Before novice growers plunge into the world of cannabis cultivation, it is normal for them to make inquiries about the entire process. Often the average prospective grower is overwhelmed with uncertainty and fear as a result of the volume of industry-specific terms and practices they have to master and adopt.
Hence, a good number of growers resort to beginner-friendly options like planting auto flower marijuana seeds. This variety of cannabis has become the bias of most growers as a result of its resilience, rapid flowering time, compact size, and other benefits. Read on to find out more about the suitability of this variety for rookie growers.
Brief description and history of auto-flowering varieties
Auto-flowering strains can be termed as self-flowering plants that do not require a change in their lighting schedules to begin flower production. For auto-flowering strains, the end of their maturity which is usually called the vegetative phase signals the commencement of the budding stage. It is important to note that the traction that auto flowering strains have amassed over recent years was not the case.
When auto-flowering varieties were introduced a lot of growers didn’t find them suitable for growing as a result of their low THC content and relatively small yields. However, thanks to the efforts of breeders in developing this variety through genetic controls and modifications as not only do these strains have high THC levels, but they also generate large yields like photoperiod strains.
Benefits of cultivating auto flowers for beginners
Still, doubting the beginner friendliness of auto flowering varieties? The following reasons would convince you.
More harvests
There is nothing more exciting to a grower than realizing that they can witness more harvests as this means two things; more money for commercial growers due to accumulated yields and more buds to smoke for growers who are cultivating them for personal uses. Since auto flowering plants do not depend on detecting seasonal changes to commence flowering like photoperiod strains, beginners can grow them at any season and time of the year thereby allowing more harvests.
Hence rules like shorter days and longer nights which guide the production of flowers in photoperiod varieties do not apply here. It should however be noted that variables like temperature need to be considered as these plants do not thrive in extreme temperatures like most other cannabis plants. According to Highway420, a temperature within the range of 15°C-40°C is considered optimal.
They are incredibly fast
It is normal for novice growers to highly anticipate the turnout of their plants since they want to savor the works of their hands in a short time. The rapid growth cycle of this strain usually between 8-10 weeks easily presents them with this option. Nobody wants to wait for a long period before they can consume their favorite buds. Being a grower makes it more nerve-wracking as they cannot often wait to see those healthy and large buds appear.
Also, its very short lifespan, makes it a very good candidate for stealthy growing, especially in climes that prohibit outdoor growing as you can easily take down your growing operations to stay on the low.
They allow perpetual harvesting
Humans have always had an affinity for abundance even in situations that may not allow it. Therefore, what better way to witness abundance than by leveraging on the rapid growth of auto flowering varieties? In most cases, the average beginner usually has a small growing area since they are just testing the waters which might be a disadvantage when growing other cannabis strains. However, for auto flowering strains, a grower can plant a large number of plants in a small grow room due to the small and compact size of this variety.
This feature also allows for what is termed Perpetual Harvesting which allows a grower to commence cultivation of another batch of plants with previously planted ones. With this technique, a novice grower cannot be overwhelmed during harvesting as the harvests are successional.
They are easy to grow
While challenging plant situations are the delight of pro growers, rookie growers may not find growing complex plants exciting as they do not yet possess the requisite grooming skills to successfully cultivate them. Auto flowering plants are super easy to grow as growers do not have to worry about mastering light schedules to effectively groom them. However, it should be noted that this only applies to outdoor cultivation of this strain. For indoor cultivation, with 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness you can pull a stunner with your yields. The good thing about this is that you do not have to switch the lighting schedule to a 12/12 depending on the phase of the plants like photoperiod strains.
They are highly resistant to pests and diseases
Effectively combatting pests and diseases can be tasking for even the most experienced growers let alone amateur growers as the smallest deficiency in the pest control techniques adopted by a grower can ruin the quality of their yields. However, thanks to the excellent work of expert breeders in genetically configuring this variety to be unsusceptible to the attacks of diseases and pests like powdery mildew and Aphids.
They are cost effective
Auto flowering varieties are relatively cheaper than other strain options, especially photoperiod strains. This is because they do not have to invest hugely in quality lights that are power-consuming. Therefore, they can channel the money which would have been spent on sorting electricity bills to finance other growing essentials or simply save them. Also, their cost effectiveness makes it easy for rookie growers who are wary of losing a large amount of money to a failed cultivation experience.
They are small compact plants
The small nature of this variety makes it easy to be tamed by rookie growers as the bigger a plant, the more pruning and trimming it would require. And this is in no way easy for newbies. Also since this strain is compact, it would not require a lot of nutrients which takes money like bigger-looking strains. In addition to this, its compact size makes it appropriate for stealthy growing as the average auto flowering strain has a stature of about 50cm- 70cm with some types reaching up to 100cm.
Final thoughts
Although autoflowering strains have been proven to be beginner friendly since they require less technical know-how, it is still imperative for an amateur grower to learn basic cannabis cultivation concepts. Hence fundamental concepts like trimming, treating, nutrient supply, and watering of plants must be understood to prevent compromising harvest quality and quantity.
