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If you’ve been thinking about growing cannabis at home and have done the slightest bit of research, I’m sure you have encountered the terms “photoperiod” and “autoflower”, but what exactly does that mean? In this article, we will discuss photoperiod vs autoflower, including the key differences between the two, as well as the pros and cons of each. Both options have their benefits and downfalls, and it is up to the grower to determine which one fits their growing environment best to grow the greatest cannabis possible.
Photoperiod Cannabis Strains
The key difference between photoperiod and autoflower strains is how they begin the flowering phase. For photoperiod strains, flowering will begin once the plant receives about 12 hours of light per day. For the vegetative phase, it is common for growers to use a light schedule of 18 hours on and 6 hours off. Once this schedule is adjusted to 12 hours on and 12 hours off, flowering will begin.
If you are growing your cannabis outdoors, it is necessary to check when your region will have around 12 hours of daylight. This will give you a rough estimate of when your plant should start flowering. To be even more on top of your gardening game, research this information before you start germinating. Doing this will ensure you plant your seeds at the right time. Planting too early could mean you end up with a much larger plant than expected, and planting too late might result in a less-than-adequate yield.
Autoflowering Cannabis Strains
As the name suggests, these strains of cannabis will automatically start to flower based on the age of the plant. These plants will not care about changing light durations, so most growers will keep their schedule of 18 hours on and 6 hours off for the entirety of the grow cycle. Most strains of autoflowering cannabis will begin their flowering phase just after a few weeks of growth, but even less if too much stress is induced.
It is recommended not to perform any high stress training techniques on autoflowering strains as it could cause them to flower prematurely, resulting in a tiny plant with barely any yield. We would recommend only performing low stress training techniques on autoflowers such as using a trellis or plant wire. Learn more about low stress training (LST) and high stress training (HST).
Pros and Cons
| Factors | Photoperiod | Autoflower |
|---|---|---|
| Growing Time | 8-16+ weeks | 8-12 weeks |
| Yield | Larger (80-500 grams) | Smaller (30-150 grams) |
| Pros | – Control over growth and flowering time – Able to high stress train – More time to recover from stress – Larger variety of strains to choose from – Able to clone | – Faster life cycle – Don’t need to adjust lighting schedule – Smaller plants are good for growers with limited space |
| Cons | – Longer life cycle – Can get hard to maintain large plants | – Cannot clone – Lower yields – Potentially lower potency – Can’t high stress train – Doesn’t handle stress well |
As you can see from the table, both photoperiod and autoflowering strains have their own advantages and disadvantages. It is up to the grower to decide what is most important to them before purchasing any seeds.
Do you want big plants with large yields? Then a photoperiod strain would likely suit your needs best.
Are you a home grower with limited space? Then an autoflower strain would probably be a better choice.
There’s so much to think about when growing cannabis at home, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you want to dive deeper, be sure to check out our Beginners Guide to Growing Weed at Home.
Photoperiod Advantages
The biggest advantage that photoperiod strains have over autoflowers is that you can grow them as big as you want! You control how long the vegetative stage is and when they start their flowering phase.
This becomes even more advantageous if your cannabis plant is having issues like deficiencies or stunting from too much stress. Controlling when they flower means you can wait until they are perfectly healthy before flipping to flower, unlike with autoflower strains where they will often flower because of too much stress or lack of nutrients. If an autoflower starts flowering due to stress, we can promise that you will not get the yield or quality that you were hoping for, and it will be very tough to get that flowering plant back in a healthy state before harvesting.
Autoflower Advantages
While there are some downsides to autoflowering strains, there is still plenty of upside. The key advantages of autoflowers is that they have a quick life cycle and you don’t need to worry about adjusting light schedules. Since they have a faster seed to harvest time, this means you can normally get more harvest per year than you would with photoperiods.
Autoflowers are often a home growers first choice because of these factors, as well as the smaller stature of the overall plant making it great for those with limited space to grow. Not everyone has huge tents or acres of land to grow on, so growers really love that they are able to grow more plants while also being a bit more discrete (you might not want your neighbors seeing all your plants).
But should autoflowers really be the beginner home growers first choice?
What’s Better for a Beginner? Photoperiod or Autoflower?
At The HighWay, we would personally recommend that beginners start growing at home with photoperiod strains. We say this for a few main reasons:
- Beginner growers are bound to mess up eventually. Photoperiods are much more resilient and allow you the time to correct any problems before starting the flowering phase
- There is a much larger selection of photoperiod strains (although autoflowers have recently been on the rise)
- You can do HST. It’s important to practice these techniques and find what works best for you (or is the most fun)
- You can clone your plant. This will save you from needing to buy seeds. Love the strain you grew? Keep a mother plant and clone it to enjoy more of your favorite buds!
With that being said, autoflowers are still a great choice and some growers even love them so much that they only grow autoflowers. They prefer the quick turnaround time and ease that comes with growing these varieties.
Whatever your choice may be, it’s important to try as much as you can. Grow a photoperiod strain for the first time around, then once you have some experience you can attempt growing an autoflower strain. Who knows, you may be part of the community that loves growing autoflowers!
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