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guess what i should be asking is whats the difference between autoflowering and regular plants?.. From what i read, autoflowering uses the same light throughout its life and non autoflowering needs some sorta light change during the flowering stages? doesnt seem that much more difficult
Growers’ guide for Autoflowering Plants by Samsara Seeds
Owing to a number of different factors, autoflowering plants have won a lot of fans in the last few years. The success of the autoflowering varieties from the Samsara range is a good example of this.
Autoflowering plants are simple and quick to grow and ideal for novice breeders. On the other hand, because they require different conditions than normal feminised or regular seeds, we have put together this brief growing guide. Autoflowering seeds germinate in the same way as normal feminised or any other variety.
The total life span of an autoflowering plant is between 75 to 90 days depending on chosen variety and growing conditions. Harvesting also follows the usual pattern: at the end of the initial flowering phase (when the first small buds start to appear), which normally lasts between 15 to 18 days, they will need another two and a half months or so before reaching full maturity. To establish the best time to cut once fully mature, the best thing is to check the tricomes. Approximate plant heights can vary between 45cm and 120cm in the case of the highest varieties.
The PHOTOPERIOD is VERY IMPORTANT as, for best results, autoflowering plants do best with a 20/4 photoperiod during the whole life cycle. This does not mean that they will not do well at 18/6, but, at 20/4, the plant’s metabolism accelerates and, as it takes just as long to reach maturity, it will produce more in the same time. It is not a good idea to reduce the photoperiod to 12/12 to force flowering as this will slow down its metabolism and it will grow and produce less.
You can use your normal growing media. The better the media, the better the plant will grow. A 6L pot will give the plant enough room to develop properly.
TRANSPLANTING is not recommended. This is because the growth stage of autoflowering plants is extremely short and to transplant during flowering will only serve to provoke a considerable setback, which you will end up paying for with insufficient production levels.
You should let autoflowering grow naturally so no pruning is required. Clones should also be avoided as the growth period is so short, the plants do not have time to replace the lost branches. Furthermore, autoflowering plants do not themselves produce good cuttings.
In the second part of this guide to autoflowering varieties, we would like to stop to consider indoor and outdoor growing. Owing to its special characteristics, this type of plant needs a diffferent approach than other varieties.
To get the best results with autoflowering plants, it is best to grow them indoors under artificial light. Grown indoors, exposed to 20 hours of light, a plant receives double the amount of energy it would do outdoors with obvious consecuential benefits for its metabolic system. Furthermore, artificial light is powerful and stable and free from meteorological interferences such as clouds etc. Notwithstanding, autoflowering plants do very well outdoors, but it is important to grow them during a spell of fine weather. Early planting autos will not result in higher yields. Indeed, the result could be quite the opposite as the life cycle of these plants is always the same (with, of course, possible variations from crop to crop according to different growing conditions).
If you plant out too early, or during the cold season, the plant will barely grow during its vegetative stage, which lasts between 15 to 18 days. This stage is almost the same whatever the season. For this reason, if it is too cold, you will end up with plants that have scarcely grown at all, whilst in warm weather, your plants will be normal size.
Next comes the pre-flowering stage, during which the plant expands to generate branches to house the buds. If the plants themselves are underdeveloped and if pre-flowering also occurs in cold conditions the resulting plants will be very small; barely 20cm high.
In conclusion, therefore, the same advice for indoor growing can also be applied to outdoors; the only difference being that you are at the mercy of the elements instead of being able to control the growroom environment yourself. As for everything else: germination is the same as for other varieties, DO NOT transplant, DO NOT take cuttings, DO NOT prune; with respect to height and total life cycle, you can follow the same steps you would if growing indoors.
In reality, there are few specific differences between autoflowering and nonautoflowering plants: normal regular or feminised plants flower according to the photoperiod, autoflowering plants do not. As for the rest of their characterisitcs, except for the duration of the growing cycle, they are the same: cannabis plants. As with other varieties, caring for autoflowering plants with attention to detail will result in great plants.
Alright lets get this amber trichome thing straight. Amber trichomes don't mean a indica high. They don't always mean the bud is ready to pick. They mean that the trichome is older and has been in the elements or light and heat for a period of time. Which is usually around 8 to 12 weeks. When the trichomes get to this age they have a more narcotic high whether they are amber or white. The reason it's amber in color is that the trichome has oxidized a little. The amber thing is just a indicator of time. Back in the day it was the condition of the hairs, then color of the leaves, now it's amber trichomes.
-------------------- All creatures tremble when faced with violence. All creatures fear death, all love life. If we can only see ourselves in others, then how could we possibly hurt another creature?
Growers’ guide for Autoflowering Plants by Samsara Seeds
Owing to a number of different factors, autoflowering plants have won a lot of fans in the last few years. The success of the autoflowering varieties from the Samsara range is a good example of this.
