Hey guys currently growing some Northern Lights and I was just wondering would it be better to just grow auto flowers next time? My main question what is the pro's and con's?
Pros- Fast to finish, Will flower themselves, Cons- Small yields. Can't control size Auto flowers are still relatively new, some Auto strains still have to be coaxed into flowering. Leading one to Believe there is still room to stabilize Some of these strains.
To add to the cons, they are less potent than their photoperiod strain. They seem to appeal to the beginner more frequently because they think they are faster. Which they are, but add a few weeks with a photoperiod NL and you'll have a heavier, more potent harvest
not less potent at all, I have a lowryder 2 and although I have been breeding it for years now it's as potent as anything else. another pro is making seeds can be easier than making clones for some but what's great about them is when growing outside. here in the uk when plants are budding outside the sun is very week seriously compromising yield and quality. the temperature really kicks their ass too. with auto's you can start planting them in the spring so they bud in mid summer. small size isn't an issue if you just plant more seeds if you only grow indoors, have a light proof grow box and are happy to make clones I don't believe auto's have any advantage. but you can keep these on a windowsill and you will get some bud at least. they are great if your not willing to buy loads of kit and or don't have the room or mindset to set up a proper lightproof grow area
1st grow was Photo so now i have my sea legs. next i'll do a couple autos and one photo that way if the autos dont yield what i expected i can just change bulbs and flip 12/12 with a WELL veg'd photo. Think about doing something like that so at least you're ahead of the game if doing the auto isn't what you expected.
I know shit all about growing and never have grown. What appeals to me is that you basically just have to feed it, then chop it. At least that's the way it sounds. It seems that full size plants are more sensitive, but once again, I've never grown and don't know much about growing.
Autos can be a bit faster, and yield or small plants can be made up with higher plant counts. Potency depends on strain just like photo strains. With autos that have thc levels around the mid twenties the argument that autos aren't potent is a very limited view. Autos really aren't that much easier, the only work really saved is setting a timer. Autos are just another option for growers. Some yield well, some do not. Some are excellent smoke, some are not. However, in some situations they fit what a grower needs. For me, they weren't a waste of time. I yielded just over 14oz of excellent smoke in about 70 days.
[quote name='"jetski"']not less potent at all, I have a lowryder 2 and although I have been breeding it for years now it's as potent as anything else. another pro is making seeds can be easier than making clones for some but what's great about them is when growing outside. here in the uk when plants are budding outside the sun is very week seriously compromising yield and quality. the temperature really kicks their ass too. with auto's you can start planting them in the spring so they bud in mid summer. small size isn't an issue if you just plant more seeds if you only grow indoors, have a light proof grow box and are happy to make clones I don't believe auto's have any advantage. but you can keep these on a windowsill and you will get some bud at least. they are great if your not willing to buy loads of kit and or don't have the room or mindset to set up a proper lightproof grow area[/quote] Do you breed reg or femmed autos? I would be interested in hearing your process. An unlimited supply of auto seeds would be great for a small scale perpetual grow.
I never breed feminised, as an avid breeder I'm thoroughly against feminising, I hate them I hate them I hate them haha
The only thing that autos save you is the need to re-set your light timer to 12/12, one time during your grow. That's it. You can grow any strain "faster" if you want to, so the "speed" of autos is no advantage. Breeding in a tendency towards little to no THC (a ruderalis trait) necessarily means that the resulting plants will be less potent, that trait is inextricably tied up with the auto-flowering trait. I've grown 'em, I've tried 'em grown from others, and I will admit that the potency of auto's has gotten much better in the last few years. But still less potent than taking the same strains you bred with the ruderalis trait and growing those without breeding in ruderalis. Last time I grew auto's the results weren't terrible but the difference in potency was very noticeable compared to non-autos, I literally tossed the entire auto harvest (I have enough that I can afford to do that). Another big negative is that autos take away your choices -- it will flower whether it's at a size you want or not. Minimizes potential benefits of yield-maximizing techniques such as LST, topping, etc. Basically autos are a gimmick, marketed to save you time and effort regarding things that take virtually no time or effort anyway.
there are too many untruths to count here. just look above for more reasons. your genetic "logic" shows you know very little about genetics and breeding in general all cannabis originally came from low potent strains. the gene that controls photoperiod sensitivity has no connection with the genes that control potency
autos are indeed marketed this way and all the newbs here buy them for all those wrong reasons, but thats not the true upside of autos. that would be (in a climate with very short growing season/very shitty autumn) to get an outdoor harvest during summer. theyre great for small balcony grows cuz you dont need to worry about light reaching them at night and the small size happens to be adequate there. for indoor growing they are rather pointless, undoubtably inferior to selecting mothers of photo strains and taking clones and in many aspects inferior to growing photo strains from seed.
Read up before you try and contradict a highly reputable blade. When you breed with a ruderalis strain, which aren't known for their psychoactive properties, your not going to get the same potency delivered by the counterpart photo strain. There are reputable breeders who test cannabinoid levels and basically come out and tell you they jusy aren't as potent. Although as stated, their potency is definitely getting up there.
you need to read up mate, I have been breeding marijuana for over 10 years, studied genetics in college for 3 years and been breeding animals for longer than both combined. I will correct whoever I want. you clearly do not understand genetics at all
Im neither a pro grower nor have I studied genetics, but here is my take on this. the genes responsible for low cannabinoid content and the genes responsible for autoflowering in cannabis ruderalis can theoretically be seperated by breeding, but attempts to do so have so far only been partially successful since ruderalis has only been introduced into cannabis breeding rather recently and this shit takes time.
I don't see the need to say anything about anyone else, I will make two comments only about myself: - I do know what I'm talking about. - I don't need to make my point by putting down someone who disagrees with me.