Autoflowering vs "Normal" strains

nlogzen

New Member
Hey everybody! I'm starting my first indoor grow, and I have a few questions about differences between autoflowering strains and normal strains...

So I basically have 3-3.5 months to complete my grow and harvest. To avoid cutting it close, I decided to purchase seeds of the autoflowering variety that are "guaranteed" to be ready to harvest within 70-90 days after germination.

I know that by forcing plants to flower, most indoor ops can also typically finish in around 4 months or so. In addition, I've read in some topics that autoflowering strains typically aren't as potent/enjoyable as "normal" ones.

My question: is it a better idea (taking into account quality of bud) to have an autoflowering strain that I _know_ will be ripe within the time I have, or to grow a normal strain, force it to flower after 4 weeks vegging, and _hope_ that it'll be ready within the time I have (8 weeks flowering)?

At this point I'm simply curious as I will most likely be doing grows constrained by a similar timeframe in the future. Thanks for reading!
 
Hey everybody! I'm starting my first indoor grow, and I have a few questions about differences between autoflowering strains and normal strains...

So I basically have 4.5 months to complete my grow and harvest. To avoid cutting it close, I decided to purchase seeds of the autoflowering variety that are "guaranteed" to be ready to harvest within 70-90 days after germination.

I know that by forcing plants to flower, most indoor ops can also typically finish in around 4 months or so. In addition, I've read in some topics that autoflowering strains typically aren't as potent/enjoyable as "normal" ones.

My question: is it a better idea (taking into account quality of bud) to have an autoflowering strain that I _know_ will be ripe within the time I have, or to grow a normal strain, force it to flower after 4 weeks vegging, and _hope_ that it'll be ready within the time I have (8 weeks flowering)?

At this point I'm simply curious as I will most likely be doing grows constrained by a similar timeframe in the future. Thanks for reading!
Using a normal strain with seven weeks from seed to flower.Ten weeks to flower. You'll be smoking by 18 weeks it looks like so I think you've answered your own question....LOL.....:welcome:
 
Not to disagree completely with Ledtester I would depend in my oppin that it depends on your level of exp and your lighting and nutrients. If your a beginner with not much equipment or lights or nutes, you may find the autoflowers more forgiving if its your first round and your a little underbudget but if you have the right equipment lights and nutes then vegging and flowering a normal strain should be an option. If you have any more details about the grow add them in and I could give ya more of a solid answer. :welcome:
 
There are plenty of strains that have flowering periods closer to eight weeks. Blue Dream, GDP, Hindu Skunk, and Querkle come to mind as being right around 8-9 weeks of flowering. Odyssey is supposed to be ~7-8 weeks and I'm growing some Kryptonite right now that is claimed to be 7-8 as well. You should be able to veg a bunch of smaller plants for 4-5 weeks and move to flowering with time to spare.

The best advice I can give is to pick up some clones if you can find them. They will be more productive in a four week veg period and should flower right on time since clones are generally sexually mature before veging has finished.

If you already bought autoflowering seeds I'd stick with that. Give them some tlc and I'm sure you'll get a good crop.
 
I think my point is 4 1/2 months is lots of time for most strains so your choice is up to you since the concern seemed to be quality and potency.:peace:
 
I think my point is 4 1/2 months is lots of time for most strains so your choice is up to you since the concern seemed to be quality and potency.:peace:
Your really right Ledtester I was just considering more were he said he already bought auto seeds that and he was a new member that this grow the autos might be best but also as he stated in the future he wants to structure the grow around the same time frame so with that in mind then your right that a normal strain can be grown and harvested with time to spare for sure. I just was not sure what equipment , room , etc that might being used. So all the above info is good info.
 
Wow, thanks for the fast responses. This is good to know for the future. And indeed, I'll be sticking with the AFs I ordered. I will love them to life!

Upon examining the dates more carefully, I realized that 4.5 months is extremely idealistic. I will probably have closer to 3 months to 3.5 months. Sorry about that. (edited the first post accordingly)

For those interested:

I ordered feminized Easy Ryder seeds.

Setup
I'm using a 400w HPS + 400w MH. I'll be growing in a small basement room. I've already made a soil mix (using some recipes I found online as a basis) and I'll definitely be watering w/ nutes after 3-4 weeks (probably using the famous Fox Farms trio). Lastly, I have a CO2 tank + regulator/emitter I'll be using to help the plants along.
 
Wow, thanks for the fast responses. This is good to know for the future. And indeed, I'll be sticking with the AFs I ordered. I will love them to life!

Upon examining the dates more carefully, I realized that 4.5 months is extremely idealistic. I will probably have closer to 3.5 months to 4 months. Sorry about that. (edited the first post accordingly)

For those interested:

I ordered feminized Easy Ryder seeds.