Autoflowering plants are simple and quick to grow and ideal for novice breeders. On the other hand, because they require different conditions than normal feminised or regular seeds, we have put together this brief growing guide. Autoflowering seeds germinate in the same way as normal feminised or any other variety.
The total life span of an autoflowering plant is between 75 to 90 days depending on chosen variety and growing conditions. Harvesting also follows the usual pattern: at the end of the initial flowering phase (when the first small buds start to appear), which normally lasts between 15 to 18 days, they will need another two and a half months or so before reaching full maturity. To establish the best time to cut once fully mature, the best thing is to check the tricomes. Approximate plant heights can vary between 45cm and 120cm in the case of the highest varieties.
The PHOTOPERIOD is VERY IMPORTANT as, for best results, autoflowering plants do best with a 20/4 photoperiod during the whole life cycle. This does not mean that they will not do well at 18/6, but, at 20/4, the plant’s metabolism accelerates and, as it takes just as long to reach maturity, it will produce more in the same time. It is not a good idea to reduce the photoperiod to 12/12 to force flowering as this will slow down its metabolism and it will grow and produce less.
You can use your normal growing media. The better the media, the better the plant will grow. A 6L pot will give the plant enough room to develop properly.
TRANSPLANTING is not recommended. This is because the growth stage of autoflowering plants is extremely short and to transplant during flowering will only serve to provoke a considerable setback, which you will end up paying for with insufficient production levels.
You should let autoflowering grow naturally so no pruning is required. Clones should also be avoided as the growth period is so short, the plants do not have time to replace the lost branches. Furthermore, autoflowering plants do not themselves produce good cuttings.
In the second part of this guide to autoflowering varieties, we would like to stop to consider indoor and outdoor growing. Owing to its special characteristics, this type of plant needs a diffferent approach than other varieties.
To get the best results with autoflowering plants, it is best to grow them indoors under artificial light. Grown indoors, exposed to 20 hours of light, a plant receives double the amount of energy it would do outdoors with obvious consecuential benefits for its metabolic system. Furthermore, artificial light is powerful and stable and free from meteorological interferences such as clouds etc. Notwithstanding, autoflowering plants do very well outdoors, but it is important to grow them during a spell of fine weather. Early planting autos will not result in higher yields. Indeed, the result could be quite the opposite as the life cycle of these plants is always the same (with, of course, possible variations from crop to crop according to different growing conditions).
If you plant out too early, or during the cold season, the plant will barely grow during its vegetative stage, which lasts between 15 to 18 days. This stage is almost the same whatever the season. For this reason, if it is too cold, you will end up with plants that have scarcely grown at all, whilst in warm weather, your plants will be normal size.
Next comes the pre-flowering stage, during which the plant expands to generate branches to house the buds. If the plants themselves are underdeveloped and if pre-flowering also occurs in cold conditions the resulting plants will be very small; barely 20cm high.
In conclusion, therefore, the same advice for indoor growing can also be applied to outdoors; the only difference being that you are at the mercy of the elements instead of being able to control the growroom environment yourself. As for everything else: germination is the same as for other varieties, DO NOT transplant, DO NOT take cuttings, DO NOT prune; with respect to height and total life cycle, you can follow the same steps you would if growing indoors.
In reality, there are few specific differences between autoflowering and nonautoflowering plants: normal regular or feminised plants flower according to the photoperiod, autoflowering plants do not. As for the rest of their characterisitcs, except for the duration of the growing cycle, they are the same: cannabis plants. As with other varieties, caring for autoflowering plants with attention to detail will result in great plants.
Great find, thanks. I knew all of that except for the light time...Ive always switched autos to 12/12 when they started to flower. Good to know keeping them at 18/6 or 20/4 should increase yields/speed of life cycle.
Haha you were growing autos and switching their light cycle? Did you have photos with them as well or all autos? I can't imagine what the selling point of them was if you didn't know about that though, or did you just come by some free beans? I've yet to try any but I don't know if I will until I hear better things about the yields.
If you had them growing with photos then it makes perfect sense why you'd do that. It would be kinda funny if you were paying extra for autoflower seeds and then running them by themselves like photos.
Well I could have kept the autos in my veg tent when they started flowering if I had known any better but I still moved them to flower...I assumed they'd do better under my warm 600w HPS than they would my cool 400w MH.
Ive had some great results and still havent killed a plant or even had a clone failure *knocks on wood* but I still make dumb n00b mistakes occasionally.
Well guys i going to be doing a test run with auto flower . Going to use 24 of them in 3gallon pots and run them under two 1000 watt lights in a 6.5x6.5x6.5 foot room. it should not take more then 10 weeks for the auto seeds i have.ill be starti.g them after my current grow is done