Do you ever wish herb was more “set it and forget it”?
The Harvest Issue you’re holding celebrates the end of one annual, full-sun cultivation cycle, but another begins. Some growers are just getting set up for their winter indoor run, and we’re seeing more newbies, as well as pros, grow with “automatic” seeds.
Cannabis that flowers “automatically” does not need the strict lighting schedule of standard weed strains. Like early LEDs, auto seeds have gone from punch line to punching above their weight. Autos used to contain a little THC, with low terpenes and yield, but not anymore. Modern autos smack. Chances are you have smoked or dabbed an automatic plant and didn’t even know it.
Night Owl Seeds
Maine cult star Night Owl Seeds — a 6-year-old company and a leader in the automatic seed game — does midnight seed drops, like Strawberry Milk and Qookies, that sell out in minutes. What is company founder/operator Daz’s strategy? Automating classics like Marathon OG, AJ’s Sour D and (soon) Banana OG.
Daz learned how to make auto versions of strains in Europe, which is ahead of the Americas in the automatic weed game. Then Daz worked under Mephisto Genetics until he started his own thing.
“I’ve been isolating with plants for 10 to 15 years,” he said.
Daz said automatic weed growers are usually hobbyists working indoors in tents. When Daz finally got the wherewithal to run a large indoor warehouse, he populated it with 40 tents instead of one big grow.
Humboldt Seed Company
Experts say it’s getting almost impossible to tell the difference between automatic flowers and regulars. All automatics contain genes from a subspecies of weed called “ruderalis.” These rude girls flower automatically on the roadsides of rural Russia. Modern autos lack any telltale ruderalis aroma or taste.
Humboldt Seed Company, the 24-year-old top photoperiod brand, is working on autoing a vast chunk of its 80-strain commercial catalog. Among them, we’ve seen a new fruity auto Hella Jelly F5 with sizzling sativa effects, but it grows short and flowers quickly.
The December 2025 Auto Hella Jelly solves the two major issues commercial growers have with sativas: They get too tall and take too long. Time and space cost money. This squat, pink-flowered strain should take around 90 days from seed to harvest.
When dabbing Auto Hella Jelly, you’d never know it’s the distant grandchild of Russian ditch weed. The live rosin is very blond, fruity and delicate, like a sugary confection. It hits light, clean, fruity, loud, strong and bomb, easing tension and energizing work.
Autopotamus
One home grower in Quebec, Canada, who’s killing it with automatics is gardening influencer Linh Nguyen, aka “Autopotamus.” Sponsored by a raft of genetics and hardware brands, Autopotamus grows bountiful bushels of dank, icy colas that showcase the potential of autos in the 2020s.
Daz said autos grow a bit differently than regular, so-called “photoperiod” strains, which need timed lighting. For one, they don’t like getting transplanted or repotted. Don’t stress autos out.
Autos are harder to grow than photos, Daz said, but once you see the speed, flavor and potency, “it’s hard to go back.”
American Autoflower Cup 2026
The American Autoflower Cup, one big sign of autos’ arrival, returns in early 2026 and just announced its seven categories. Registration is currently open. Judging is conducted by industry experts, lab analysis and popular vote. The awards ceremony is Jan. 31, 2026, at beTRUE Los Angeles.
I’m running some autos this winter in San Francisco that were gifted to me in July by Cora Genetics founder Hardy Nieto, who just passed away. I popped a full pack and selected four of the feminized Dr. Grinspoon S1 autos for a big fabric pot. I don’t need the bud, but the fresh terps and joyful bouquet are a living memento mori for the new year. Time flies, so be quick and excellent — automatically.
Noteworthy automatic seed breeders:
- Night Owl Seeds
- Mephisto Genetics
- Humboldt Seed Company
- Multiverse Beans
- Gnome Automatics
- Speedrun Seeds
November Pot Farmer’s Almanac
Here’s what North America is doing in the garden this month:
Cure dried buds in a cold, dark place. Trim as needed for smoking, gifting and display. Make hash. Press rosin. Pop seeds for a winter indoor pheno hunt or flower run. Prepare the home for winter, and deep-clean the kitchen. There’s a Full Beaver Supermoon on Nov. 5, and Thanksgiving is on Nov. 28. Weather outlook: Chillier and wetter than average in the West and Northeast. Warm in the South and Southwest.
