To maximize your autoflowering potential, cannabis growers who are interested in growing cannabis should know a few things. It is a skill that can make or break the yield of your autoflower cannabis plants.
About Harvesting Autoflowering Cannabis Plants
Autoflowers are more reliable than other plants because they don’t rely on local weather or light for their internal clock. This means that there is less chance for errors in timing the harvest. You’ll often find an estimate of the harvest time in a review for an autoflower strain. Even more accurate than for photosensitive strains is this timing. Let’s look at when to harvest autoflower cannabis.
Growing Autflowering Cannabis
Autoflowers might be new to you if you are reading this. Autoflowers are a clever mixture of cannabis ruderalis strains and other strains. Autoflowers do not have a photoperiod and are therefore different from other cannabis plants. The hours of darkness and light are usually the determinants of when a cannabis plant enters its flowering phase. However, autoflowers will go into flowering regardless of the lighting conditions.
This might not seem to be a major issue for growers in certain climates. Many growers will tell ya this is a huge deal because autoflowers live a shorter life span. Autoflowers will be harvested sooner than average photoperiod plants, which is a benefit for those who live in colder areas or those who wish to harvest two crops in one season.
Autoflowers have additional benefits, even though this is not their main benefit. Autoflowers are smaller than other strains of cannabis. They are therefore easier to grow in all kinds of environments. People who grow indoors won’t need as much space to ensure their plants thrive. Outdoor growers will have the ability to keep their plants in a more private location.
Autoflowers are more resistant to pests and other issues that might arise during their growing season. This makes it easier for beginners, but also makes it a useful feature for veterans.
Signs that autoflowering Cannabis Plants are ready for harvest
When is an autoflower plant ready for harvest? Pay attention to all the signs that your plants may give you. Many signs could indicate that your autoflower plants are ready to harvest, just like any other photoperiod plant. You should pay attention to the leaves, trichomes and water use of your autoflower plants.
Signs of the leaves
Autoflowering Cannabis Plants near harvest will begin to develop yellowing leaves. You should flush your plants for at least two weeks if you notice yellowing leaves on mature plants.
If you notice that larger leaves are falling off your plant, you may have reached the point when you should immediately harvest them.
Signs of the trichomes
Another great way to tell if your autoflower cannabis plants are ready for harvest is by looking at their trichomes. You should be aware of three things about the trichomes: their quantity and color.
Trichomes contain the highest levels of CBD and THC. This is what most growers want to harvest their cannabis plants. The higher the number of trichomes, the better. Most trichomes should have a milky white color, which indicates that they contain the highest levels of THC. You can wait until the trichomes turn amber to get a heavier smoke.
Signs of Water Usage
Your plants will start absorbing less water as they get closer to harvesting time. Check the soil layer under your plants. It is likely that the harvest season has arrived if it is damper than it would normally be. The plant is no longer able to sustain itself because its life cycle is ending.
Based on the description of the Strain and Reviews
The easiest way to determine if your plants are ready for harvest is to review the grow guide and reviews for the autoflower seeds that you have grown. There should be plenty information about how to grow the particular strain when you order and select seeds. The information should include a timetable for when germination and harvest takes place. Do the math and check if you’ve exceeded this timeframe. It’s a sign that you should probably harvest the plants right away if you have exceeded this timeline.
We have created a complete guide to determining harvest time, which shows you when a cannabis plant is ready to be harvested:
Flush before harvesting
Flushing is a strategy that can increase your harvest quality. You will need to know when you harvest autoflower cannabis plants in order to plan ahead. Do your research well before the plants reach flowering.
Flushing is when you feed your plants water only, rather than adding nutrients to the water as you would normally. Flushing autoflowers prior to harvest will remove any residue chemicals. If you grow hydroponically, your water should have a pH of 5.5 to 6.8.
When to flush Autoflowering Cannabis Plants?
Two weeks before you intend to harvest your autoflower cannabis plants, start flushing. You might not be able to responsibly flush your autoflower marijuana plants if you do not start it in time or don’t know when it is. Once a few trichomes have turned milky, it is time to flush.
Hydroponics should be flushed no later than one week before harvest. Other mediums like coco coir and rockwool can be flushed one week before harvest. Two weeks is the ideal time to grow soil.
When not to flush Autoflowering Cannabis Plants?
You don’t have to flush if you grow in organic or amended soil. The nutrients are already in the soil and there are no chemicals you need to flush them out. Because plants can only absorb the nutrients they require, they will not take in too many nutrients before harvest.
Autoflowering cannabis harvested too early
You might get different results if you don’t timing your harvest correctly. You might have harvested them too soon, which could mean that they were taken down before the THC levels reached their peak. If you harvest them early enough, they will reach their peak THC levels before they begin to deteriorate.
It is important to remember that harvesting buds too early can lead to problems, but it is not fatal. Even if you didn’t plan to, it can be a good idea to harvest sooner. It might be more beneficial to harvest sooner than waiting for rain, wind, or freezing conditions to arrive. Even if you don’t have the highest THC content, it can still be used.
Autoflowering cannabis harvested too late
Harvesting marijuana plants too soon could lead to the THC not reaching its peak, but harvesting too late can also be detrimental. This depends on what you prefer. Some prefer a later harvest as it increases CBD and lowers THC levels. This stage can also see other cannabinoids rise in their levels, which can lead to a more sedating, body-focused effect. This could be a good time to treat insomnia or pain.
You shouldn’t wait to harvest your marijuana plants. Even if you desire more CBD or a more sedative experience, don’t delay. The CBD and other cannabinoids may also start to degrade at some point. This would cause the buds to be less than perfect.
Autoflowering cannabis can be beneficial for many reasons. It’s definitely worth considering if you want to have a shorter growing season for your marijuana plants. You can maximize the yield of your autoflowers by harvesting the buds at the correct time.
