Growing autos as a viable business

[DabbyMcDabFace]

so quite a few months ago, I decided to invest in my friends grow operation as a way to make some money to buy a house and to have pot for ourselves. fast forward to a few months ago, he decided to go with auto strains and while at first I wasn't really ok but thought well if this is temporary then sure we can do it. well about 2 months into the grow cycle i see the results of our autos (part of it was bad genetics. i got some 420 autos) and I am floored at the size of them and get reminded again autos are small and dont yield as much as photos. and then start trying to talk to him about growing photos again at some point. (we started with photos but they hermied 2 months in and then he told me he was using rando bag seeds) at first he seemed open to the idea, then literally 5 minutes later by doubling down and saying "once we get the first property for me, I will be growing my legal 72 plant limit solely in autos." He assures me that yes autos CAN be used for commercial grow sites but I am just not seeing it. If i just being close minded here? or is picking the right genetics (something like mephisto or dinafem) the key to it. I'm already ready to say fuck it cause first there not too many autos strains to really grow in the first place (sure I know there are a few dozen but next to nothing I am looking for. ) and I feel that i am just wasting money in a power bill to get OTHER people high. he tells me that photos are not "feasible" in a grow tent and that the only way we can do photos if we have a dedicated place.
so am I in the wrong and auto CAN be used be used in a LEGIT grow operation or should I tell the guy I am no longer going to invest in the business. (to put things clear. I invest the money, he grows the pot. We grow whats strains HE wants to grow as I have to get approval on what seeds I am getting. sometimes he'll buy things but I am doing most of the heavy lifting, I buy the nutrients, soil, the seeds, the SF4000 LED and the t6 fans (with controller) with a carbon filer and pay solely for the power bill . he pitches in a little bit but not nearly as much as I have.
Please someone set me straight. I really don't care if you roast me for being a dumbass if I am.

 

[HighnDry]

so quite a few months ago, I decided to invest in my friends grow operation as a way to make some money to buy a house and to have pot for ourselves. fast forward to a few months ago, he decided to go with auto strains and while at first I wasn't really ok but thought well if this is temporary then sure we can do it. well about 2 months into the grow cycle i see the results of our autos (part of it was bad genetics. i got some 420 autos) and I am floored at the size of them and get reminded again autos are small and dont yield as much as photos. and then start trying to talk to him about growing photos again at some point. (we started with photos but they hermied 2 months in and then he told me he was using rando bag seeds) at first he seemed open to the idea, then literally 5 minutes later by doubling down and saying "once we get the first property for me, I will be growing my legal 72 plant limit solely in autos." He assures me that yes autos CAN be used for commercial grow sites but I am just not seeing it. If i just being close minded here? or is picking the right genetics (something like mephisto or dinafem) the key to it. I'm already ready to say fuck it cause first there not too many autos strains to really grow in the first place (sure I know there are a few dozen but next to nothing I am looking for. ) and I feel that i am just wasting money in a power bill to get OTHER people high. he tells me that photos are not "feasible" in a grow tent and that the only way we can do photos if we have a dedicated place.
so am I in the wrong and auto CAN be used be used in a LEGIT grow operation or should I tell the guy I am no longer going to invest in the business. (to put things clear. I invest the money, he grows the pot. We grow whats strains HE wants to grow as I have to get approval on what seeds I am getting. sometimes he'll buy things but I am doing most of the heavy lifting, I buy the nutrients, soil, the seeds, the SF4000 LED and the t6 fans (with controller) with a carbon filer and pay solely for the power bill . he pitches in a little bit but not nearly as much as I have.
Please someone set me straight. I really don't care if you roast me for being a dumbass if I am.

There are many, many auto strains available. Most good photo strains have been crossed with Ruderalis to produce an auto version and the 2 dedicated breeders you mention have produced dozens between them alone. Check out our breeders section for a better idea of what they can do in the right hands

https://www.autoflower.org/forums/autoflower-breeder-testing/

 

[JSH1973]

Sounds like you guys need to invest in better seeds regardless of if you go with Auto, Reg. Or Femi/Photo ones, best of the luck with the future business anyway, it does sound a little like you are just paying for your mates hobby though.

 

[Death The Cultivator]

so quite a few months ago, I decided to invest in my friends grow operation as a way to make some money to buy a house and to have pot for ourselves. fast forward to a few months ago, he decided to go with auto strains and while at first I wasn't really ok but thought well if this is temporary then sure we can do it. well about 2 months into the grow cycle i see the results of our autos (part of it was bad genetics. i got some 420 autos) and I am floored at the size of them and get reminded again autos are small and dont yield as much as photos. and then start trying to talk to him about growing photos again at some point. (we started with photos but they hermied 2 months in and then he told me he was using rando bag seeds) at first he seemed open to the idea, then literally 5 minutes later by doubling down and saying "once we get the first property for me, I will be growing my legal 72 plant limit solely in autos." He assures me that yes autos CAN be used for commercial grow sites but I am just not seeing it. If i just being close minded here? or is picking the right genetics (something like mephisto or dinafem) the key to it. I'm already ready to say fuck it cause first there not too many autos strains to really grow in the first place (sure I know there are a few dozen but next to nothing I am looking for. ) and I feel that i am just wasting money in a power bill to get OTHER people high. he tells me that photos are not "feasible" in a grow tent and that the only way we can do photos if we have a dedicated place.
so am I in the wrong and auto CAN be used be used in a LEGIT grow operation or should I tell the guy I am no longer going to invest in the business. (to put things clear. I invest the money, he grows the pot. We grow whats strains HE wants to grow as I have to get approval on what seeds I am getting. sometimes he'll buy things but I am doing most of the heavy lifting, I buy the nutrients, soil, the seeds, the SF4000 LED and the t6 fans (with controller) with a carbon filer and pay solely for the power bill . he pitches in a little bit but not nearly as much as I have.
Please someone set me straight. I really don't care if you roast me for being a dumbass if I am.