Setup
I'm using a 400w HPS + 400w MH. I'll be growing in a small basement room. I've already made a soil mix (using some recipes I found online as a basis) and I'll definitely be watering w/ nutes after 3-4 weeks (probably using the famous Fox Farms trio). Lastly, I have a CO2 tank + regulator/emitter I'll be using to help the plants along.
easyryders are great and if your confind to one single grow area in a basement I would definately stick too the autos but only if at some point your going to try and make your own seed lot because ordering easyryder in any large amount of seed say 30 is very expensive so you could buy reg easyryder if its available but ive only seen the fem'd seeds. If you want to get ahold of me check out my profile and I could help ya out with some detailed info on how to make your own fem'd seed so you dont have to keep buying them. And I would also go with a 18/6 lighting schedule not the recommended 20/4 past 18 hours on/6 off you really get diminishing returns from what Ive seen first hand I actually normally grow Easyryder at 18/6 and then go to 16/8 when they start showing sex when using HID lighting to flower them. The recommended 20/4 regime is more for people using lesser than optimal lighting techs and need the xtra photon energy from such a long light regimen to get tight buds. Using HPS/MH combo the 18/6 or 16/8 would probably serve your purposes better.
 
Hah thanks cafghanica/ledtester, I realized I must suck at arithmetic at night. May 20 to August 20 is how much time I have, give or take 1-2 weeks. That's about 3 - 3.5 months, right?

Anyways, since ledtester keeps saying I've answered my own question, I suppose that means I should just stick with AFs unless I can squeeze in another whole month.
 
Hah thanks cafghanica/ledtester, I realized I must suck at arithmetic at night. May 20 to August 20 is how much time I have, give or take 1-2 weeks. That's about 3 - 3.5 months, right?

Anyways, since ledtester keeps saying I've answered my own question, I suppose that means I should just stick with AFs unless I can squeeze in another whole month.
np bro but if you have anymore questions about the easyryders feel free to ask Ive got a good bit of exp with them. And don't let anyone discourage ya from asking questions.
 
Awesome thread. I've been wondering about others experiences with autoflowers. I'm growing an auto LR #2 as well as an auto AK-47 along with some bagseed. I've heard mixed opinions and reviews, but in the end I hear you get a solid smoke, a decent yield and its often a hardy plant. Depending on the AF strain you can get varying flowering times though (the LR and AK were planted within 2 days of each other yet the LR is almost double the size of the AK).

Anyhow gotta love this website and its members (that means YOU!)

+rep to all
 
Hah thanks cafghanica/ledtester, I realized I must suck at arithmetic at night. May 20 to August 20 is how much time I have, give or take 1-2 weeks. That's about 3 - 3.5 months, right?

Anyways, since ledtester keeps saying I've answered my own question, I suppose that means I should just stick with AFs unless I can squeeze in another whole month.

don't be afraid to ask questions bro...I'm just pointing out you have already made up your mind on what your asking and you math is fine,,,you have a 3 month period which makes alot of difference.
 
I dont know what strains you know but most strains need around 3 months from seed to harvest

1Week seedlings the rest to 1 month veg and 2 months flower(all max)

Autoflower Strains like GreenOmatic need around 55 days from seed to harvest..and there are some from paradise seeds that do the trick as well

:peacetwo:
 
Autos and growing from seed are a big time pain in the ass. Get some clones, veg them for 5 or 6 weeks and flower them for 9 or 10 weeks. There you go.
 
Hey everybody! I'm starting my first indoor grow, and I have a few questions about differences between autoflowering strains and normal strains...

So I basically have 3-3.5 months to complete my grow and harvest. To avoid cutting it close, I decided to purchase seeds of the autoflowering variety that are "guaranteed" to be ready to harvest within 70-90 days after germination.

I know that by forcing plants to flower, most indoor ops can also typically finish in around 4 months or so. In addition, I've read in some topics that autoflowering strains typically aren't as potent/enjoyable as "normal" ones.

My question: is it a better idea (taking into account quality of bud) to have an autoflowering strain that I _know_ will be ripe within the time I have, or to grow a normal strain, force it to flower after 4 weeks vegging, and _hope_ that it'll be ready within the time I have (8 weeks flowering)?

At this point I'm simply curious as I will most likely be doing grows constrained by a similar timeframe in the future. Thanks for reading!
U won't have to force w auto to flower they all will start to show pistols around days 27-30 preflower stretch last two weeks then into full flower
 
Heard that man I didn't no he been in it that long
It's cool...I can see your excited about autos....got anything growing? Start a journal and post some pics!!

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