With a smaller size, more robust build, and short maturity- autoflowering hemp seeds are perfect for amateur cultivators. If cannabis cultivation is legal in your state, you should consider getting these plants as they provide numerous harvests a year while being easier to rear. In addition to these, here are some things you should know about autoflowering hemp seeds.
Autoflowering CBD Seeds Features
All autoflowering seed variants have the Ruderalis cannabis species as their origin variety. This hemp is known for its low THC content, a quality that gets passed on to all autoflowering seeds. Aside from this, the main features of these seeds are
Higher Resistance
Autoflowering hemp seeds are perfect for beginner cultivators who lack sufficient knowledge of hemp culture. Even if you know little about factors like soil requirements, temperature, and humidity ranges, you can rear this plant without much problem.
The ruderalis gene is responsible for this hardiness in autoflowering hemp plants. Not only are these plants more resilient to fungi, pests, and infections, but they are also able to bear much colder temperatures than other hemp variants.
Indoor Cultivation
Due to their short stature, these hemp seeds are best suited for indoor cultivation. Unlike industrial and feminized hemp, autoflowering hemp plants have a limited height, ranging from 3 to 5 feet. This size makes it perfect for greenhouse culture. You can even easily grow these plants within your home as it takes up minimum room and does not require constant care.
Production of Autoflowering CBD Seeds
The best autoflowering CBD seeds are produced by cross-breeding cannabis Sativa or cannabis indica strains with the ruderalis variety. The last is a hardy, wild hemp variety native to Asia and Eastern Europe, particularly Russia. Unlike Sativa and indica, these plants rely not on sunlight but their biological age to flower.
By combining the individual benefits of each variant, autoflowering plants are produced. These have high yields and rely on their biological age to flower. However, ruderalis are also known to produce low yields, making them unprofitable to cultivate.
Terpenes Profile of Autoflowering CBD Seeds
Most of the flavor in CBD use comes from the presence of terpenes. Though much of the CBD smell and taste is dominated by the terpene myrcene's musky, earthy flavor, there are many variants of autoflowering seeds where other terpenes take precedent. Some of the most distinct of these compounds found in autoflowering CBD plants are
- Caryophyllene: This terpene is known for its spicy, clove-like smell. They are also present in rosemary and hops and have the potential to help treat anxiety.
- Humulene: This is another aromatic terpene, popularly found in ginseng, known for its strengthening properties.
- Limonene: It is known for its signature lemon-like smell. This terpene is the most widespread variant in cannabis plants and has applications as an anti-acne substance.
Advantages of Autoflowering CBD Strains
For an amateur cultivator, autoflowering CBD seeds can be a huge boon. Being more robust than feminized variants, they possess the following advantages;
Light Tolerant
Heat and light play a crucial role in hemp plant maturity, and autoflowering seeds are no different. Unlike these modified variants, they do not need specific amounts of light and darkness to mature property. However, it is more tolerant to light than feminized CBD seeds.
When you grow autoflowering seeds, you do not need to maintain the 16/8 and 12/12 light/dark division required in feminized seeds. The photoperiod for these seeds is not required, making them convenient to rear.
Shorter Growing Period
One of the best features of autoflowering seeds is their short growing period. While conventional hemp takes around four months to mature, these plants get designed to germinate from seed to flowering plants in only over 8 or 9 weeks.
Such a quality gives you the ability to have more than one harvest season a year. This number can go up to four and even six harvests annually.
Compact Size
Unlike industrial hemp, which can grow up to 16 feet, plants grown from autoflowering seeds have a compact size. If you are looking to rear cannabis plants for personal use, you cannot do better than these, as the maximum height for autoflowering variants is approximately 4 to 5 feet.
Autoflowering hemp can weather colder temperatures better than feminized varieties. These plants take up less space, making them easier to rear. In addition, they are also more resistant to diseases and changes in the weather.
Tips to Grow Autoflowering CBD Seeds
Even though autoflowering is a hard plant, it can always do with a little help. To ensure the proper growth of your hemp, here are some tips you can follow.
Proper Drainage
Compact, dry soil can mean trouble for your hemp plants. Though they are hardy, even autoflwering hemp seeds will not thrive under conditions. To rear a healthy crop, you must ensure that the soil is well drained and that the earth is not packed too tightly together.
When watering, the force of the flow should not disturb the plant roots. For this reason, you should opt for a continuous, slow system like drip irrigation.
Indoor Germination
Because of its stature, autoflowering hemp is meant to be an indoor plant. They thrive in greenhouses and indoor facilities. If you want to ensure a healthy plant, the germination process is essential. Autoflowering hemp seed plants, in particular, can benefit from the added protection of indoor germination.
This method allows you to provide the germinating seedling with the best possible conditions in temperature, humidity, light, and soil nutrients.
Soil Preparation
As a variant of the hardy ruderalis subspecies of cannabis, autoflowering hemp plants can grow under tough conditions. However, like all plants, adding nitrogen-rich organic fertilizers can help boost crop health. Checking the soil before planting also ensures you can get rid of any potassium and phosphate in the ground.
As for the transplanting, you should always ensure that the depth is within 1 inch. This precaution is necessary because any contact between the hemp stem and the soil may cause it to rot.
Conclusion
Suppose you want to get a taste of hemp culture. From their convenient size to their hardy composition, autoflowering hemp seeds are a no-brainer. Those passionate about rearing hemp can consult with expert cultivators on whether a feminized hemp seed or a feminized autoflowering hemp seed suit would suit them best.
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