Autoflowering plants perform best when they receive plenty of bright light. Don’t grow your plants on a window sill, grow them outdoors in sun-drenched gardens or balconies. For optimal results, you’ll want to expose your plants to at least 18 hours of light a day for the entirety of their natural life cycle. But don’t worry too much about a perfect 18/6 light cycle, expose your autoflowering plants to 2-3 months of warm, sunny weather and they’ll thrive.
If you live in cooler climates with short summers, choose hardy autoflower strains with high resistance to temperature fluctuations, moisture, moulds and pests. Those living in warmer climates with longer summers can achieve multiple harvests a year.
Time it Right
You could start growing as early as the beginning of spring, but because autoflowering cannabis plants bloom automatically, keep in mind that the clock starts ticking as soon as seeds are germinated. Post-germination it will take 8-12 weeks to harvest, depending on the strain. You’re looking at around a month (4 weeks) of vegetative growth before your plants start blooming automatically, regardless of the light cycle. You’ll want to time the vegetative state and flowering stage to coincide with the brightest, warmest summer months for the optimal yields, height and potency.
Container Size
For successful cultivation, give your plants a healthy start. Grow them in organic soil. Sow them directly into their final containers; preferably 10 – 20L containers with plenty of drainage holes. A good rule of thumb is approximately 7.5L for every 30 cm of height. Check the strain’s specifications, so you’re aware of at what height your plant will max out.
Smaller pots are not suitable for some of the newer, larger XXL autoflowering strains. Speed of growth depends on the autoflowering strain. Some will achieve a height of around 30 cm in just 2 short weeks, with continuously accelerated growth spurts as time goes on, up to their final height. Others tend to gain height gradually.
Optimal Temperature and Humidity
The optimal temperature range for autoflowering plants in the initial vegetative state , which lasts around 30 days, is between 20- 25 degrees Celsius with relative humidity between 50-70%.
As soon as pistils (white hairs) start to appear, it’ll take around another 45-60 days before plants are ready for harvest. At this stage, temperatures should be around 20- 28 degrees Celsius with a lower humidity range between 40 to 60%. A few scattered higher temperature days won’t hurt your plants, as long as you don’t leave them sitting in the scorching summer sun.
General timeline for growing autoflowering strains outdoors in the Netherlands
- April: Buy/order seeds online
- Mid/End of May: Germinate autoflowering seeds. Sow seeds now to time their growth and flowering with the warmest, brightest summer days. Place seedlings outdoors, there’s little to no chance of night frost. They’ll be ready for harvest mid-August.
- June: Your autoflowering plants are growing quickly. First signs of flowering, depending on the strain.
- July: Bud production is in high gear.
- August: If you germinated your seeds mid-May, your plants will likely be ready for harvest.
Harvest and Cure
Check if your plants are ready for harvest. Use a portable microscope to inspect the bud.
- Are the trichomes transparent? Let the plant continue blooming for a while longer. Check daily.
- Are the trichomes white? THC levels are optimal; it’s time for harvest.
- Are the trichomes brown? You waited too long, THC levels are degrading. Harvest now.
Don’t have a microscope? There are three indicators to look for. Keep in mind, this method is not as accurate as using a portable microscope.
- At least 80% of the bud’s hairy pistils are brownish amber in colour and shrivelled up.
- Buds are thick and compact
- Some of the leaves are yellow at the edges.
Ready for harvest? Remove the biggest leaves by hand. Cut the stem, hang plants upside down in a dark place at room temperature, allow for fresh airflow. Once dry, the branches will snap when you bend them. Drying will take around 10 days.
Time to cure! Pick off the buds and place them in glass containers like jars. Fill the containers about 2/3 and close the lid. Place the containers in a dark spot, like a cupboard. In the first two weeks check the jar daily for mould and mildew. Stir the contents, allow the glass jar to air out and put the lid back on. After around 2 weeks the buds will be cured. The longer you cure, the smoother the smoke and the better the taste.
