Why Would You NOT Grow Autoflowers? — The Commitment-Shy Hobbyist

Nonagronomist

Well-Known Member
I'm in my first grow since back in the dark ages, when it was really, really illegal and my seed stock was probably as potent as the Crate & Barrel rug I currently have on my front step.

Now, of course, we have 21st Century genetics, and you can select from hundreds of different strains, each with its own unique characteristics. We also have 21st Century impatience, which means waiting forever — and most particularly delaying gratification — is not something people are willing to do.

Enter the AUTOFLOWER, the perfect choice for the indifferent gardener whose thumbs are neither green nor black.

Autoflowers' small size makes them particularly suited for outdoor growth when you have neighbors (I conceal mine behind the dandelions, which are bigger and more showy). And autoflowers' relative simplicity of care (plant, water, wait) meets my criterion of a hobby that's not too demanding.

I predict that as legal grows become the norm, the hobby cannabis growing market will center around outdoor autoflowers — because they're just so easy. Indoor grows will become the provenence of the extreme hobbyist, but every Jill and Jane will be able to brand their own home-grown from that plot right next to the tomatoes and zucchini.

People look askance at autoflowers' yield, because they're so tiny. I've personally only harvested two plants (I have 8 under way, each about 10 days apart from germination) and my dried/cured weight was a little over an ounce each. That's not a whole bunch, but an ounce of equivalent-quality weed would cost $300 from the local dispensary. And once you amortize your seed, equipment and consumables, it becomes effectively free.

There will always be the high achievers and the purists who will pursue indoor grows and the successful raising of cannabis forests with non-autoflower varieties that get 20 feet tall. And then there will be the pros who supply the dispensaries and recreational sales outlets.

But the day will come (and soon now) when Joe Average — remembering his old man's tales of youthful excesses decades ago — who be buying an all-in-one grow kit (just add water!) from Home Depot.
 

kindnug

Well-Known Member
Your local dispensary must not have the real clone only elites if you can compare autoflower buds to theirs...

I've grown auto's, so I know their quality or lack of.
Extra leafy buds + although some taste good, they're all weak in comparison to what MY local dispensary carries.
 

Resinhound

Well-Known Member
I know you do, I was bein a smart ass, my bad. Just never smoked one that did it for me, hell I've yet to smoke ant disp weed that does it for me
It's OK Rm3, it's just people don't realize how far autos have come since they were first introduced. Breeders have done good work on this project. For me autos aren't better or easier than photosensitive plants, it's just a different style. I guess I just enjoy getting the most out of these little things, it's quite the different challenge if you really want to push them to excel.
 

Nonagronomist

Well-Known Member
Your local dispensary must not have the real clone only elites if you can compare autoflower buds to theirs...

I've grown auto's, so I know their quality or lack of.
Extra leafy buds + although some taste good, they're all weak in comparison to what MY local dispensary carries.
I haven't done an assay on my paltry two plants, but subjectively they seem nearly as potent (but different, since I harvested before amber trichomes) as mid-shelf buds that are advertised at ~15% THC/THCA. As I said, this is my first grow in a very long time, and when I did it before there were no such things as autoflowers, so I'm learning new things and unlearning old things every day.
 

Nonagronomist

Well-Known Member
Autoflowering seeds come from somewhere.

Not being able to clone is a disadvantage for sure.
I'm thinking of it from a marketing perspective. Here in California, we'll probably pass our recreational initiative in November, and while the pro growers are going to grab the bulk of the market, I can't see hobbyist growers ever going way.

So people who say "Damn, it's legal now. I wanna grow something" — are going to need to start somewhere. And what could be better than an autoflower that will produce at least something for all but the most inept gardeners? Large, photoperiod-dependent plants are likely to frustrate duffers. Indoor is a bridge too far for most newbies. Which is why I think Home Depot will be selling "Home Potting Kits" that you only have to stick out in the back yard and water occasionally.
 

RM3

Well-Known Member
Here in California, we'll probably pass our recreational initiative in November,
DEA is gonna kill that in August when they reschedule, they are sayin it will end recreational on a federal level

The reclassification would force Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington DC — which have have made cannabis legal for recreational use — to revert to prescription-only cannabis status, the DEA lawyer suggested.

http://anewdomain.net/2016/06/19/dea-making-prescription-cannabis-legal-across-us-report-claims-breaking/
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Autoflowering seeds come from somewhere.

Not being able to clone is a disadvantage for sure.
They can of course be bred but the methods used don't offer the same potential and breeding takes a long time to get a stable and fire strain. Essentially I don't keep or use anything that's under 20% so autos just don't cut it, at least anything I've smoked. To each their own though, I'm just not an auto or shortcut guy when it comes to breeding.
 

Nonagronomist

Well-Known Member
DEA is gonna kill that in August when they reschedule, they are sayin it will end recreational on a federal level

The reclassification would force Colorado, Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Washington DC — which have have made cannabis legal for recreational use — to revert to prescription-only cannabis status, the DEA lawyer suggested.

http://anewdomain.net/2016/06/19/dea-making-prescription-cannabis-legal-across-us-report-claims-breaking/
The California initiative (and other states') will continue steamrolling along, will become State law, and will send the Fed a hearty bite-me-gram. And then they'll thrash it out. The genie is out of the bottle, and the incoming president is going to have more urgent things to worry about.
 

kindnug

Well-Known Member
I know you do, I was bein a smart ass, my bad. Just never smoked one that did it for me, hell I've yet to smoke ant disp weed that does it for me
I guess you need to grow 100+ autos to find 1 that I would consider medicine.
~20 and not 1 I would consider "keeper" status

+ how would you keep it unless you have male(s) of the same type?
Self it? hard to do properly when they don't clone. + too late when you realize it's a good fem.

I'm not jumping on the hype train.
 

Resinhound

Well-Known Member
They can of course be bred but the methods used don't offer the same potential and breeding takes a long time to get a stable and fire strain. Essentially I don't keep or use anything that's under 20% so autos just don't cut it, at least anything I've smoked. To each their own though, I'm just not an auto or shortcut guy when it comes to breeding.
So in other words, breeding good autos is hard to do. Gotcha.

Also having good genetics doesn't always translate into high cannabinoid content. How they are grown plays a large part in that as well, the same for autoflowers.

And good autos can produce in the upper 20 percentiles. This is pretty well documented these days.
 

mushroom head

Well-Known Member
I don't have time to baby auto flowers out at my grow site. They stunt so easy. I'd rather grow a photoperiod that I can fall backwards with my backpack on, crush the thing, plant it and still harvest a pound. Verses getting a couple of ounces from a babied autoflower.
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
So in other words, breeding good autos is hard to do. Gotcha.

Also having good genetics doesn't always translate into high cannabinoid content. How they are grown plays a large part in that as well, the same for autoflowers.

And good autos can produce in the upper 20 percentiles. This is pretty well documented these days.
Anything's possible I suppose, it's much easier to produce fire genetics and stable strains through breeding regs, any breeding for stability or specific traits takes too long for me to waste my limited time and space with autos.. Regular seeds offer more stable and more potent strains today, unless you actually believe autos today are equivalent to regs or even fems, I highly doubt that's the case. They are a good niche for certain growers, nothing else, any claims beyond that and you're just fooling yourself.
 
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