The Cannabis Blog

Where growing photoperiod weed plants is all rock and roll (with that straight 4/4 rhythm, and light cycles you can count on), autoflowers are all jazz. They move to their own beat and do their own thing. That said, where jazz is 100% a more difficult discipline for musicians to nail down than rock or pop, the opposite is true here. Autoflowers make things simpler. More straightforward. And much more predictable. No need to switch light schedules, overly worry about nutrient requirements (to a certain extent anyway), have to try and hide huge plants, or wait endlessly for buds. Autoflowering weed plants just get on with it, and offer ridic...

Autoflowers aren’t just for grow tents and cupboards. Outdoors, they’re surprisingly capable. Small (well, not so small with many of the newer auto options), but still fast, and pretty discreet, they’re perfect for growers who want to work with nature instead of micromanaging every light cycle and humidity swing. With a full life cycle packed into 11 to 12 weeks, autos are well suited to outdoor environments - especially in temperate or mild climates where photoperiod plants might struggle to finish before the weather turns. No long veg period. No waiting for the days to shorten. Just plant, water, and let them get on with it. Here we cove...

Feeding autoflowers is a bit like fuelling a race car that never stops for a pit stop. Once they are off the line, they go straight through to the finish. Anything you give them - too much, too little, too early or too late - has an impact. There is no pause, no extra lap, and no chance to backtrack if things go sideways. Unlike photoperiod plants, autos follow their own internal timer. Light cycles don’t matter (well, not as much). By the end of week five, most will have started flowering, whether you are ready or not. And with just 11 to 12 weeks from seed to harvest, every decision counts. This guide lays out what to feed, when...

Think of germination like lighting a (pretty short) firework fuse. Once the spark catches, the clock is ticking. Autoflower seeds don't wait around for perfect conditions. They move through their life cycle at their own pace, no matter what is happening above the soil. That means the early moments matter. A strong start gives you the best chance of a healthy, productive autoflower grow. Here we break down optimal germination conditions, the most reliable methods, common mistakes to avoid, and how to move seedlings safely into their final setup. Everything you need to know about germinating autoflower seeds, all in one place. Optimal Condit...

When most people think about the effects of cannabis, a few classic stereotypes probably come to mind: deep relaxation, an insatiable appetite, giggles in bunches, and maybe a slight struggle to stay focused. But Sativa strains? - They rewrite that narrative, at least to a certain extent. Instead of glueing you to the couch or making the idea of being totally present a pipe dream, Sativas offer up a totally different experience. They have the ability to energise, inspire, and even sharpen your thoughts. They’re the go-to for daytime use in the medical scene, for those looking to belly flop into creative pursuits, or for those moments when ...

Cannabis Indica - responsible for all those classic tropes (couchlock, munchies and the occasional bout of uncontrollable giggles) that most non-stoners associate with ‘getting high’, and the backbone of so many legendary strains. But not all Indicas are created equal, and when it comes to the heavyweights of the weed world, the strongest Indica options are the Tyson's, the Fury’s, and even the Ali’s of the bunch. Packing truly ridiculous levels of THC, and terpenes profiles fit to make any seasoned smoker drool, these are the seeds that separate the tough from the weak, the real stoners from the tourists. Characteristics of Indica cannabi...

Mold. Pretty much the very last thing any weed grower wants to see on their prized plants, but in all honesty, it's close to an inevitability at some point. Unless you have your growing environment dialed into perfection and really know what you're doing, there is a disgustingly high chance that the dreaded mold will strike at some point during your first few grows. Don't go into panic mode just yet though. By the time you finish this article, you'll have a much better understanding of mold, how to identify it on your cannabis plants, how to treat it and most importantly, how to prevent it in the first place. What causes mold on cannabis p...

So, why do we need to know the difference in male and female cannabis plants? Because only female plants produce flowers (buds, nugs, etc.), making sure that your female plants stay well away from any males and the pollen that they produce is crucial in getting the most potent, high-quality buds from your grow. If even the slightest sprinkling of pollen lands on your precious female plants, there is a very high chance that they will start to focus their energy on producing seeds growing the biggest, dankest, frostiest, stankiest buds possible. By the end of this article, just a few minutes away, you will have a full understanding of not ju...

