Experienced grower here, but first time trying autoflowers. I have a couple of questions that I haven’t been able to really find answers to in the forums. I’ve seen so much helpful info here, I hoped that I could find some advice before I get started with this season’s crop. (Finally legal in VA! )
My questions:
When to start autoflowers? How is an autoflower’s budding affected by long days and short nights?
VA has a very long growing season. If I start autoflowers now, (Mid-May) they will be flowering much sooner than the equinox and longer nights. How does this affect the buds when they have shorter nights? I’m used to regular plants that would start budding after the equinox, so I’m not sure if I should wait and time it so that the nights are longer when they’re flowering.
Autoflowers aren’t feminized, right? Anyone have any idea of how likely males are?
I’d ideally like to not have to plant a lot of extra seeds to be certain I’ll get fems, then have them all be girls and have to get rid of some of them. I’d also hate to only plant a few seeds and get only males and have wasted growing time. I can’t manage the drying, curing and storage of a harvest from more than a handful of plants. Any suggestions?
If I plant now and harvest them in 10 weeks, that will be in mid-July – roaring hot and humid here. My usual drying place is an outdoor shed that’s perfect in October, but will be like a hot-box with high humidity in July. Anyone have any experience with trying to dry in an outdoor situation like that? It worries me that it’s a recipe for potential mold and ruined crop.
I’m excited to get started, not waste time, effort, or seeds. Thanks in advance for any advice or help you can give.
MY INFO
Strains: Autoflower SuperMix seeds from this site: Gorilla Glue, Girl Scout Cookies Extreme, Bruce Banner
Method: Soil - 3" Happy Frog Soil on Top, Ocean Forest for the rest
Welcome to the community @Mirshaan. Just my 2 pennies longer days really isn’t going to effect em, they will flower on their own (most of the time), autos from ilgm are feminized you will get flower, my indoor grow lights are still on 18/6, could save a lil on the power bill an do 12/12 but just not, drying outdoors no help at all I’m sorry, there will be some others tune in that I’m sure can an give different options an opinions
I’m an experienced gardener but just started growing marijuana. I bought the same mix you did. I live in Arizona.
As far a light goes per ilgm: Ready to harvest in 10 weeks! No matter what the lighting situation is like in your outdoor or indoor grow setup, they follow the growth schedule embedded in their genes. They will flower after a certain amount of time, not after the light begins to change.
Per the purchase page these strains are feminized but you always want to check.
As for drying I am in the opposite situation as you, we both need to try as best we can to create the proper drying environment of 70 degrees & 50% humidity.
My first auto GSC is heading into it’s 10th week, pistels are orange but trichomes are mainly milky with a few beginning to turn amber and still some are clear. It could be closer to 12 weeks before it’s ready to harvest.
Autoflowers are not affected by light scedules, it instead is a genetic timer which makes them flower.
The more light they get the better, aim for 3 months at the minimum.
A temperature of 79f is ideal so the closer to that temp for the whole grow the better, to cool and it will struggle to achieve maximum yeild.
Ideally stay above 20c and anything lower than 12c your plants will be km the verge of death.
Most autoflowers are feminized, some true autoflower breeders who sell seeds usually to people Intrested in breeding will sell regular seeds this is rare however.
You need a room temp or cooler environment in complete darkness with some air flow. You could run a dehumidifier in the space.
A well known breeder has tips on Autos and how they grow them and they say that pot size has a bearing on when Autos will go into pre flower.
When their roots reach the bottom and edges of the pots the plant senses that they have gone about as far as they can with that process and starts focusing on what they have to do above ground.
Because of this, that breeder uses 6” starter pots, as opposed to solo cups, and usually transplant about 19 days from sprout.
This dovetails with the info I’ve seen by a grower that specializes in Autos who says that, usually, Autos in solo cups should be transplanted by the 10th day, but, I’m sure that depends on a healthy growing plant.
If getting the AC Infinity, I would buy the cheaper model, the S6 which comes with a cheap controller, and then buy the new AC Infinity controller 67 for it, a much better controller than what you get with the T6 model at about the same price, give or take $10.
My house runs at 70F practically all year. What ive personally noticed as I’m in a small closet grow is my lights Increase my temps by about 5 degrees if I go max power or add an additional light. I didnt get to see where your setup is but if you run at 70 and then take into heat from the.light that will likely put you in perfect range for temps. Ideal temp is 77-79F. Night temps are what they are to me. Worse case scenario a lil chill = a slower growth but potential for beautiful colors. Thing I’d be mindful of is a way to control humidity be it adding or taking away. If u run cool chances are your humidity will rise esp in summer. So just be mindful of your humidity imo.
Thanks for the replies… I really appreciate the info…
While the input on drying in closets, etc inside a house is useful, I’m not in that situation. I have to do my drying in an outdoor shed that’s not particularly easy to control temperature-wise. We especially fight the humidity in my area from May - Oct.
I’ve done drying in there for years during the fall, so it’s easy to keep it cool naturally. However, if I’m trying to do some drying during the summer, it’s going to be much more of a challenge keeping temps cool. Anyone have any experience w/ AC Infinity and drying in a more outdoors space? What size space can it cool/dry?
Growing outdoors during the summer here, 79 degrees would be a cold snap. Temps will be in the high 80’s to low 90’s most days. I’ve grown plenty of regular plants over the summers here before quite successfully. Are autos more sensitive to heat when grown outdoors?
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