What are Autoflowering Cannabis Seeds?
Published on 9/15/22
We're currently in the heart of the prime growing season for many home-growing entrepreneurs all over North America. Croptober is fast approaching, which means the fruits of your labor all those weeks ago will finally be ready for harvest!
For those who haven't planted their seeds yet, you're losing out on valuable grow time for your homegrown cannabis plants. And if you're planning on growing outside, germinating your seeds, and setting up your light deprivation greenhouse, it should be at the top of your priority list ASAP!
But what about folks who don't have the time or experience to do all that? Are they just out of luck when it comes to growing their cannabis plants? That's where auto-flowering cannabis seeds come in! These special seeds save time and are great for those short on knowledge, resources, and home-growing experience! But what exactly are autoflowering seeds, and how do they work?
This article explains how autoflower seeds work, where to get some of the best autoflowering cannabis seeds for sale online, breaks down how to grow autoflowering seeds, and even touches on how autoflowering cannabis seeds can make your next (or possibly first) harvest as straightforward as possible!
The Basics of Growing Cannabis Seeds
To understand precisely how and why autoflowering seeds are unique, we first need to break down how cannabis seeds work in the first place. While we won't go crazy in-depth on the science of it here, consider this your quick crash course on cannabis growing practices from seed to harvest.
If you're looking for a more detailed look at all things cannabis seeds, click here!
Different Seed Options
One of the most significant barriers to entry when it comes to home growing is the intimidation factor of actually getting started. Thankfully, we're here to simplify things for you.
When it comes to cannabis seeds, your options as a consumer boil down into two possibilities: Fertilized and traditional seeds.
Traditional cannabis seeds have a 50/50 chance of being either male or female, which means fewer buds and much smaller yields overall if you get a male. It's a dice roll in hopes of things going in your favor. If you decide on pre-fertilized seeds, you can rest assured knowing you're getting a female cannabis plant destined for bigger buds and higher yields.
While fertilized seeds are far easier to handle during the growing process than traditional seeds, they're still much more challenging to grow than autoflowering seeds.
Different Grow Times
In terms of sheer speed from planting to harvest-ready status, traditional and fertilized seeds pale compared to autoflowering seeds. Since the answer to the question, "do autoflowers produce seeds" is an emphatic yes, producing hundreds of seeds literally on their own, they're the most accessible type to grow by far.
Both other seed methods will likely require germination and a lot of hands-on love and care to prosper. Autoflower strains, on the other hand, can just be stuck in the ground and do the bulk of the hard work themselves.
If you're judging your seed decision strictly on time from seed to harvest, head to an online cannabis seed bank, sort your options by the shortest autoflowering strain grow periods, then choose from there!
Different Levels of Flexibility
When it comes to autoflowering strains, it's best to think of them as weeds. They're genetically crafted to grow in pretty much any environment or condition.
While other forms of seeds like fertilized or traditional seeds might not thrive without the proper cannabis-specific nutrients, soil, and time-consuming personal care, autoflowering seeds follow the classic 'Jurassic Park' model of "life finds a way."
So How Do Autoflowering Seeds Work?
Well, as their name would suggest, these types of seeds flower themselves. Unlike other forms of cannabis seeds out there, autoflowering seeds are perfect for growing either outside or inside.
Typically, these 35-day autoflower seeds are ready to harvest around two to four weeks from when you plant them. If you're lucky, the quickest autoflowering seeds are ready to harvest in a few weeks without much effort.
Simply put, autoflowering seeds are the least effort you can put in when it comes to growing. For many, it's a fool-proof way to ensure some degree of harvest-time success.
With autoflowering seeds, you order from the best autoflower seed banks on the internet, stick those seeds in the ground, water them if you're growing outside, and that's it! That's all the steps from start to finish.
There's a reason folks consider autoflowering seeds like growing in easy mode!
Thanks to the flexibility, versatility, simplicity, and prolific nature of autoflowering seeds, they're the best options for someone who wants to plant their seeds, give them some water, and not worry about too much else in the meantime. Other forms of seeds need more attention, ideal weather and soil conditions, and lots of hands-on time to get decent results at harvest.
What to Expect from Autoflowering Cannabis Plant Buds
Just like pretty much any other cannabis strain, the effects, cannabinoids, terpene profiles, and strength depends on the specific plant's genetics. If you're looking for a sativa with a higher THC content, grab those from the seed bank. If you're willing to spend the time looking, you'll find a plant with the perfect genetics for what you want.
One thing to always expect from autoflowering plants is massive yields quickly. Not only do autoflowering plants become ready to harvest only a few weeks after being planted, but they produce massive yields. That means you'll get large amounts of cannabis quickly. If you're a medical patient looking to save money and live somewhere in ideal growing conditions like the Emerald Triangle out on the West Coast, home growing is the way to go to save money.
If you plant more than one autoflowering seed, you're likely to need to find a friend, family member, or fellow medical cannabis patient to give some of your harvests. Sharing is caring, after all!
The Bottom Line
When it comes to growing cannabis at home for yourself, it's hard not to consider autoflowering seeds as the best possible seed option. The others require too much work, time, and attention for most people, even in ideal weather and growing conditions. With autoflowering seeds, you can take the guesswork out of your summer harvest this year and stock up on plenty of homegrown cannabis come October!