Automatic Seeds grow is becoming increasingly popular with both experienced and novice growers. Why is that? Quite simply, autoflowering plants flower on their own without the need to manually set them into flowering.
In this blog post, we will clarify the benefits of automatic seeds and give you valuable tips and information for a successful autoflowering grow. Whether you're an experienced grower looking for new challenges or just starting out in the world of cannabis cultivation, you've come to the right place if you want to learn more about automatic seeds!
Nevertheless, we would like to point out that we generally recommend feminized seeds for growing in a Bonsanto Mini Growbox. There is a simple reason for this: you can get better results with feminized seeds than with autoflowers.
Table of contents
What are Automatic Seeds?
Automatic Seeds, also known as autoflower seeds, are cannabis seeds that start flowering automatically. Unlike other cannabis seeds, Automatic Seeds go into the flowering phase automatically and completely independent of the light cycle. Therefore, the seeds are characterized by easy cultivation, which is why they are very popular especially among grow beginners.
This automatic flowering is achieved by genetically combining Cannabis ruderalis, a wild and autoflowering cannabis strain, with Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica. This cross allows growers to combine the autoflowering trait with other traits such as flavor and resin production.
Automatic Seeds have made growing cannabis easier for amateur gardeners. Since the seeds flower regardless of light duration, they can be grown at any time of the year, both indoors and outdoors. Autoflowers also have a faster growing and flowering time compared to regular seeds, which means the plants are usually ready to harvest sooner.
Automatic Seeds vs. reguläre Cannabis-Samen?
There are several differences between Automatic Seeds and other cannabis seeds.
The main difference lies in the flowering time. Regular cannabis seeds require a certain number of light hours to transition from the vegetative phase to the flowering phase. This usually happens when you reduce the light duration from 18 hours to 12 hours per day when growing indoors. Automatic Seeds, on the other hand, flower automatically, regardless of the light duration. They enter the flowering phase after a certain number of weeks, resulting in an overall shorter growing and flowering time.
Moreover, regular cannabis plants have a tendency to grow larger than Autoflowers, for example the Sativa-dominant species. Automatic Seeds, on the other hand, tend to stay smaller and more compact. This makes them ideal for growers who have limited space or want to grow discreetly and unobtrusively.
As mentioned earlier, Automatic Seeds have a shorter growing time due to automatic flowering. In most cases, they take between 8 and 12 weeks from seed to harvest, while regular seeds can take longer, depending on the variety and growing conditions.
Normally, cannabis seeds require careful control of light conditions to manage the transition into the flowering phase. Thus, you need a timer for this or have to adjust the lighting manually. With Automatic Seeds, this is not necessary, because they bloom regardless of the light duration. This saves you time and effort.
Automatic seeds tend to have a lower yield because the plants are smaller, but automatic strains can still produce high-yielding harvests, especially if you pay attention to the optimal growing conditions. Also, most autoflowers are perfect for using growing techniques such as ScrOG, which can maximize your yields.
Vorteile der Verwendung von Automatic Seeds?
Using Automatic Seeds offers a variety of benefits for growing cannabis. These benefits make the seeds a popular choice of both novice and experienced growers.
The first advantage that can be mentioned is the robust genetics of Autoflowers. Autoflower plants forgive many novice mistakes and are hardy, which is why they are less susceptible to pests and other cannabis diseases. Therefore, unlike some other varieties, they can cope with neglect.
Automatic Seeds are also easier to grow and require less monitoring. They are ideal for beginners or people who have little experience growing cannabis. Since the plants flower automatically, you don't need to monitor light conditions or control the light cycle.
Automatic Seeds have a shorter growing and flowering time compared to regular seeds. They can usually be harvested within 8 to 12 weeks after germination. This shortens your waiting time for harvest.
Due to their compactness, Automatic Seeds are well suited for discreet cultivation. They tend to stay smaller, which is especially beneficial if your growing is done in confined spaces or you want to grow inconspicuously. If you want it even more discreet, we recommend growing in one of our Bonsanto grow boxes. For a discreet indoor grow, our boxes in case designare especially suitable. These are available in sizes M, L and XL. If you prefer to grow outdoors, check out our Bonsanto Grow box XS or Bonsanto Outdoor Grow box . If you have a Bonsanto growbox, we would still recommend you to use feminized seeds instead of Automatic Seeds, as this will give you a higher yielding crop.
