Grower’s Guide

Growth Cycle

Autoflowering plants bypass the vegetative growth stage, going straight from seedling to flowering without delay. As such, they more compact and quicker to finish than traditional varieties. In addition, autoflowering varieties have a very predictable outcome in terms of size, yield and lifespan, rather than relying on outside factors such as light cycle or time of year.

Our plants go through a seedling stage lasting 3-4 weeks from emergence, at which time they start showing their sex and begin to bloom. The subsequent flowering time varies from 4 weeks (Betty Boo) to 6 weeks for maturity (Maxi).

How to use the chart

Our variety descriptions (see Comparison Chart) quote the average time from seed planting to maturity, rather than the duration of flowering or a specific maturity date. This makes it extremely easy to calculate when a strain will be ready, based on the time of planting.
Example: Easy Ryder seed planted May 15. Add 65 days = harvest July 19

Lighting

We recommend giving autoflowering plants 16-20 hours of daytime (if growing under artificial lights) throughout their growth cycle, for optimum yield and energy efficiency. However, autoflowering plants can be grown from start to finish and will flower under 12 to 24 hours of light without significantly changing the plants’ life cycle. As such, they are suitable for  outdoor growing in northern growing areas; in addition, indoors plants at any stage of growth can be kept in the same room and light regime.

Fertilization

Our yield figures are based on our results from indoor cultivation in soil mix. We generally double these figures to calculate what may be obtained with hydroponics. Natural light as well as metal halide lights tend to induce taller plants than high-pressure sodium lamps. Using a Nitrogen-containing fertilizer meant for vegetative growth in the first month can result in taller, more branched-out plants. Conversely, high-pressure sodium lights and high-phosphorus (Bloom-type) fertilizers, and high temperatures are all factors that will promote squatter, more compact plants.

To achieve maximum growth, we recommend the following. Use Grow type-nutrients for the first 3-4 weeks. Then, switch to a Bloom-type fertilizer for the next 3 weeks. Do not feed too heavily. Use large containers and avoid needless transplanting. Also try and avoid extreme temperature changes.

Germination and Storage

We are a seed bank dedicated to providing information and high-quality original and affordable seeds to medical marijuana growers.

The Joint Doctor is the originator of Lowryder and other auto-flowering cannabis strains.Since launching the ground-breaking Lowryder automatic, the Joint Doctor has been specialized in creating and improving autoflowering varieties. He is responsible for developing the genetics and terminology associated with autoflowering strains, which are now treated as a whole new category of  cannabis.

Germination Advice

Good seeds will generally germinate within 2-5 days. Our seeds are tested periodically to insure viability. If planted directly in soil, seedlings usually emerge within 3-7 days. Fresh seeds will germinate quicker than older ones. For optimum lifespan, keep your seeds in the fridge, or freeze them for long-term storage. Seeds stored in this way can be kept for 2-3 years without significant loss of viability.