Autoflowering or feminized?

If you are thinking about starting to grow marijuana, you may start to have a lot of doubts. Which cultivation system to use? What are the best seeds? The possibilities are endless and the best option will always be the one that adapts optimally to the conditions of your cultivation, taking into account the climate of the area, the space you have and the goal you want to achieve. We will now try to remove some doubts by explaining the differences between feminized cannabis seeds and autoflowering cannabis seeds.

If you wish to have an outdoor cultivation...

Feminized outdoor

    They have a stricter timetable:

    feminized seeds are regulated according to the photoperiod, so there is a maximum time limit for planting them (generally in the northern hemisphere it varies from March to June) and also for the harvest (which usually takes place in the period September-October)
    The dimensions of this type of cannabis plants are more variable:

    since you have a vegetative period linked to sun exposure, as long as the days are long, the plant will grow. Unless there are other factors affecting growth (case size, parasites), the longer the time invested in the growing season, the larger the size the plant will reach.
    You will be able to shape the plant by pruning:

    since the vegetative period could last for months, you can gradually correct the shape of the plant and shape it to your liking.
    Increased production:

    in general, a feminized cannabis seed will give you more flower production than an autoflower.
    Higher quality:

    although the quality of autoflowers has greatly improved in recent years, the buds of a feminized plant will reach higher levels than those of autoflowers, both in terms of flavor and density.

Outdoor autoflowering
Flexible calendar:

Since autoflowering cannabis plants do not depend on the photoperiod to flower, you will be able to harvest several crops in the same place and in the same season, during the period from March to October.
They confuse thieves:

the harvest period outside is in the months of September-October, and it is then that the thieves concentrate their efforts to steal plants full of sprouts. Since the autoflowering calendar is flexible, it allows you to harvest in months when thefts are less frequent, such as June, July or August.
Programmable harvest:

the cycles of autoflowering plants are fixed, that is, since they do not depend on the cycles of light to realize their life development, you can calculate for when the harvest will be ready. Usually we talk about periods ranging from 60 to 70 days, depending on the variety. In this way, autoflowering cannabis seeds allow you to plan your cannabis harvest and thus know in advance when you will have a pantry full of succulent buds.
Light pollution:

another advantage offered by these seeds is that you will not have to worry about light pollution, that is, it does not matter if in the night there will be a lighthouse on and the light will fall directly on the plant. This could be a problem in a feminized cannabis plant because that type of plant needs 12 hours of absolute darkness to have proper flowering.
Speed:

the cycles of autoflowering cannabis plants are obviously shorter than feminized ones, as mentioned above, in about 60-70 days the plant will be ready for harvest. This means that there is a lower risk of being affected by parasites, as the life cycle of the plant is shorter.
Discretion:

autoflowering cannabis plants are perfect for those growers looking for discretion. Depending on the size of the pot, it will be possible to decide on the size of the plant (the larger the pot, the more the plant will grow), so it is the perfect option for those who, for example, want to grow on the balcony.
Taste:

in general, autoflowering plants produce more leaves near the buds than feminized ones, so their taste is a little less pleasant.
Pruning:

it is advisable not to apply any pruning technique with autoflowering plants, as they have a very short vegetative phase and therefore there would be no time to recover and pruning would not make sense.
Initial errors:

While autoflowering plants are generally a good option for novice growers, they have one small drawback: a mistake comes at a premium. This is also due to the fact that the cycle of this type of plants is very short and there is no time for them to recover. So, if you make a rookie mistake and the plant freezes, it will likely spill over into the crop.

If you want to grow indoor...

Indoor feminized

Variable and programmable cycles:

feminized cannabis plants depend on the photoperiod for flowering. During the vegetative phase (in which the plant grows alone, and does not bloom) cannabis plants should in theory receive 18 hours of light, if you keep the cultivation with 18 hours of light and 6 of dark, the plants will grow non-stop, the moment you change the timer that controls the grow lamps to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark, the flowering period will begin. This is a great advantage when applying techniques such as SCROG, as you can lengthen the vegetative phase as you wish.
Possibility of creating mother plants:

since with feminized it is possible to lengthen the vegetative period at will, it is also possible to select those plants that are the best due to their characteristics (speed, power, resistance, aroma) and make them mother plants and then later make crops starting from cuttings.

Indoor autoflowering
Speed:

an advantage of autoflowers over feminized is that their life cycle is shorter, so in a shorter period of time the harvest will already be available.
Predetermined duration:

since autoflowering plants do not depend on the photoperiod to complete their cycle, once this has begun, you will know approximately how long it will last.
Parasites:

since this type of plants have a shorter life span, there is a lower risk of parasites infecting them or penetrating so deeply as to be lethal.
Economy:

It is recommended that autoflowering cannabis plants be grown in a single photoperiod of 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness for maximum yield. This, while resulting in increased productivity, also presupposes a higher expense in the electricity bill.
Pruning:

it is advisable not to prune in a cultivation inside self-potting plants as it would not make sense given the speed of its cycle.