Sexing cannabis (and no, I don't mean getting down and dirty with your favourite weed plant) is just one of a lengthy list of essential skills that all budding weed growers need to master. Knowing how to determine the sex of your cannabis plants (if you decide to grow regular seeds) can and will make all the difference come harvest time, and for a few key reasons. Even if you only grow feminized seeds, there is always an exceedingly small chance that a seed may turn into a male plant - less than 0.1% of feminized or autoflowering seeds will turn out male, but it is still possible. There is also the rare occurrence of hermaphroditism, which...

Mainlining cannabis is a training technique used to boost yields and increase overall plant health. This article covers what mainlining is, its benefits, how to do it, combining it with ScrOG, and its differences from manifolding. We'll also compare mainlining with topping and super cropping, helping you choose the best method for your grow. What is the mainlining technique with cannabis? Mainlining is a method used to train cannabis plants that involves creating a symmetrical structure by topping the main stem and encouraging even distribution of energy to all the branches. Doing this will help the plant grow more evenly, resulting in uni...

Growing cannabis using a scrog net will help you to maximize yield by using light distribution to your advantage. We will cover how the scrog technique works, how to put it into action, and what strains are best to scrog with. What is the scrog growing technique? Scrog growing is a low stress training technique that can be used to optimize light distribution and spacing in small growing spaces. Scrog stands for "Screen of Green," and it refers to the net or screen that you use to train your cannabis plants to grow horizontally. The goal is to place a screen just above the canopy of your plants and then tuck the leaves and branches into dif...

One thing that often surprises people new to the art of growing weed is that even seeds grown from feminized seeds sometimes don't perform as planned. What, really? Feminized seeds can still produce male plants? How is that possible? Yes indeed. Although feminized seeds offer a 99.9% guarantee that your plant will be a lady, there is still a 0.1% chance that they will turn out to be a dude. But that's not what we are here to talk about. The other, but only very slightly more common issue, with feminized (actually all - feminized, regular, or autoflowering) seeds is that they can sometimes produce hermaphroditic, or 'hermie' plants. This ha...

Defoliating your marijuana plant can help boost light penetration and overall bud growth, but when you are dealing with autoflowers, it's considered a little riskier. This article covers when and how to defoliate effectively, the best timing to do so and safe practices. Here you will also learn the difference between defoliation and topping and know when you can avoid defoliation altogether. Can you defoliate autoflowers? Yes, you can defoliate autoflowers. Simply put, defoliation is just removing some leaves from your plant, in the case of marijuana it’s usually to improve light penetration and air circulation. While autoflowers are gener...

Defoliation is the definition of controversial in weed cultivation circles. Some growers swear by it, others not so much. But when you are trying to maximize your crop yield, selectively and carefully removing some of the fan leaves (especially ones shading bud sites) can help. Some cultivars grow super bushy, to the point where airflow and light penetration are restricted, and humidity levels rise. That's when defoliation may be the help you're looking for. What does it mean to defoliate cannabis? There are a couple of different weed defoliation techniques, but at its core, defoliation is the process of removing some of the fan leaves, us...

Plant training techniques come in all shapes and sizes. From the simple low-stress technique of gently bending the branches and tying them down to the frankenstein esque high-stress technique of mainlining, there are so many ways to manipulate your plants for maximum yield and quality. But topping is definitely up there with the most often used and most effective techniques. It involves carefully removing the top of the plant, specifically the newest growth tip, which forces the plant to focus on growing multiple new tops instead of just one main cola. But, is it recommended, or even possible, to top autoflowering weed plants? Should you t...

Topping your cannabis plants is a totally free and amazingly easy way to double, quadruple, or even octuple (that's an increase of eight times) the number of main colas that each plant produces. The list of marijuana plant training techniques is extensive, to say the least, but topping (while considered somewhat 'advanced') is actually pretty straightforward and should be in your bag of cultivation tricks from the day you begin your weed-growing adventure. All you need is a weed plant that has 4 to 6 nodes already developed, a pair of clean scissors or a razor blade, and just a light sprinkling of know-how - which is what you are here to l...