Hello. I see so many posts regarding auto-growers that are using different light cycles that become worried when their plant does not begin to flower after a certain period of time. Most often these growers are advised to start a 12/12 cycle to remedy. As I understand it; once a 12/12 cycle is initiated it must be followed though until harvest. So my main question is, would I not be better off starting with a feminized seed vs an auto when it comes to quality and quantity of the plants yield? Mainly because I have read the Siberian auto-plant is weak in THC? Your comments are appreciated!
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The 12/12 light cycle needs to be maintained with photo period plants once flowering starts with autos as long as they get enough light over a coarse of 24 hrs it doesn’t matter. A lot of new growers start with autos I think believing that they may be easier to start with, myself included. My thoughts on that has changed. I believe that with photos if you make a mistake early on you can take the time to get things sorted out before going to flower. With autos they go when they are ready.
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My thoughts have changed also, the more I have read. What do you think about auto vs fem seeds? The autos use DNA from that Siberian plant; so I tend to believe fem are superior vs auto? Just making sure I’m seeing it right!
I’m just starting my 4th grow. My first was OG Kush autos. It went well all things considered. Second and third was photos. As far the above question goes I’m not going to pretend I fully understand the origins autoflowers. What little I know about it is its believed that first autos were developed with ruderalis plants that originated from Russia. Originally the first genetics was unstable so more ruderalis dominant strains were cross bred with popular photo strains to to create more stable auto genetics. I know many people here grow some fairly potent autos. Personally I intend to stick with photos mainly because I don’t want to give up control of when I want to go to flower.
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@Nicky grows autos I believe exclusively. He may have a better insight on the genetics of autos vs photos. I just tagged him. When he sees tag he may be able to help out.
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i think if youre a fast learner then autos are the perfect jump in plants. thats what im using to learn and its worked perfectly. i now know that when i grow photos ill make some really impressive plants because you have indefinite time on the veg cycle to make the plant however you want. i think when the autoflower genitics first started showing up they were weak in thc but higher in cbd
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Never understood why newbies start with autos (marketing I guess) when I feel they would be much better off with a photo. Photos being more forgiving and giving more control to the grower (when to flower). To get a good yield, plants need to be really healthy going into flowering, with an photo, you decide when that is and can delay flowering til plants are big and healthy. I’ve also never been impressed with the potency of autos (ruderalis not being a high THC plant typically) or their yields. Doubt I’ll ever grow one, though I have friends that do now and then, more out of curiosity than anything else.
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I’ve been saying this for years.
Actually Ruderalis is native to Pakistan and Afghanistan
This used to be true but not so much any more.
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Thanks for the info. I had sort of checked out autos earlier and saw something about ruderalis and Russia. Once again proving there’s a lot of bad info out there. 
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i will say after im done with the auto seeds ill be doing a run of photos for the rest of the year starting july or august
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@Dirt, Great growing, if you can do that with autos, you’re gonna have a great time with photos.
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thats what im saying now that ive seen all the crazyness happen so fast with these plants itll actually be fun to grow a really nice photo or 2
Newbie here!! I jumped straight into autos also, because the ease suggested and also the time til harvest. I have been told to switch to photos but I am strictly going to rely on my own supply. So I felt more comfortable doing several runs of auto to build a stock pile to get me thru.
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thats my exact situation lol what are you growing?
@Hellraiser ill tell you what i learned what to do and not to do to autos lol
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Tennessee , they are less progressive than other states. I mean when I started I didn’t want to buy on the black market and get followed home. The length of free room and board for buying a little and growing a little are quite different. So I chose to basically do a detox til the first harvest. And it REALLY ducks.
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i just moved back to the bible belt lmao i know the feeling.
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I have harvested 3 auto grows and the 4th is a couple weeks from finishing. I have started the next batch for the tent. They are photoperiod Northern Lights. All of my plants survived so hopefully the NL will too.