A Checklist You Should Mark in Growing Auto-Flowering Seeds

The sturdy genetics and fast growth rate of auto-flowers make them easily cultivable. Their excellent resistance to pests and insects enables them to endure several outdoor challenges. Their capability of flowering without the need to change the light cycle is a bonus for the cultivators. It usually takes 8-10 weeks to harvest auto-flowering strains. However, some species take almost 12 weeks to grow.

How to Choose the Right Seeds? 

Get the seeds according to the growing area and conditions. Choose between regular seeds and feminized seeds. Regular seeds have a 50:50 chance of growing into males and females, whereas feminized ones grow into females only but are quite expensive unless you order from the Ontario Seed Bank. They really focus on strains that feminized well and have 100% female plants. No hermies will ruin your grow, only females will reveal themselves to you. It important to only sell strains that can be feminized, as not all strains are capable to produce 100% female offspring.

Things to Remember While Growing Auto-flowering Seeds

The pH level of soil

The soil pH level regulates the plant’s access to nutrients. Too high or too low pH levels lead to nutrients lockout causing deformities to set in. The required soil pH level for auto-flowers should be 6.0-6.5.

Nutrients needed

The three primary nutrients for cannabis plants to grow are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Apart from these, some other nutrients and trace elements are also needed, which are already contained in nearly all fertilizers and pre-mixed soils.

Required Lights

Several lights can grow auto-flowers from seeds to harvest. All the lamps emit different intensities and spectrum. These lights include:

• T5 lights- The light is evenly dissipated and is more yielding than the CFL bulbs.

• LED lights emit less heat and a specific color temperature light to customize the prime growth rates.

• HPS- These lamps are best for the flowering stages of the plants as they emit intense light.

• Compact fluorescents- These lights are less efficient than the others. But they are excellent for smaller growing spaces as they emit less heat.

• Metal Halide Lamps- These lamps emit the blue spectrum that is needed in vegetative growth.

Ventilation

After setting lights, you need to think of proper ventilation. In small growing spaces, two fans are sufficient, but bigger spaces need more to circulate the room’s air. You’ll need some carbon dioxide for th eplants to breath, so they ofetn do well sharing a home with many family members.

Temperature and Humidity

The optimum temperature for auto-flowering plants to grow is 24°C-30°C. These plants need 70% humidity at the early stages and 40% in the flowering stages. Too high humidity increases the chance of growing fungus, whereas too low humidity hampers plant respiration.

Pot Size

Use medium-sized pots since small pots decrease production, and large pots are hard to handle and waste a lot of growing medium.

To Conclude

Auto-flowers can be an incredible addition to a grower’s repertoire. Though they don’t allow for huge yields, there is a lot to do to take most indoor auto-flowers.