The battle between fans of autoflower and feminized cannabis seeds seems to have no end.
One side of the debate says that feminized seeds are better because of higher yields, potency, and cloning ability. The other side advocates growing autoflowering seeds because they flower automatically.
Who wins? It’s pretty hard to say, as every grower decides on their own priorities. They also pick the right seed variety for their experience level, cultivation priorities, and other features.
Below is a detailed overview of the differences between feminized and autoflowering seeds. We will exemplify these distinctions with one case analysis. That’s the Bruce Banner strain’s autoflower and feminized seed types.
This review may help a beginner grower make an informed choice and pick the right seed type for a great cultivation experience.
Feminized Seeds: Specifics, Pros, and Cons
Let’s start with the feminized cannabis seed type. As its name suggests, the feminized seed was genetically engineered to produce plants of the female gender [1].
The gender distinction is very important for weeds, as male plants can spoil the entire cultivation process by pollinating your crops. Thus, it is essential to keep the plants’ gender under control. Feminized seeds allow such.
Pros
Besides growing into female plants, feminized seeds offer the following perks to the grower:
- They produce larger yields per plant, whether they are indoors or outdoors.
- They also come with higher THC and CBD levels. This is due to the prolonged flowering period.
- Moreover, they allow plant cloning. This saves you money on new seeds. It also allows the growth of new plants from cuttings obtained from mature plants.
- Suitable for transplanting.
Cons
Feminized seed cultivation comes with certain downsides that you should also note.
- Plants are weather-dependent.
- They take longer to reach the harvesting stage.
- Only one crop per year.
- They may also require additional care when it comes to fertilizing.
- Also, you can’t grow male plants from these seeds for strain-crossing and seed collection.
Autoflower Seeds: Specifics, Pros, and Cons
These seeds are also a product of human genetic engineering efforts.
They emerged only recently due to the discovery of a wild cannabis variant, Ruderalis. It managed to survive in areas where the summer is very short.
The plant coped with minimal sunlight due to its unique autoflowering trait. This allowed it to start flowering based on age and not daylight hours [2].
This has helped genetic engineers in the cannabis industry. They added the trait to the existing cannabis strains.
Pros
The bonuses that growing weed from autoflower seeds gives you are as follows:
- They grow and flower pretty quickly. The period from seed to harvest rarely takes more than 8 to 10 weeks.
- They can also produce 3–4 crops per year.
- Besides, they are more resistant to diseases and pests.
- They can grow even in colder climates.
- The plants are also small. This allows stealthy cultivation in a variety of setups.
Cons
Still, autoflower seeds come with certain limitations that don’t satisfy many cultivators:
- They don’t allow cloning.
- They also produce lower yields than feminized plants do.
- The buds come with a poorer terpene profile and lower THC and CBD levels.
- With autoflowering seeds, you have a 50/50 chance of male or female plants.
- Not suitable for transplanting.
Bruce Banner: Feminized vs. Autoflower Seed Varieties
Let’s see how these distinctions work in the example of Bruce Banner’s seeds.
This sativa-dominant hybrid can be grown in a variety of climates. It is also famous for its euphoric, uplifting effects on users.
So, how do the outcomes of cultivation differ for feminized and autoflower seeds of the same strain?
THC Content
Bruce Banner autoflower https://askgrowers.com/seeds/bruce-banner-seeds-autoflower grows into plants with buds containing from 23% to 26% THC.
Its feminized counterpart is reported to have 23% THC. This means that the autoflower variety may have more THC than the feminized type.
CBD Content
The same goes for the CBD content. The feminized seed variety is reported to grow into plants with buds containing around 0.1% CBD, while autoflower seeds promise 0.5-0.8% CBD.
Yields
Autoflower Bruce Banner seeds produce 12 to 15 ounces per plant outdoors. They may also yield up to 20 ounces per square foot for indoor cultivation.
Bruce Banner feminized https://askgrowers.com/seeds/bruce-banner-seeds-feminized yields 10 to 17 ounces per plant outdoors. These may also yield up to 19 ounces per square foot of the indoor growing room.
Here, the indicators are generally similar, with a tiny dominance of feminized seeds’ yields in the outdoor space.
Plant Size
Autoflower Bruce Banner seeds grow to a medium height of 2-4 feet. This is a great size for indoor and outdoor plant management.
Feminized plants are reported to reach 4.5 to 6 feet in height. This makes them more suitable for outdoor cultivation or growing in greenhouses.
Overall, feminized seeds of the Bruce Banner strain prove the rule of feminized seeds’ ability to produce plants of higher stature.
Which One to Choose for Your Next Crop?
Our review shows that these two seeds are the products of human intervention in the authentic genetic makeup of weed strains.
Growing regular seeds is able to deliver a more original and natural weed cultivation experience. However, this process comes with many hardships that feminized and autoflower strains can resolve.
First, the grower doesn’t need to monitor their crops’ gender and remove males from the plantation to avoid pollination. Second, growers can simplify the overall plant management process by automating the onset of flowering.
This way, the choice of seed type boils down to the grower’s preferences and expectations from the cultivation process.
Feminized seeds come with the promise of higher yields and greater THC potency, which is a priority for many.
On the other hand, autoflower seeds provide a more convenient growing process. It can also withstand a greater variety of climates and temperatures compared to feminized seeds.
Therefore, your options are diverse. The final choice may be determined by the degree of experience. It may also come down to an understanding of all marijuana cultivation nuances and a desire to receive exceptional yield volumes.
Author Bio:
The author of this article is Lana Braslavska. She is an expert in weed cultivation and the manufacturing of weed-infused products and a blogger at AskGrowers.
Lana is also an avid cannabis brand advocate. She has a strong belief that the therapeutic benefits of cannabis should be universally accessible. Therefore, she produces educational materials to disseminate knowledge on cannabis and its medicinal uses among people considering weed as an alternative treatment.
Add comment