I'm out...it's back to the dispensary for me

[Firefly]

This will be my final post so I just want to quickly relay my own personal experience with autoflowers from beginner to beginner. I would like to say thank you to all for the help from everyone here. This is an excellent forum…but autoflowers just arent my thing.

First, I am not an inexperienced gardener. I save plants as a hobby. Pictured is a Hibiscus plant I found in a garbage pile at a dump this spring - nothing more than a broken stick in a small pot. So I’d say I do ok with general basic plant knowledge.

As a new weed home grower I spent a LOT of money for start up - tents, lights, blah blah blah… Not gonna list stuff but everything you need for a quality grow… Too bad that’s where the “quality” stops. Seeds are the breaking point for me… No consistent quality whatsoever. I dont care what seed or genetic company you use, you will never know what you will get. Even Mephisto and other companies are starting to get crap reviews. So far I’ve given up half of my total grows to shit seeds. I am retired and maintain a constant daily vigil over my plants…but the work just aint worth it period.

Out of the last 6 plants I planted two dwarfed out and were tossed. Two more are questionable… The one I did harvest only yielded about 3/4 of an ounce. One more ready in a few weeks looks about to be the same. Here is a picture of 2 seeds planted at same time, same company. This is the usual rather than the rare occasion. Both in 5 gallon pots - one is dwarfed (flowering at 7 inches) out while the other cant be kept hydrated due to crazy roots ( over a gallon a day ) because the plant is obviously intended for a 10 or more gallon pot.

When you consider the cost of equipment, soil, nutrients, electric bill ( my bill went up 80 dollars a month ) and the time involved… autoflowers are only a very expensive hobby nothing more. I dont need a hobby I need weed. The weed I get at the dispensary is easily twice as potent as any autoweed Ive ever tried and therefore lasts far longer. I dont have to do shit except smoke it.

All Im saying is that if you are an average new home grower looking for a little stash trust me just buy it - dont grow it. You have no idea of the money and time you will waste that could have actually been spent on good weed - weed that you will be enjoying cruising on the lake instead of carrying water buckets around.

[Lynyrdsky]

Funny you complain about autos but never tried photoperiods. I am about to harvest my best grow ever and will never pay for weed again. Too many run out and buy way more gear than they need. I have 2 hgl lights a 25 dollar exhaust fan now all in a closet. I spend at most 1/2 hour a day on them and usually less than 10 minutes.

They do not need to be tended to all day long and autos can be finicky. If the weed is not good enough I would tend to believe you harvested too soon.

No mention of your soil type either. Do not blame the seed for everything. Weed is not the same as a houseplant either. Keep it simple stupid is what I do now and i will be happy dmoking around a half pound off 2 plants. Saves me a bundle. Good luck to you.

[Chasworks]

tent 4x8x6.5’ full of Clones GG4 Fem seeds Rule

[Khatru]

I tried a couple autos in the grow with my usual feminized photos. The autos didn’t yield much, but the photos did not disappoint.

Try photoperiod feminized seeds since you have all the grow gear man!

Dispos are fine, but nothing like the rewards of enjoying the fruits of your labor of a successful home grow.

[CkNugz (AMS420)]

Keep a healthy plant, correctly water, right nutrition, no pest, then your yield should increase… More powerful lighting & bigger pots for soil then you’ll see larger yields w/ correct HVAC, can also use rockwool or DWC buckets…, Sounds like you need some seeds?

[HansGruber]

I get where you are coming from for sure!!! I grew autoflower seeds for the first year and a half of growing and I agree completely. Shit in shit out!! Seeds are totally hit or miss because these companies are not taking the time to fully stabilize their seeds before releasing them. I also just paid 50 dollars for seeds from a seed bank called Premium Cultivars. Maui Wowie Autoflowers…shit genetics. I left a bad review and won’t even try any of their other seeds as I still like to throw autos in my grow for variety.

As you can see…3 seeds…3 very different plants…all larfy…all starting week 10. I will probably press this crap as that is what it is. Why most of my grow space is now occupied by photoperiods. Only difference is I will always grow a plant to finish no matter what. I will always find something to do with it. Press it, smoke it, eat it. Happy Growing.

[newgrowmie]

You could always buy clones… Grow them
out and keep a mother plant…