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3.2 Autoflower vs. Photoperiod Plants
One of the most important choices for a beginner grower is whether to use an autoflower or a photoperiod plant. The difference lies in how they are triggered to flower.
To Light Or Not to Light
Photoperiod Plants:
These are the traditional cannabis plants. Their life cycle is dictated by light. They will remain in the vegetative (growth) stage as long as they receive more than 12 hours of light per day. To trigger flowering, you must switch the light cycle to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness.
Pros: You have complete control over the vegetative stage, allowing you to grow a larger plant and achieve a greater yield.
Cons: They take longer to complete their life cycle and are more sensitive to light leaks during the flowering stage.
Autoflower Plants:
These plants automatically transition from the vegetative stage to flowering after a set period of time (usually 3-4 weeks), regardless of the light cycle.
Pros: Much faster to harvest (typically 75-100 days from seed), more forgiving of light schedule mistakes, and stay a smaller, more manageable size.
Cons: Have a smaller yield potential due to their size and cannot be cloned.
Fast Flowering:
These strains are a specific type of hybrid, often bred with some ruderalis genetics to reduce flowering time without compromising the quality of the final product.
Traits: While not true autoflowers, they have a shorter flowering period than most photoperiods, often finishing in just 6-7 weeks. This makes them an excellent choice for growers who want a quick turnaround but still want the size and control of a photoperiod.
Making the Choice: Photoperiod vs. Autoflower
With so many options, deciding between these two can be overwhelming. Here are a few simple pointers to help you make the right choice for your first grow:
- Choose Photoperiods if...
- You have a larger grow space and want to maximize your yield per plant.
- You want to learn and practice advanced training techniques like topping, mainlining, or SCROG.
- You plan to take clones from your plants for future grows.
- You are interested in breeding or pheno hunting for unique traits.
- Choose Autoflowers if...
- Your grow space is limited, or you need a fast turnaround.
- You want a simple, straightforward grow with a pre-set timeline.
- You want to harvest multiple crops in a single outdoor season.
- You are growing in a location where light leaks or maintaining a perfect dark cycle is difficult.
- Can You Grow Them Together?
- Yes. If you are going to be growing, having a dedicated flower space and a separate veg space is going to be how you do it, and this provides an excellent setup to run both if the space allows. While it is more complicated and requires more thought, it is a viable strategy for a perpetual harvest. It's important to note that autoflowers can be more difficult at times to grow due to their lack of a separate veg period. This gives you little room for error or time to recover from mistakes.
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