The Long-Awaited Fastflowering Line

The last 5 years at Fast Buds have been extremely productive; Our continuous research, breeding and testing allowed us to offer a whole new line of cannabis genetics. In late 2022, we decided to release our most sought-after autoflowering strains in Fastflowering version, providing growers with super fast flowering yet 100% photoperiodic versions of our most popular genetics. So if you’re curious to know more about the discovery, history, and how Fast flowering genetics are bred, we invite you to read and learn everything you need on Fast Flowering cannabis strains.

Fastflowering (aka FF’s) are 100% photoperiodic F1 hybrids featuring a faster flowering cycle; This means that FF’s still require 12 hours of darkness (12/12 light cycle) to flower but they will finish their flowering cycle in 6 - 7 weeks, that is around 1 - 2 weeks earlier than regular photoperiod strains. 

1. The Discovery of Fastflowering Genetics

FF’s were discovered around the year 2007 when breeders were first starting to make automatic versions of photoperiodic genetics. Soon enough after the first crosses were ready, breeders realized that there were no autoflowering plants rather than 100% photoperiodic plants but with a notable difference, they flowered much faster. 

At first, breeders weren’t sure this would apply to all crosses but further testing confirmed that in fact, Fastflowering strains (aka F1 hybrids) resulting from the cross between autos x photos led to a significant shortening of the flowering cycle, being anywhere from 1- 2 weeks faster than the photoperiodic parent plants.

2. How Are Fastflowering Strains Produced?

In order to breed and produce Fastflowering Seeds, you first need to select one automatic parent plant and one photoperiodic parent plant, this is the most important step as their characteristics will be passed on to the seeds, so it’s extremely important to make a good selection and start with the best genetics possible.

All cannabis strains are made by combining male genetic material with female genetic material, this means that the offspring (seeds) will have received a gene from the mother and a gene from the father.

When talking about F1 hybrids, the photoperiodic parent contributes with its photoperiod trait while the autoflower parent contributes with its automatic flowering trait but in this case, it’s a half-way inheritance, resulting in 100% photoperiodic plants with a reduced flowering cycle.

Selecting specific traits and continuing to cross genetics (F2, F3, F4, F5, and so on) will ultimately establish certain traits (like the color of the buds, plant size, smell, and effect, including if its photo or auto) until they are true for all plants resulting from the cross. Generally speaking, autoflowers will breed true for the autoflower trait from the fourth generation (F4) and forward, meaning that before you reach the F4, you have to go through the F1, F2, F3, and so on.

Fastflowering hybrids are obtained only on the first generation (F1), this means that the second cross (F2) will not be 100% FF plants because the further you breed autos x photos, the more autoflowers will appear in the offspring until 100% of the offspring breeds true for the auto trait.

In short, the only generation that is 100% photoperiodic and fastflowering is the first filial generation (aka F1).

3. What Makes an FF Strain an Actual Fastflowering Strain?

True FF’s are the result of the hybridization between two stable but totally different genetics (aka when breeders cross two unique genotypes); By doing this, the offspring will develop “special attributes” that are the most sought-after characteristics from the parent plants, this is known as ‘hybrid vigor’ and plants can express it as better yields, shorter flowering cycle and better resistance to harsh climates or diseases among others (in other words, combinations of unalike genes that naturally work well together or the most beneficial genes covering up the less beneficial ones).

For example, plants native to completely different geographical locations (which have completely different genotypes) will exhibit greater hybrid vigor than plants that have more similar genotypes (aka plants that are more related).

4. Why Choose Fastflowering Strains?

Growing Fastflowering cannabis seeds gives you a great advantage as it allows you to control the vegetative stage, this means that you decide when the plant starts flowering; Let it grow for 3 - 4 weeks or let it grow for 10 weeks, it does not matter how tall or short your plant is, FF’s will always produce resinous, aromatic, dense and most importantly, fast harvests. So what are the other advantages of cultivating Fastflowering strains? Well, FF’s allows you to:

Clone Mother Plants

Growers can maintain FF’s under an 18/6 cycle indefinitely, making it possible to keep mother plants that can produce clones, allowing you to grow an infinite number of exact copies of the mother plant from one single seed.

Control plant growth and yields

Just like any other photoperiodic variety, FF’s can be kept in the vegetative stage for as long as you wish. This means that you can grow huge 2-meter tall plants or the opposite, grow small, discreet plants by inducing flowering earlier.

Avoid diseases

Fastflowering strains can finish up to 2 weeks before regular photoperiodic strains, which is a huge advantage as it allows you to anticipate your harvests so that you avoid the cold, rainy weather that can cause moldy flowers. Even when growing indoors, FF’s exhibit hybrid vigor which means that your plants will better adapt to the environment, exhibit greater resistance to diseases and plagues, and have greater tolerance to stress. 

5. Conclusion

Fastflowering strains aren’t better or worse than autoflowers or regular photoperiods, but are different and may give you a great advantage depending on where and when you’re growing. As a matter of fact, Fastflowering strains are the perfect medium between photos and autos, providing the best of both worlds by giving you the option to extend or shorten the vegetative stage while considerably shortening the flower cycle and enhancing plant health.