I have several months until I start my first grow but I have started to do my research, however I cannot find anything in regards to this. I know that for vegging/flowering phases I need different bulbs to trigger the change, but what about autoflowering strains? I'm thinking of Lowryder #2 for my first grow because of its average final size and decent yield (personal use over summer). Do I need separate bulbs like a normal strain, or would one (or more) all-around bulb work since its autoflowering?
Now...ya shoulda used the search feature...now you can go to the bottom of the thread and click the "Autoflower" tag.
I did a search already I didn't find much, hence this thread for a specific answer. I already read that the light schedule should be 24/0, 20/4, or 18/6...never 12/12. Most people don't address the light bulb specifics. I read something about a 400 blue/400 red spectrum HPS bulb, but no one backed it up. Even the "official" grow-guide from the strain's creator doesn't go into detail about the bulbs, just the lighting schedule.
For autos I would use florescent lights(one warm white one cool white) for the first month or so, until they start flowering and then switch to an HPS with blue/red spectrum till harvest. 400 watt HPS should be fine for four or five plants.
I am currently growing autoflowers (Dope-seed's Russian Rocket Fuels), and here is my advice to you. Once the seeds pop, put them in those spongy starter cube things, soaked in pH adjusted water. Thats what I did and they all did very well. Once their roots started to show out of the bottom of the cubes I transplanted them into 1 gallon pots. In retrospect, this was a mistake. I would suggest going straight from starter cubes to 2 gallon pots, minimum. I am currently using 2 and 3 gallon breathable grow bags and they are working great! I think transplanting only once would be best. Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil, and Fox Farm Grow Big, Big Bloom, and Tiger Bloom nutes. I have been using all of their products so far, and I have had pretty much no problems at all. I would keep the seedlings under 24 hours light the first week. Use CFL's, daylight spectrum. After the first week (from sprout), I switched to my HPS with some supplemental daylight cfl lighting, and the plants took off. I am on a 20/4 light schedule currently, but my last plants showed sex today. Now that I have all of my girls, I will be switching to 18/6 tomorrow. My lighting recommendation is 24 hours for the first week, and the next week or 2 (once you see yours girls showing sex) I would keep it on 20/4. My plants really liked the rest. Once your girls show their pistils, id change to 18/6. You should note that these auto's will show sex as early as 15 days from seed. I had my last 3 show sex on the 16th day from seed, female too! I would suggest buying a soil moisture probe, to ensure you dont run into problems overwatering as I see many people do. I havent really had any issues thanks to it. I think that covers it, any questions, let me know. This is my first grow, so take this advice fwiw.