Fast versions (sweet seeds)

[Siobhan]

Morning all..
I know this is probably coverd already.
but are fast versions (sweet seeds), really worth growing, instead of the standard photoperiods
especially for a outdoor setup at 53N.
I'm getting a lot of conflicting answers on these.
the main downsides, loss of size, loss of terps, and not any quicker than normal photoperiods.
a number of people suggested its all hype, the faster versions.
Any info, from members who have tried these, would be appreciated.

 

[ductwizard2]

I don't know if this will help but some of this is covered in todays news letter

 

[dmpmfd]

In case anyone who isn't subscribed to the newsletter (at bottom of page.

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Here is a summary of the article (hoping this isn't against TOS by reposting it). If it is, please advise and I will delete the post.
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[TD]What’s the Difference between “Fast” and “Autoflower” Strains?[/TD]
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[TD]You're browsing a cannabis seed bank website, and see different strains with the same name, perhaps Bruce Banner. But one says "Autoflower" and one says "Fast" (sometimes also "Express" or "FF" or "Fast Flowering").



What does this mean?



What's the difference between an Autoflower and a Fast cannabis strain?[/TD]
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"Fast" Strains are Photoperiod Strains... but Faster.



This may be the most confusing strain naming convention for beginner growers. You could read the entire strain description, and still not know what to expect. Autoflowering strains are technically very fast to grow, typically being ready to harvest just 2-3 months from germination.



However, the short answer is a "Fast" strain is a fast-flowering photoperiod strain (not an autoflower strain).



Keep reading for a quick and simple explanation, so you know exactly which strain to choose for what you want!



"Fast" Strains are Photoperiod Strains... but Faster.



P.S. My favorite fast strains are the ones by FastBuds. This breeder is known for their autos, but they have some pretty epic fast photoperiod strains, especially Gorilla Cookies FAST and Tropicana Cookies FAST. [TABLE="cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0"]
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[TD]How To Get To Harvest Faster (As Quick As Possible)[/TD]
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[TD]We've talked about fast strains, but what else can you do as a home grower to harvest weed faster?



For example: With photoperiod strains, you can usually shorten the vegetative stage by growing more plants at a time. It takes less time for many plants to fill up a grow space, so you can initiate flowering sooner.[/TD]
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Save yourself time, effort, electricty, and nutrients by shortening your grow!



Learn 7 Tactics to Harvest As Quickly As Possible
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[Beeman]

So here is my take on the fast buds..last season I grew 3 early birds from twenty20 I lost 2 from humidity rain and moisture that caused mold, powdery mildew and leaf septoria. The one that did survive yielded a little over 1/2 lbs and finished up in mid September. I like them but you need the right environment to be successful. I live in Missouri and we can get some brutal summers with here and humidity last year was really wild with heavy rains early then heat and humidity then drought and wild temperatures swings​

 

[OldManGrower]

I too grew three from twenty/20 seeds. All sprouted and two made it to harvest. Absolutely outstanding weed. However I grew them with regular photos and the harvest difference was about ten days.

 

[Going2fast]

I have to disagree with the GWE assessment. Fast plants can lean both ways here and I have experienced it. Tropicana poison from sweet seeds was my first and I have made several (fast) strains myself. Ive had 4 Tropicanas planted next to one another outdoors and two started flowering early July here in the mid Atlantic area. The other two didnt begin flowering until early August. Firat two were ready mid September while the other two went until mid October. They were started early May. In all I believe the results from a cross of an auto and photo the first generation of seeds will fall into two categories. Long veggng autos or short flowering photos but im not even sure about the short flowering as they went 60 days.
when trying my fast strains indoors they act just like photos until week 6 or so then I've had some begin flowering while still at 18/6. The ones that flower early do finish ahead of the ones I had to induce but it's still a long vegging auto in my opinion.

 

[MeowMeow]

I personally had decent luck with "fast" photoperiod seeds from Fastbuds. But the strain choices are so limited it's hard to find many different strains to grow together on that quick of a flowering schedule. In my case, it ended up being ready to harvest several weeks before the others. And also, I think since the flowering time was shorter, the yields were overall smaller. In the end, I'd rather spend an extra 2-3 weeks in the flowering stage and get bigger yields with more strain choice.