flowering within a very short period, usually within 3 to 4 weeks of planting, regardless of the light cycle or photoperiod.
With most autoflowering seeds, the buds/flowers (the parts essential for consumption) are usually ready for harvest within 9 to 12 weeks.
When considering the “What are autoflowering seeds?” question, it helps to draw some comparisons with the traditional seeds.
For example, unlike autoflower weed seeds, traditional marijuana plants, dependent on photoperiods or light cycles, flower within 8-11 weeks and are usually ready for harvest within 10-32 weeks.
Traditionally, light is a big part of marijuana cultivation; in the absence of suitable lighting conditions, regular cannabis plants may take forever to grow.
Consequently, electricity bills constitute one of the most significant costs for greenhouse or indoor cannabis cultivation.
Depending on the strain, growers must ensure about 12 hours of full-spectrum light and 12 hours of darkness daily to induce the plant into flowering.
Another thing to remember when rethinking “what are autoflowering seeds?” is the implication of the “auto” in autoflowering. As you already suspect, it means automatic.
Therefore, autoflowering seeds refer to strains that can flower automatically at a certain age, regardless of adequate light cycles.
These inherent characteristics of autoflower weed seeds save growers a load of costs on electricity while being able to run multiple cultivation cycles in a year.
For these reasons, they’re a convenient option for growers.
What other characteristics of autoflower weed seeds set them apart from regular seeds?
Characteristics of Autoflower Seeds
Autoflowering seeds originate from a cross between ruderalis and sativa or indica plants. Accordingly, there are auto sativa and auto indica varieties in the market.
Cannabis ruderalis is a subspecies of cannabis, just as there are indica and sativa subs.
They have unique properties in appearance and their phytochemical composition, which sets them apart from other varieties.
Originally, ruderalis grew wild in Eastern and Northern Europe, which usually have short summers and limited light cycles. Ruderalis is hardy enough to weather the harsh climate and flower quickly.
However, this subspecies is usually CBD-dominant, with THC levels in the 3% range. Consequently, they’re not so potent on their own, necessitating crossbreeding them with more potent strains to get desired results.
The autoflower seeds in the market today are a culmination of various crossbreeding attempts to have plants with that flower automatically, have a short lifecycle, and boast reasonably potent buds.
A typical autoflower seed would grow a cannabis plant that:
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- Is independent of light hours
- Flowers automatically within 3-4 weeks. Some flower in 2 weeks
- Complete their lifecycle (from planting to harvest) within 8-12 weeks
- Is short, usually 40-100 cm in height. Their shortness makes them a great choice for discreet growers
- Can withstand exposure to extreme weather conditions
Most autoflower seeds are feminized, so you are assured that you’ll only get mature female plants capable of skipping seed production to produce lots of flowers packed with trichomes.
It’s important to note that the characteristics of autoflower weed seeds may differ based on how they’re bred.
For instance, super autoflowering seeds could produce plants that are as big as regular cannabis strains and could take as long as 100 days to mature.
Why Did My Autoflower Produce Seeds?
Cannabis plants that produce seeds are rarely as potent and more bountiful as their counterparts that don’t produce seeds. They also take up space and resources needed to grow plants with desirable qualities.
Because most autoflower varieties in the market are feminized, they aren’t meant to produce seeds, and you’re right to be puzzled when they do.
Some of the following factors could induce seed production in autoflowering cannabis plants.
Stress
The top factor behind this anomaly is usually stress caused by replanting, water scarcity, extreme light stress, or nutrient deprivation.
In response to these stress factors, the sterile, feminized plant may develop hermies (hermaphroditism) and produce seeds to ensure its survival and that of its species when it dies.
Bad Batch
Sometimes breeders are unable to perfect the crossbreeding before putting up the autoflower seeds for sale.
Consequently, the autoflower seeds may develop hermaphroditic tendencies and produce seeds.
It could also be that you bought a pack of regular autoflower seeds or a pack of feminized seeds with mixes of male varieties.
As a result, the females grow alongside the males, which end up fertilizing the females. It helps to always confirm with the seller that you are only getting feminized autoflower seeds.
The Benefits of Turning to Autoflower Weed Seeds
Before we delve into the “What are feminized autoflowering seeds” question, let’s have a quick look at why new growers are going for autoflowering seeds.
Bigger Yields
Since autoflower seeds are feminized, all the seeds would sprout female plants, which tend to produce top-quality buds.
They help growers maximize their grow space with an assurance that all things being equal, every seed sown will sprout a plant laden with the much-needed buds/flowers.
Quicker Harvests
In comparison to regular seeds, autoflowering seeds have significantly shorter planting-to-harvest cycles.
A short life cycle means growers can grow plants every season and quickly hit the markets with their products.
Quicker harvests also mean maximization of resources for substantial profits.
Great for Beginners
If you want to grow mold-resistant cannabis at home or in small commercial quantities without unnecessary hassles, you should look towards feminized autoflower seeds.
With autoflower seeds, you can enjoy the full extent of state-authorized home cultivation limits without running the risk of resources on seed plants.
You also won’t have to deal with the strenuous light requirements of regular seeds, which may be costly.
They’re also short and fare well indoors, so you can meet your state’s home-grow requirements without much complication.
More importantly, you have the privilege of growing multiple batches of cannabis plants all year round (even in winter), as the autoflower plants have a short life cycle.
If you start early enough, you could grow two batches within the summer.
So back to the question, what are feminized autoflowering seeds?
What Are Feminized Autoflowering Seeds?
Autoflowering feminized seeds differ from regular autoflowering seeds because they have been genetically manipulated only to sprout female plants.
This genetic manipulation is necessary to ensure the quick bountiful production of flowers and trichomes, which are the smokeable and more potent part of cannabis plants.
Regular, feminized seeds are usually photoperiod dependent and require more complexities and a longer maturity time.
But by introducing autoflowering—or ruderalis—capabilities in the genes, the plants have a shorter life cycle, become independent of photoperiods, and focus only on producing flowers.
The Best Autoflower Seeds for Sale
Beyond the “what are feminized autoflowering seeds” ponder, what are some of the best autoflower seeds for sale that you should consider?
Below are some of the top 5 best autoflower weed seeds to plant, according to experts across the cannabis industry:
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- Girl Scout Cookies Autoflower – 70-150 grams of dry buds per plant and 20-22% THC concentration
- Northern Lights Auto – 170-220 grams of dry buds per plant and 16% THC concentration
- Green Crack Autoflower – About 200 grams of dry buds per plant and up to 20% THC concentration
- Original Amnesia Haze Autoflower – About 150 grams of dry buds per plant and up to 22% THC concentration
- White Widow Autoflower – more than 140 grams of dry buds per plant and up to 19% THC concentrations
NOTE: The grams per plant measurements are for outdoor grows; indoor grows may yield lower buds per plant.
Cultivate Your Own Autoflowering Seeds When You Get an MMJ Card!
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Thousands of our clients across the U.S. now have the authorization to grow their own high-quality weed at home or walk into any local dispensary to buy medical-grade cannabis with ease. That could be you, too.
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