Do Auto Plants Make Seeds?
Like every other plant autoflowers can make seeds, but you have to have a male and a female plant for this to work. Discover how breeders create autoflowering seeds, what stress factors lead to seed production, and the roots of autoflower genetics. Learn about feminised seeds, why propagating autoflowers is impractical, and whether male auto plants exist
Can autoflowers produce seeds?
Yes, in short autoflowers can produce seeds. Breeders create autoflowering seeds by pollinating female autoflower plants with male pollen. This process involves having both a mother plant and a father plant. When the flowers on the female plant have been pollinated by the pollen, seeds will start to grow within the flowers. The seeds will also inherit the autoflowering trait.
Do autoflower plants produce seeds?
If both parents are autoflowering plants, then yes. However, the seeds produced by any cannabis plant, including autoflowers, inherit traits from both of their parents. Autoflower seeds are specifically bred by crossing a regular cannabis strain with a ruderalis strain, https://nativesusa.com/ (nativesusa.com) which passes on the autoflowering characteristic. If an auto plant is pollinated by a photoperiod strain, the produced seeds would not necessarily be autoflowers. The more breeding between autoflowers and non-autoflowers the more the ruderalis ‘autoflowering’ trait would be removed from the plant.
What causes a distressed autoflower make seeds?
Stress in all cannabis plants can make them make seeds and is really a survival mechanism. When an auto plant experiences stress, which could be caused by anything such as nutrient imbalances, physical damage or disease, it can make the plant go into survival mode. In this state, the plant’s main goal is to survive and keep its genetics alive after it dies. While stressed a female plant can develop male flowers or become hermie, allowing it to self-pollinate. This auto-pollination results in the production of seeds, which the plant produces as a way to survive to ensure its genetic line continues despite the stress.
Image reference: cannabis plant that has hermied
How do you get an autoflower to make seeds?
It’s not a wise choice to stress a plant into self-pollination as this could potentially damage the plant. Breeders use several pollination methods. One common method is manual pollination, where breeders gather pollen from a male plant and gently brush it onto the flowers of a female plant. The advantage of this approach is that as a breeder you can choose the best female plant and the best male plant and only cross those, creating even stronger offspring.
Another method is natural pollination, where male and female plants are grown together in the same space, allowing natural pollination to occur. A more controlled approach is targeted pollination, where breeders isolate specific branches of a female plant and brush pollen to those sections only.
Are auto seeds feminized?
No, not all autoflower seeds are feminised. However, to make your growing easier, all the seeds we carry at Auto Seeds are feminized.
Standard autoflower seeds are sold and will produce both male and female autoflower plants. However, they are not very popular and unless you are a breeder cultivating regular autoflowers is pointless.
Where does auto genetics come from?
Autoflower genetics come from a wild cannabis variety called Cannabis ruderalis, which is indigenous to Siberia. The harsh weather conditions and short summers where it grows have pushed the plants to adapt by developing the ability to flower automatically, regardless of light cycles. This special trait allows autoflowers to finish their life cycle fast, making them well-suited for regions with shorter summers. Breeders such as Auto Seeds have since hybridized ruderalis with other cannabis strains to develop modern autoflowers that bring together automatic flowering with useful traits like higher yields and potency.
Image reference: ruderalis cannabis plant
How many seeds can an individual autoflower plant make?
A single autoflower plant can make over 1,000 cannabis seeds based on the strain and how large the plant is.
Why shouldn’t you propagate autoflower plants?
While technically possible, cloning autoflower plants is just not very effective. Autoflowers only have 2-4 weeks in the veg stage and if you propagate an autoflower, it requires time to establish roots and start growing. However, before the clone can get established, the plant’s biological clock will cause it to start flowering. The result is a tiny, underdeveloped plant with almost no bud production.
So yes, you can propagate autoflowers, but you would only produce enough weed for a couple of joints.
Can you get male autoflowers?
Yes, you can get male autoflowers. Standard autoflower seeds give you both male and female plants. However, you just don’t find regular seeds very frequently unless you are developing your own strains.