Autoflowers also have the advantage that they can be grown all year round and at any time of the year, as their growth is not dependent on the duration of light. So with Automatic Seeds you are more flexible and can grow both indoors and outdoors around the year. This flexibility allows you to get multiple harvests per year.
Automatic Seeds are often developed by experienced breeders to ensure high stability of genetics. This means that the plants will give you consistent results in terms of growth, flowering time and yield. Moreover, there is a wide selection of high-quality automatic strains on the market, so there is something for almost every grower!
Automatic Seed varieties for your grow
There are several automatic seeds that are suitable for your home grow. Which variety is best for you depends on your preferences and also growing conditions. Autoflowers that have a higher indica content develop few shoots, so you need to cut back less when growing. Autoflowers with a higher sativa content, on the other hand, produce more shoots and are suitable for the ScrOG method. You should always keep in mind that the availability of certain strains can vary depending on the region. Here are four automatic seed strains that might be of interest to you:
Northern Lights Automatic: This strain is an autoflowering version of the classic Northern Lights and features a strong indica effect, a short flowering time of about 9-10 weeks and a high resin production.
Amnesia Haze Automatic: An autoflowering version of the legendary Amnesia Haze strain. It offers a strong sativa high, has a flowering time of about 10-11 weeks and is characterized by its lemony taste and intense aroma.
Blueberry Automatic: This strain offers you a sweet and fruity taste of the original Blueberry strain in an autoflowering version. It has a short flowering time of about 8-9 weeks and produces a relaxing indica effect.
Girl Scout Cookies Automatic: An autoflowering version of the popular strain Girl Scout Cookies. It is characterized by its sweet aroma, high THC content and a flowering time of about 9-10 weeks.
Ideale Anbaubedingungen für Automatic Seeds?
What is the ideal growing environment for your autoflowering plant depends primarily on your chosen strain and your desired results. Therefore, always find out in advance about the specific conditions of your seeds.
Light exposure
Basically, however, it can be said that although Automatic Seeds start to flower automatically, they still need sufficient light to grow healthily. Since Autoflowers do not respond to light when it comes to flowering, you can choose how long you want to leave the light on. To make sure your plant gets enough light, we recommend about 18-24 hours of light per day. For indoor grow, you should get a high quality LED plant lamp.
Temperature
The ideal temperature for Automatic Seeds is usually between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius during the day and between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius during the night. It is important that you try to avoid extreme temperature fluctuations, as this can affect the growth of your plant. As with any other cannabis strain, good ventilation and air circulation is important to reduce the risk of mold growth.
Watering
Since Automatic Seeds have a fast life cycle, they may need to be watered more frequently than other cannabis strains. Nevertheless, they require smaller amounts of water than photoperiod strains because they have a smaller root system. So always make sure that the soil does not get too dry or too wet. You should avoid over- and under-watering your autoflower. If you are more interested in the topic of proper watering, check out our blog post "Watering cannabis-Everything you should know".
Humidity
The ideal humidity varies depending on the stage of development of your plants. During the vegetative phase, humidity should be between 50 and 70 percent. During the flowering stage, humidity can be lowered to 40-50 percent to reduce the risk of mold growth. Use a hygrometer to monitor humidity and make sure your plants receive adequate ventilation. If you are growing in a Bonsanto grow box, you can do without a hygrometer! The Bonsanto Grow components are all matched to provide an ideal growing environment and eliminate the need to use meters.
Fertiliser
Additionally, you can support the growth of your autoflowers with nutrients. Choose a fertilizer that has been specially developed for growing cannabis and always follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage first and foremost. If you are still looking for a fertilizer for your Automatic Seeds, you can find the "Organic Boost" fertilizer in our store. Note that Autoflowers need less nutrients than photoperiod varieties due to their size. We advise to use half of the manufacturer's recommended dosage for Autoflowers and always check how your plant reacts to the fertilizer.
Grow Medium
Automatic Seeds can be grown in different growing media. Popular grow media for autoflowers include soil, coco fiber or hydroponics.
Automatic Seeds Indoor
If you want to grow your autoflower indoors, there are a few growing conditions you should look out for.
Make sure you have a suitable room that is suitable for growing cannabis. Choose a room with sufficient ventilation to ensure air circulation. However, it is best to get a grow box for indoor growing, because in this you can best control the growing conditions and create a good environment for the growth of your plant.
LED lamps are the best choice for lighting your autoflower plant. LED lamps are efficient, inexpensive and emit less heat than other lamps, which protects your plant from burns.
