Autos don't seem to be worth it, is it just me?

[mrrichiet]

Pardon asking the question rather than searching but obviously that's much easier for me   Thanks if you take time out to reply.

 

I've tried growing a couple of auto crops recently, first time I've ever done them. Previously I'd seen pics on here of babies that were showing pistils but mine have taken about nearly as long a regular photoperiod plants do. I suppose the norm is somewhere in between? Is this the case and are autos really worth doing in that case? 

 

Initially I just stuck them on for a full 24 hours a day but on the later crop turned to 20/4. I thought this was how you did it but now I wonder if you should start off at 12/12 to give them a kick start.

 

Maybe I've just bought the wrong strains, I never remember which seeds I planted so I can't tell you I'm afraid but I've tried a few and they all seem the same. If you think autos are great and I'm just doing it wrong, please can you recommend a strain and perhaps advise where I'm going wrong with them (if I am)?

 

Thanks chaps.

 

[Woozy]

just keep them on 20/4, autos take anywhere from 7-12 weeks depending on strain. I've only grown a few strains from Mephisto genetics but everything I have grown I've been in impressed with. dutch passions euphoria auto also very good. Greenhouse seeds super lemon haze is nice too.

[mrrichiet]

Thanks for the reply. 7-12 weeks? That's what the packs say. Mine have all taken at least 6 weeks to even start to show the first pistils, then it's the usual 12 weeks for flowering so I'm up to almost as long as a regular would take anyway. Maybe it's the genetics I've chosen and people just sell crap that really hasn't been bred as an auto, more just a femmed seed. Edit: I think my breeders were Barney's Farm & Dutch Passion who are OK I thought.

Edited September 10 by mrrichiet

[Boojum]

I'm no good at keeping track of things but I think most of the autos I've grown have been around the 8 week mark (but I must reiterate time is a pretty vague concept to me sometimes, depending where my head's at, so I could easily be a couple of weeks out ). I've only grown Sweet Seeds autos but I've been happy with all of them and especially S.A.D., Cream Caramel and Mohan Ram (Black Cream too, but they've discontinued that ).

[Herbal Kint]

I had autos done in 70,pretty big,dinafem mostly.

Quality was not consistent and i gave up,made mums again and never looked back,much better smoke. Smoked pretty good fast flowering ones but never tried them myself.

[mrrichiet]

Right, this is fucking nuts  Maybe they're getting the seeds mixed up or I'm too stoned and not reading the packets properly  I will give it one more try, 20/4 all the way and see how it goes this time. I'll also get some of the strains recommended, thanks.

[Sp1n]

I loves my Autos I do! Never had a problem. Cropped some at around 58 days or so when the jars were dry.

[mrrichiet]

When would you expect the first pistils to show? Mine are seriously taking about 6 weeks from seed.

[mrrichiet]

My next lot will be sweet seeds Sweet Mandarin Zkittlez XL Auto and Jealousy Z XL Auto (fuck me their fonts are bad, I think it's a Z!). Please let me know if they're no good.

[Woozy]

3 minutes ago, mrrichiet said:

When would you expect the first pistils to show? Mine are seriously taking about 6 weeks from seed.

about 6 weeks is right especially if it takes 12

[Woozy]

most autos will show signs of flowering between 4-6 weeks depending

[SkyRider]

Sweet Seeds do an excellent range of autos imo.

Sweet Gelato was my favourite. Although Orange Apricot having only grown once looks promising to replace her.

 

They definitely have a place. Speed and ease of growing are their main points. When things were getting too much for me, I switched to autos. I could just auto pilot them and they seemed to be so much easier. Less potting up, no separate veg/flower room etc.

 

There are a lot of shit autos out there compared to normal cannabis, so it's easy to get a bad opinion in my experience. A lot seem to yield high but just lack in everything else. Sweet Seeds have put in very good work over a long period now to make some real nice tasty autos.

[Woozy]

9 minutes ago, mrrichiet said:

My next lot will be sweet seeds Sweet Mandarin Zkittlez XL Auto and Jealousy Z XL Auto (fuck me their fonts are bad, I think it's a Z!). Please let me know if they're no good.

These should be fine, not tried them but sweet seeds are usually alright. it's consistency that is lacking with some breeders in my experience. The better varieties tend to be more consistent. 

 

you might already know all this but make sure you're not potting up, get them in their final pot straight away 11-19 litre pots should be fine. They need a lot less feed than regular plants, at least half as much especially to start with.

[EarLobe]

Had far too much go wrong with autos to ever want to grow them again but I found when the roots had pretty much filled the entire pot that's when the idiots wanted to start flowering. Could pot up fine just as long as I didn't let the roots start surrounding the pot and they'd be finished sort of normal flowering time I'd say. Usually closer to 12 weeks but personally, found them no easier than growing fems and much more stressful. 

[mrrichiet]

15 minutes ago, EarLobe said:

Had far too much go wrong with autos to ever want to grow them again but I found when the roots had pretty much filled the entire pot that's when the idiots wanted to start flowering. 

 

A-ha! That along with the reply above about 11-19 litre pots tells me my problem I think. I'm in a 4 pot wilma and I think those pots are bigger, it's certainly taking a few weeks to fill out (I start off in cubes then put them straight in the pot).

 

Given that people agree you're looking at 6 weeks for first pistils and I find thereafter it takes about 1 month for the buds to really start going, plus 2 months after to fully flower (that's my experience but writing that it does seem too long; I'm possibly getting months\4 weeks mixed up. Edit: I've never found breeders numbers to be accurate, I normally have to add a month on to get them to 80% brown), then it's really not worth it in my opinion. Bearing in mind I can start off seedings in a cupboard, then pot up once to another cupboard before final potting and flower room, I think I can get a much better turnaround\yield if I stick to regular femmed.

 

Thanks guys, appreciated. Reckon I'll still give the sweet seeds a go - I'll let you know if they are any better.

 

 

Edited September 10 by mrrichiet