Grow Guide: Autoflower v.s. Feminized Seeds

Selecting between auto-flowering and feminized cannabis seeds is a crucial step in the process of growing cannabis, whether it's indoors or outdoors.

The best option can be based on various factors, particularly your objectives and style as a grower. 

To determine the right seed for you, it's crucial to first identify your goals and expectations from the cannabis growing experience.

What are Auto-flowering Seeds?

Auto-flowering cannabis seeds are a type of cannabis seed that, unlike traditional seeds, will flower automatically regardless of the light cycle they receive. 

This means they will flower and be ready for harvest within a shorter amount of time, typically 8-10 weeks from seed to harvest, making them popular among home growers who want to cultivate their plants quickly and easily. 

Their lighting requirements are relatively simple, and they are more resistant to temperature fluctuations, pests, and fungi.

Auto-flowering strains are also generally smaller and more compact than traditional strains, making them a good choice for growers who have limited space.

What are Feminized Seeds?

Feminized cannabis seeds are specifically bred to produce only female plants. In the cannabis plant, only female plants produce buds. Since male plants do not produce buds, most growers only grow female plants. 

Feminized seeds are created by inducing stress on a female plant until it produces male flowers, and then using pollen from those flowers to fertilize another female plant. The resulting seeds will produce most or all female plants, eliminating the need to identify and remove male plants. 

These seeds are a little more complex to grow but can be cloned. Most experienced growers opt for this type of seeds, as the work involved in their cultivation is greater but also has greater rewards. 

This makes feminized seeds a popular choice for growers who want to simplify the cultivation process and maximize their yield.

Autoflower v.s. Feminized

The main difference between auto-flowering and feminized cannabis seeds is the way they grow and mature.

Indoor v.s. Outdoor

Autoflowering seeds are more suitable for indoor growing, while feminized seeds work better for outdoor growing.

Flowering Period

Auto-flowering seeds will automatically switch from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage without changing light cycles. 

Feminized seeds grown indoors require a manual adjustment of the light, going from 18 hours of light to 12 when the flowering period begins.

Size

Generally, feminized seeds produce larger and taller plants and produce fewer leaves than auto-flowering seeds.

Auto-flowering seeds also tend to produce denser foliage, which means they tend to be bushier and therefore have fewer buds.

Yields

Feminized strains produce higher yields than automatic seeds, both indoors and outdoors, due to their morphology and physiology.

As for the buds, feminized strains are denser and produce more resin around the flowers than auto-flowering strains, which can mean more intense flavours and aromas. 

Resistance

Automatic seeds are more resistant to over-fertilization, pests, and fungus, while feminized seeds require a higher level of care.

Autoflowering plants are the result of crossing sativa or indica strains with a Ruderalis. They are, therefore, very vigorous compared to feminized plants.

Choosing the Right Seed 

When choosing between auto-flowering and feminized seeds, you should consider factors such as your grow setup, experience level, and desired outcome, to make the best choice for your needs.

Remember that if your seeds are of high quality and you take proper care of your crop, you can expect a good cannabis yield regardless of whether you have chosen auto-flowering or feminized seeds.