Good ventilation is also crucial for indoor growing to control temperature and humidity. Get a Fan and an Activated carbon filter to provide fresh air and reduce odors. Alternatively, you can purchase a Bonsanto Growbox Complete Set. This already includes an activated carbon filter and a fan.
Automatic Seeds Outdoor
For outdoor growing of Automatic Seeds, here are some important growing conditions you should consider.
If you want to grow outdoors, you should choose a variety that is suitable for the climate in your region. Automatic seeds are usually hardy and can be grown in different climates. However, be aware of the specific temperature and humidity requirements of your chosen strain. It is best if the climate is mild and there is sufficient sunlight.
Choose a sunny location to grow your cannabis plant. The plants need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day to grow healthy. Make sure your location is protected from strong winds and offers good ventilation.
Even though Automatic Seeds are robust, you should take care to protect your plants from pests such as slugs, insects or rodents when growing outdoors. You can use natural pest control products for this purpose. Regular inspections will help you to detect and treat problems and pests at an early stage.
Tips for choosing high quality Automatic Seeds
When choosing quality automatic seeds for cultivation, it is important that you pay attention to certain factors. Here are some tips that will help you distinguish good seeds from bad.
We recommend that you always buy automatic seeds from reputable and trustworthy seed banks. It is best to do some research in advance to get information about the reliability, reputation and customer reviews of the seed banks.
Look for stable genetics and high quality in the seeds. High quality automatic seeds should have reliable and consistent genetic traits. Therefore, read through the product descriptions and look for information about strain stability, potency, yield, and other traits that are important to you.
To get fresh seeds with a high germination rate, you can check the production and sales data of the seeds. Also information about storage can show you if the seeds are fresh, because in case of wrong storage the quality of the seeds can be affected.
Also look for recommendations and reviews from other growers. Especially forums, online communities and social media can be good sources for feedback and experiences.
Check if the sperm bank offers additional services such as shipping discretion, germination guarantees or replacement in case of problems. These factors can influence your purchase decision and provide you with additional security.
Step by step guide for growing Automatic Seeds
Here we explain step-by-step how to grow Automatic Seeds. If you are growing in one of our Bonsanto grow boxes, please follow our growing instructions on our website. You can find it here.
Step 1: Preparation of grow
Choose a suitable growing location, either indoor or outdoor, depending on your preferences and capabilities.
Set up your grow location. Make sure you have the necessary grow supplies such as lighting, ventilation, pots/containers, soil or growing medium.
Clean and sterilize the growing site to minimize the risk of pests or diseases.
Step 2: Germination of Automatic Seeds
Place your selected Automatic Seeds in a glass of water, a damp paper towel or directly into the grow medium to initiate the germination process. More info about germination can be found in the article "Germinate hemp seeds”.
After a few days, the seeds should germinate and form roots.
Step 3: Grow medium
Once the seeds have germinated and developed roots, the seeds can be transplanted into larger pots or containers with good drainage. If you germinated the seed directly in the medium, you can save this step.
Use high quality soil such as Premium soil or a suitable growing medium that is rich in nutrients.
Step 4: Care for your autoflower
Make sure that your plants get enough light. For indoor growing, you should use appropriate lighting such as an LED lamp. For outdoor growing, make sure the plants get enough sunlight.
Water your plants regularly and keep the soil moist, but not too wet. Be careful not to overwater to avoid waterlogging.
Step 5: Harvesting and drying of autoflower plants
As with regular cannabis plants, check the trichomes (resinous glands on the flowers) regularly to determine the optimal time to harvest. The trichomes should be milky or amber when the plant is ready for harvest.
After harvesting, hang the plants upside down in a cool, dark and well-ventilated place to dry.
ScrOG for growing Automatic Seeds
The SCROG method, also known as Screen of Green, is a popular technique that can be used for both photoperiod and autoflowering seeds. It allows maximum use of space and optimal light distribution to increase the yield and quality of buds. Simply install a net or Srog grid over the plants to create a horizontal plane on which to support the shoots. You then weave the shoots through the grid or net to achieve an even surface and distribution.
Automatic Seeds at a glance
- Automatic Seeds go into the flowering phase by themselves and are characterized by an easy grow
- Autoflowers are known for their compact size and short life cycle
- They have robust genetics and can be grown around the year
- Which autoflowering variety is best for you depends on your preferences and growing conditions
- The plants need sufficient light, but smaller amounts of water and fertilizer compared to regular hemp varieties
- Buy Automatic Seeds from trusted seed banks and go by reviews and grow forums
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