How well do Autos do outdoors?

[Mercury1600]

Currently preparing my plot and researching strains for this coming season. Browsing through the seed banks got me thinking how well do the auto flowering seeds do outdoors as opposed to plain old feminized seeds? Any major Pros and Cons people could discuss based on experience?

Ta

[DoctorWho]

This should answer your question.  Credit to Sticks McGee for putting this pic up...

 

 

[Sir PsychoHashy]

Love that pic Doc.

 

If you want to do autos outdoors, pick your time of year, and pick your growing medium well.  They can do quite well outdoors, in fact some commercial growers at the more extreme latitudes love them, but they will never really quite do as well as indoors.  You need them growing during the longest days of the year, around mid November to mid February.  Also they don't handle stress all that well, probably mostly due to not having the time to recover.  I did 3 autos last outdoor season, and they seriously underperformed, mainly due to being put out way too late, and some less than ideal weather, but I will still be doing a few again this coming season with better timing. 

 

Have a go, just don't get your hopes up for peak performance.  I have one from the same batch of seed under light at the moment (I was curious to see if it was my lack of skill or the conditions), and there is no comparison to my outdoor attempt.  But I'm not a great grower, so check out shroomy and buzzo's work, should get you on the right track.  I just play around with autos, can't go past photoperiod plants in my opinion.  Good luck, and you should post your grow if possible.

[buzzo]

Nice looking Single Cola's

[Mercury1600]

SirPsychoHashy, I actually spent most of last night browsing through your latest diary. It was quite the read with lots of pointers posted by both you and other members. My first grow was foiled by wildlife and last year's one i lost a few due to a heat wave. One plant survived but turned out male. Oh well. 

 

My thoughts so far are; photoperiod seeds will deliver bigger yield however will take from sept until roughly may to flower and "ripen". Where as autos will have a smaller yield and im reading on some of the seed banks take around 2-3months. Not sure how accurate that is. Im not looking for hundred and hundreds of grams plus less time in the scrub the better.

 

Am i on the right track?

 

Another idea that crossed my mind was to plant a few autos in september. If they succeed and look ready by the end of the year i would plant out another crop which would be ready by march/April. It all depends on how accurate the harvest times on Herbies website are.

 

I will continue my reading. 

Edited June 18, 2013 by Mercury1600

[Sir PsychoHashy]

Sounds like a plan, but only you will know if it will work for your circumstances.  My plan is to put a few autos out with my photo plants in October in the hope that the autos finish up before our summer heatwave hits.  But that is down to difficulties with supplying water to my remote location when the weather heats up and plants get bigger and thirstier.  How well it works will be a wait and see, but it sounds good based on experience from my last grow. If they fail to perform this time, that will probably be the end of autos for me, as I can see no other logical reason to use them in my situation.

 

I would tend to add 2-3 weeks on to the breeders stats for outdoors, just to be on the safe side, but you should still be able to do 2 in one season, especially if you get your seedlings started a couple of weeks before your first harvest.  Make sure you locate them where they will get good sunlight as this seems to make a big difference to the way they bud up.

 

As an example of the difference conditions can make with autos, here is a pic of a Bubblegum auto from the same seed batch as the 2 in my diary.  This is at 3 1/2 weeks under lights in the same medium, compare it to the Bubblegums at the same stage in my diary.

 

 

Use a light well draining soil/medium.  You won't need to make your holes as big as I did (they were dug as a plan ahead for photo plants next season), and don't be too afraid of getting the food into em early, start light but push the boundaries a bit.  And read Buzzo and Shroomy's diaries, plenty of good info there.  Good luck

[Mercury1600]

Bubblegum is actually in my cart. any feedback on it and how it smokes? I was going to use grow bags or big buckets. (20L i think) 

 

Ill go ahead and just try it out, its all part of the experience. 

 

Im excited now. Just need to get the beans here.

[magpie1]

I grew bubble gum last year easy too grow finished off ok good smoke too carry you don't smell like choof easy too smoke 3 joints shared im pretty wrecked

[buzzo]

Late October to Early November if you want the best out of them outdoors

[Sir PsychoHashy]

The Bubblegum auto I grew is a nice smoke, definitely worth having in your stash.  Potency is not super high, but is a long way from weak, and the sweet flavour more than makes up for it.  Would describe the buzz as briefly slightly racy, quickly calming down into a happy and mellow mainly body stone, with a reasonable longevity.  I kept the little bit I got for special occassions, still have a little left.  You also get a hint of the smell and taste in the hash from the trimmings as well.  All part of the reason I cracked another seed.  And the smell when you crack the jar open, oh baby

Edited June 19, 2013 by Sir PsychoHashy