I have 4 plants, all 100% Sativa, Strawberry Cough. Two are autoflowers and two are photoperiod, all are the same age, same source, had the exact same growing conditions as an experiment to see which I like more for an indoor 1000 watt HPS grow. Light cycle change to 12/12 happened 7 days after I noticed significant white pistils on the autoflowers.
The autoflower flowers (the 2 plants in the foreground) are significantly less dense than the photoperiods (the 2 plants in the background by the wall).
The only environment difference is the humidifier I added 3 weeks ago which changed the daily humidity range from a very low 17%-25% to the current 30%-50%. Temperature ranges from 68 F to 81 F daily.
I’ve read on ILGM different posts, some saying you want low humidity to tighten up the buds in the last stage of flowering, while others say to attempt to stay in the VPD range as close as possible (which I still am under the graph even with the humidity increase). A couple posts mentioned the humidifier could result in possible bud rot.
Any ideas??? Getting close to the end and can’t wait. My guess is that it’s not the humidifier, but I’m not sure. It is pointed right at the two autoflowers, and it was about a foot closer to the plants until today, the two in the back are about 10% less RH on average.
I bought both types of seeds on purpose, germinating them at the same time was an accident. So now we have an experiment.
I’m thinking the photoperiods are better for density, the only other time I grew autoflowers was a Green Crack in the backyard sun, it was also less dense but I didn’t also grow a photoperido Green Crack at the same time, it did turn out okay to smoke, but it wasn’t as good as the dispensary here.
Ya, a weird experiment since the autoflowers didn’t get to benefit from a 24 hour light cycle when the 12/12 light change started. A better experiment would be to have two rooms, one 24 hours/day for the autos and one 12/12 for the photos for flowering.
It was an accident to start them at the same time. I think autos are probably just better for small grow tents and not so much for an open room with no height or width issues.
I veg long so auto sit in the 18/6 with photo and photo typically move to flower tents. Have to go to brothers farm and work it for him so going all photo so Momma can just water them…lol took down some tents.
Only thing i could think of is genetics 1st no 2 plants will be the same ever and 2nd sativas by themselves can typically be a bit airy in general atleast compared to indica dominant strains that usually have denser buds out of curiosity are you running your hps at full power
Ok so far between me growing autos and photos. Photos give me rocks and autos give me nice looking buds but nothing comparable to what the photo brings. Now I am understanding and think this is where I messed up at is too much food too much light either one or the other or both can play a factor of loose airy. IDs. I always fed my autos the same as my photos without any harm showing on the plant at all. IDs felt solid and hard on the tree but when dried always come out to be way looser than I would like to feel. If still growing cut the feed down to a maximum of about 800 ppm at the most and see where that takes u on ATLeast one of the autos. It could be genetics but I’m gonna lean towards the fact of too much feed or too much light or heat also too cold of night temps the big drop of temps can. Cause it also. @Nicky@Not2SureYet are super guys and love growing autos maybe they can be of a hand to u good luck.
Could airy buds can be a maturity thing in auto flowers strains ? I know lighting is key, but timing is everything on autos , Me and hundreds if not thousands of growers have chopped they autos to soon by usibg a schedule verses waiting on the plants to have the final say . Autos should be huge flowers if you give them the full time they need to produce , but if you try to grow them on a calendar schedule you can miss some bud weight .
Agree with @yoshi and @Mark0427 give a lite feed to the autos and they usually take a bit longer than what the breeder says would give your autos more time to finish just my opinion happy growing .
Here is your answer. Sativas are always light compared to indicas. For me at least. I don’t think how much you feed would really matter a lot. I stay on the lighter side as feeding to much always slows things down. You have great humidity for flowering. I wouldn’t be adding more humidity if these were mine.
Having weak lights can definitely make a difference. And some times you get a bean or 2 that just produce so - so buds. I had a Bubblegum auto that grew some super fluffy stuff. As for a 12/12 on utos. All mine do fine on that. I have one right now that has been on a 13/11 for a few weeks. And then a 12/12 for the rest of the grow. I normally use a 16/8 for my autos. But see there is no real need for that. At least here. I ran the gas lantern schedule for veg. And went to the 12/12 for flower. I didn’t want to try even less light one the auto. All tho I could have once it went to flower.
I get just as dense of buds from my autos as from my photos. Every now and then I get some thing a little more on the lighter side. And it is always a sativa.
Here is what I am starting to realize though. I can really tighten up my buds if I dry them a little extra . And add a few leaves in when I cure to bring the humidity up to about 58% It makes a big difference. Once I hit the 62% range. They start to loosen up again.
Ya, could just be the genetics of the seed, even though coming from the same source, but maybe not from the same plant. The HPS can do 600/750/1000/and super lumens. It’s at 1000 watts now but I didn’t change the light from 750 watts to 1000 watts until 2 weeks after the light cycle change.
Thanks. I’ve been using Jack’s 321, but only doing it every other day. Not sure if the autos think it’s too much for them, but the photos really seemed to like it vs. the Fox Farm liquid nutrients I was using in vegetative and at the beginning of flowering stage.
I guess it was a good idea to do 4 plants in a 4’x4’, and not 2. Hedging the bet I guess.
Ya, I think the issue may also be the fact that since I had autos and photos in the same room, started at the same time, the autos never got the 18-24 hrs/day light that they could have received. Maybe the autos would have been much more healthy and flower dense if the light schedule wasn’t 12/12?
Thanks. It’s just weird since all four plants are Sativas and the autos are different from the photoperiods. Maybe the nutrients were too strong for the autos, but the photos tolerated the same mixture and watering schedule more.
Every Sativa Dominant plant I have ever grown has been airy… smoke wise I’m always unhappy the last one I grew went straight to a rosin press.
Idk if that’s me but I’ve grown a lot of them. My indicas are always dense.
I guess what I’m really comparing it to is 100% Sativas from dispensaries here. Their buds are really dense and compact - even this same strain. I don’t know what kind of set up they have, but most here are just using half rounds with HPS or LED lights outdoors in cow fields.
IMO quite a few commercial growers use. PGR Weed or Plant Growth Regulator weed is a marijuana plant whose growth and structure have been modified using plant growth hormones. PGRs are artificial growth hormones used by growers to induce faster growth of plants, control roots, trigger flowering, and alter any other growth characteristics. PGR weed refers to cannabis plants cultivated with these chemicals.
PGRs have practical uses in plant growth for many reasons, but not for consumables. When applied to any plant, the results are remarkable, but the reality is the exact opposite when such plant products are consumed. Look up the difference in appearance.
if you give them the full time they need to produce , but if you try to grow them on a calendar schedule 
you can miss some bud weight .
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