He doesn't sound like he knows what he's doing. Autos can be used for commercial purposes @THC Farms has done so with success.

I wouldn't keep spending my money with him.

 

[Simplicio]

You should question whether it's possible to make a profit doing this.
The price of herb is likely to fall as more and more growers legally add to the supply.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I am just finishing off a Photoperiod grow - the best I have ever done with about 700g/m² but it took 5 months. In the same time frame I can almost complete 2 Autoflower grows with up to 500g/m². So doing the math on yield alone autos win. If you total in the extra energy to grow an auto at 18 hour days compared to Photos at 12 hours the profit level comes down a bit but the autos still win. There are many other advantages to do autos in the farm but cultural practices are too variable to compare to another grower and style.

The old argument that autos are too low in THC is just plain wrong. I have had several of mine lab tested with great results.

Here is a 1:1 THC:CBD very popular in the medical market.

 

[Olderfart]

I am just finishing off a Photoperiod grow - the best I have ever done with about 700g/m² but it took 5 months. In the same time frame I can almost complete 2 Autoflower grows with up to 500g/m². So doing the math on yield alone autos win. If you total in the extra energy to grow an auto at 18 hour days compared to Photos at 12 hours the profit level comes down a bit but the autos still win. There are many other advantages to do autos in the farm but cultural practices are too variable to compare to another grower and style.

The old argument that autos are too low in THC is just plain wrong. I have had several of mine lab tested with great results.

View attachment 1257818

Here is a 1:1 THC:CBD very popular in the medical market.

View attachment 1257819

As always MOG, informative and to the point. You, as others have already mentioned, are an asset to this site.

 

[Olderfart]

so quite a few months ago, I decided to invest in my friends grow operation as a way to make some money to buy a house and to have pot for ourselves. fast forward to a few months ago, he decided to go with auto strains and while at first I wasn't really ok but thought well if this is temporary then sure we can do it. well about 2 months into the grow cycle i see the results of our autos (part of it was bad genetics. i got some 420 autos) and I am floored at the size of them and get reminded again autos are small and dont yield as much as photos. and then start trying to talk to him about growing photos again at some point. (we started with photos but they hermied 2 months in and then he told me he was using rando bag seeds) at first he seemed open to the idea, then literally 5 minutes later by doubling down and saying "once we get the first property for me, I will be growing my legal 72 plant limit solely in autos." He assures me that yes autos CAN be used for commercial grow sites but I am just not seeing it. If i just being close minded here? or is picking the right genetics (something like mephisto or dinafem) the key to it. I'm already ready to say fuck it cause first there not too many autos strains to really grow in the first place (sure I know there are a few dozen but next to nothing I am looking for. ) and I feel that i am just wasting money in a power bill to get OTHER people high. he tells me that photos are not "feasible" in a grow tent and that the only way we can do photos if we have a dedicated place.
so am I in the wrong and auto CAN be used be used in a LEGIT grow operation or should I tell the guy I am no longer going to invest in the business. (to put things clear. I invest the money, he grows the pot. We grow whats strains HE wants to grow as I have to get approval on what seeds I am getting. sometimes he'll buy things but I am doing most of the heavy lifting, I buy the nutrients, soil, the seeds, the SF4000 LED and the t6 fans (with controller) with a carbon filer and pay solely for the power bill . he pitches in a little bit but not nearly as much as I have.
Please someone set me straight. I really don't care if you roast me for being a dumbass if I am.

I don't think the fellow's problem is just genetics. As others here point out, autos are perfectly capable of quality and yield comparable to photoperiods. If he is not doing it, he is either using poor seeds, or poor technique, or both.

You might want to consider a different partner, or none at all. Learning how to grow well is not that hard, especially if you hang about here.

Curious what you mean by legit. As in illegal, but profitable?

 

[THC Farms]

@DabbyMcDabFace you can harvest some auto strains every 80 days more or less from seed. If you pick the right breeder and strain you can get 5 harvests a year from autos. Simply start seeds 2 weeks before harvest date of your main space. As you harvest your main space you just move your 2 week old plants into the main space and then rinse and repeat. My first grow ever I grew a massive autoflower plant that yielded 2 pounds dry in 80 days exactly. I have a licensed grow and I am small I only have a 12x24 building that I converted. I am not making hundreds of thousands a cycle but I am making profits that pay for my grandson's medical equipment that he needs as he gets older its the only reason I started this business. I would suggest doing a lot of research into what strains are in highest demand in your area and start with those. For me I can make more money growing CBD/THC strains than just straight THC strains because of the market in my area. Feel free to ask questions.

 

[Ali3nz]

I am just starting out and I am doing this for profit. I don’t claim to be correct or an expert but When I did the research and the math I went with autoflowers. I could not be happier with the results thus far. Autoflowers grow and flower fast and can get pretty big if you have fine tuned your growing conditions. If you are growing all year round and have limited space, I think auto-flowers are ideal.