Let ’ s leave aside the ruderalis and even the indica and sativa terminology and just look at cannabis very simply and differentiate the plant into two types . One is the traditional photoperiod cannabis , and the other is autoflowering cannabis . Both produce cannabinoid-rich buds and exhibit a range of growth patterns . The primary difference between the two is the duration of the life cycle .
Breeding and Reproduction
Wild cannabis is wind pollinated , but we are not talking about that . The cannabis we grow is domesticated . People selectively breed cannabis and carefully choose breeding pairs . Reproduction is not governed by the laws of natural selection , and survival of the fittest doesn ’ t apply either . More accurately it ’ s survival of the dankest . Photoperiod cannabis has one distinct advantage over autoflowering cannabis because it can asexually reproduce via cuttings , provided there is a human grower in control with the skills to root clones . Autoflowering cannabis can only be meaningfully cultivated from seed as the absence of a critical photoperiod to trigger bloom means you cannot keep an auto in vegetative growth indefinitely . There is simply no time to take cuttings from autoflowering cannabis as the plant is counting down to bloom from the day it germinates , and this countdown cannot be delayed . All cannabis these days is a blend of genetics . We don ’ t have original cannabis anymore so using terms like indica , sativa , and ruderalis other than to generalize is redundant . If I use them at all it ’ s for the purpose of categorizing plants based on morphological traits that approximates to the contemporary understanding of these terms . In fact , most modern autoflowering strains are derived from photoperiod stock , especially the auto versions that swiftly follow the release of new prize-winning photoperiod strains . Most autos are the product of a cross with a photoperiod plant . The first generation of an auto X photoperiod progeny are photoperiod dependent . It ’ s only in the F2 generation that the recessive autoflowering trait is expressed in a minority . From this point selective breeding will eventually give rise to the true breeding auto hybrid you buy from the seedbank . Furthermore , many fast-version photoperiod strains are the result of hybridization with autoflowering cannabis . These strains ’ parents have been selected from amongst the fastest flowering photoperiod plants from an auto X photoperiod cross rather than for the autoflowering trait , which can still be present as a dormant trait . So , it is entirely possible you have already unknowingly cropped a photoperiod plant carrying the dreaded ruderalis genes .
Germination
The paper towel method is my preferred means of germinating cannabis seeds . You may notice autoflowering cannabis seeds tend to germinate slightly faster than the typical photoperiod seed . One to two days instead of the standard two to three days is the average time for an auto bean to split . Many growers will sow their auto seeds directly in the dirt or final container . Autos can handle a transplant . However , with a life cycle of just 75-90 days , a lot of growers don ’ t want to take any chances and risk transplant shock . Don ’ t forget , germination is the starter ’ s gun for an auto and that bean is going to race toward harvest .
Auto Seedling Stage
The seedling phase lasts for about seven to 14 days postgermination . High , 70 percent relative humidity ( RH ) and daytime temps within the 68-77 ° F range are optimal conditions for auto seedlings . As is a standard 18 / 6 , 20 / 4 and even the 24 / 0 light cycle that all photoperiod growers are familiar with . With as little as eight hours of daylight , an auto seedling can persevere where photoperiods would wither . Moreover , the hardy auto can endure less-than-perfect environmental conditions . Cooler temps as low as 50 ° F would stunt most photoperiod seedlings but the ganja grunts can endure . Resilience is a notable feature of autos but not unique to them . In general , your average auto is more resistant to plagues , pathogens , and environmental stresses than the average photoperiod . The trouble is if things do go wrong in the early stages of growth with an auto seedling you are going to pay for it when you harvest a little or perhaps a lot less than you would have with a smoother grow .
Vegetative Growth
Vegetative growth is fast and furious . And don ’ t expect all autos to be runts . These days it ’ s unwise to assume every auto will adopt a compact low-profile growth pattern . Between day 14-30 expect phenomenal plant growth and rapid maturation . Little seedling sprouts can dramatically develop overnight with huge vertical growth surges and prolific branching .
“ Most autos are the product of a cross with a photoperiod plant .”
34 Maximum Yield