Although autoflower cannabis seeds have gained huge popularity among beginner cultivators due to their ability to adapt the flowering stage automatically and their short life-cycle. However, many experienced growers are still concerned about whether autoflower seeds are more expensive in the long run as compared to traditional photoperiod cannabis seeds.
The answer to the question about the cost-effectiveness of autoflower seeds depends on the cultivation efficiency and the purchasing source. Because the initial upfront cost of seeds increases as the best seed banks for autoflower spend huge resources on the preservation and storage of different seeds’ genetics to maximize the successful germination rate.
Faster Harvest Cycles Reduce Long-Term Costs
Autoflower cannabis seeds grow from the seeding stage to the flowering stage much faster without needing much light exposure. Because cannabis autoflower seeds have an 8 to 12 week harvest life-cycle, the cost of electricity, nutrients, and the maintenance control system is reduced. It means that cultivators can get 4 to 6 potential healthy yields annually, with much reduced resources.
Besides this, autoflower seeds that are sourced from a reliable seed bank give a final yield that consists of improved and efficient growth patterns. As a result, these seeds may cost less in the end than photoperiod cannabis seeds. Because photoperiod seeds have a long harvest cycle and need much more resources for a healthy final yield, and give only 2 to 3 potential harvests annually, if cared for and maintained properly.
Inability to Clone Increases the Cost
Autoflower seeds can be costly for cannabis production in this aspect, as they cannot be cloned. As cloning allows the cultivators to produce more clones, having all the same characteristics as the mother plant.
However, autoflower cannabis seeds start flowering upon reaching a specific time of age, so if the mother plant is cloned at the start of the flowering stage. Then the resulting cloned yield may give cloned plants with reduced ability to flower, and as a result, give a very reduced final yield.
It means that cultivators who plan to cultivate cannabis with autoflower seeds have to purchase new seeds each time from reliable seed banks. Due to the reason for purchasing new seeds before each cultivation, the autoflower seeds can be very costly for cannabinoid production.
On the other hand, cannabis cultivation with photoperiod seeds eliminates the need to purchase seeds each time. So, the cultivators have just been required to purchase healthy photoperiod cannabis seeds once. And then carry out the cultivation very carefully with proper maintenance measures to produce a healthy mother plant.
So, you can say cultivators have to purchase photoperiod cannabis seeds only once, if they can harvest the yield carefully to gain the healthy, full-trait mother plants for successful, healthy cloning.
Yield Per Plant Comparison
The average yield obtained from a harvest, either with autoflower seeds or photoperiod seeds, is also another factor that determines what type of seed is more beneficial and less expensive.
Usually, cannabis plants grown from the autoflower seeds are smaller in size with compact growth and faster harvest cycles. Thus, the final yield gives only 50-250 grams of cannabis on average. These obtained cannabis quantities seem to be low compared to the cannabis yield obtained from photoperiod cannabis seeds. Because photoperiod seeds produce larger cannabis plants with higher yields that offer greater flexibility to beginner cultivators.
However, dedicated autoflower seed banks tend to produce new genetic strains of autoflower seeds that have a greater ability to produce larger quantities of cannabis per yield. So, if cultivators want to have larger quantities of cannabis yield with a short life-cycle, then they must purchase high-yielding potential strains from the seed banks that provide the guarantee of higher cannabis production with 99% successful germination rate for autoflower seeds.
Less Risky and Best for Beginners
Although cannabis cultivation with autoflower seeds requires purchasing new growing seeds each time, they are the best option for beginner cultivators in many aspects. As they grow into the flowering stage automatically without needing much light and nutrients, along with low maintenance requirements, beginners can get their first successful, healthy cannabis yield even from small indoor setups.
On the other hand, beginners have to manage and supervise every step while harvesting cannabis with photoperiod seeds. Because they need enough light and nutrients level for proper healthy growth.
Moreover, additional safety measures are also required to complete the environmental conditions for compact and proper cannabis plant growth.
Conclusion
The cultivators’ experience level, harvest setup, gross-yield quality, and quantity determine the economic impact of the autoflower seeds for cannabis production at the end. Although autoflower cannabis seeds give a final product yield in far less time with multiple harvests in a single year, they also require purchasing new expensive potential yield strains each time before every harvest.
