Blueberry Auto Cannabis Strain Week-by-Week Guide
- 1. History
- 2. Specifications
- 3. Week-by-week guide
- 3. a. Germination - week 0
- 3. b. Vegetative stage - week 1
- 3. c. Vegetative stage - week 2
- 3. d. Vegetative stage - week 3
- 3. e. Pre-flowering stage - week 4
- 3. f. Flowering stage - week 5
- 3. g. Flowering stage - week 6
- 3. h. Flowering stage - week 7
- 3. i. Flowering stage - week 8
- 3. j. Harvesting - week 9
- 4. Terpene profile
- 5. Type of effect
- 6. In conclusion
1. History
The Blueberry cannabis strain was created back in the 70s when an American breeder, called DJ Short, was experimenting with different landrace strains. Back then, he got his hands on unique Afghani, Thai, Colombian and Mexican landraces, and after years of breeding, he eventually created a strain with a mouth-watering blueberry flavor.
A couple of years later, Dj Short was finally able to establish the Blueberry flavor and finally released the strain which became extremely popular due to the quality genetics and distinct blueberry flavor. Dj Short continued developing the Blueberry strain, every time with a stronger blueberry flavor until he eventually released the Blueberry F5, which is the version you can find nowadays.
2. Specifications
This classic variety was revamped by the Fast Buds team and thanks to the top-notch genetics, you can now grow Blueberry in auto version, allowing you to harvest up to 500 gr/m2 in as little as 9 weeks. This is a resilient Indica-dominant strain that produces up to 22% THC and grows around 110cm while producing a delicious sweet blueberry aroma. Thanks to the THC content and unique terpene profile, you’ll feel the powerful effect right after taking the first puff and feel completely relaxed yet still energized, allowing you to go through a busy day focused and in a peaceful state of mind.
Blueberry Auto possesses enough THC to get most smokers high following a joint or bong hit. However, those looking for a more intense experience should consider whipping up some edibles, such as space cakes or brownies. When consumed this way, all of the THC will pass through the stomach and liver. This metabolic route converts THC into a more potent molecule known as 11-hydroxy-THC. The high will take longer to kick in, but you’ll experience an intense effect for several hours. Consuming Blueberry Auto this way will really bring her fruity and sweet terpene to the fore. But be warned, these edibles will come on aggressively; only the most experienced of cannabis users should opt to experience Blueberry Auto in this fashion.
3. Week-By-Week Guide
Here’s a general overview of the growing conditions kept throughout the whole grow cycle. Remember that this weekly timeline serves to provide an idea of what to expect with our Blueberry auto.
| Grow Conditions Specifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Fixture: | LED | Nutrients: | Synthetic |
| Grow Space: | Indoor | PH level: | 5.8 |
| Temperature: | 20 - 26°C | Flowering time: | 9 weeks |
| Humidity: | 50-60% | Substrate: | Coco |
The table above should give you an idea of the plant's progress in similar conditions, just remember that you can get slightly different results (or completely different) depending on what plant training you perform and your style of growing.
Germination - Week 0
This autoflower week-by-week guide begins by soaking a couple of Blueberry Auto seeds in a glass of water. This is the recommended germination method, especially for beginner growers but if you’ve grown cannabis before you can germinate any way you prefer to, even germinating directly in the substrate if that works for you.
It really doesn’t matter the germination method as long as you can adjust and maintain the temperature between 18 - 25 °C and humidity ranging between 70 - 80%. If you don’t have a way to keep the humidity within this range, you can place a plastic cup on top of the seedling to help maintain the right humidity levels.
Vegetative Stage - Week 1
If everything goes right, the seedling should come out of the soil in 7 - 10 days, so remember to remove the plastic cup when the seedling has completely developed the first pair of leaves (one-fingered leaves).
Once your plant develops the first pair of true leaves (three-fingered leaves) you can go ahead and start feeding Grow nutrients in a 3-1-2 ratio. But keep in mind that if you’re growing in pre-amended substrate you should only start feeding once the nutrients in the substrate are almost depleted which, depending on the brand, should take around 3-4 weeks.
Vegetative Stage - Week 2
By week 2 of the vegetative stage, your plant should already be growing quite fast, developing one pair of fan leaves per day. If you’re planning on performing plant training techniques, make sure to pay close attention and once your plant has grown at least 3-4 nodes, you can go ahead and start the preferred plant training technique.
But don’t worry if your plant is not ready yet, it will probably be ready for training in the next couple of days. Also, remember that it’s not recommended to perform high-stress training on autoflowers because it may be too stressful, especially if you’re a beginner. So if you’ve just started growing, you can go for low-stress training methods such as tying down the branches which, as the name says, does not stress the plants as much.
Vegetative Stage - Week 3
If you take good care of the plants, they should explode in growth by week 3. As you can see in the photos below, this Blueberry Auto has grown a lot and with this autoflowering strain, marks exactly one week before the pre-flowering stage. When pre-flowering is near, you’ll see the flowering sites slowly turning light-green so make sure your plant is well-fed!
Remember to always keep an eye out for mold and pests so that your plants start flowering 100% healthy and if you’re growing multiple different strains in the same tent, make sure to pay attention to possible pollen sacs from male plants which can end up pollinating all your plants.
Pre-Flowering Stage - Week 4
After some days into the flowering stage, you’ll see white hairs starting to appear. If you haven’t seen any pollen sacs, it means all your plants are female and will be transitioning from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage in the next couple of days. Now that your plant will start producing seeds, make sure to start feeding Bloom nutrients.
As mentioned, it’s important to keep your plant well-fed because your plant needs more and more food as it starts producing beautiful buds so make sure to slowly increase Phosphorus and Potassium. Also, depending on the type of substrate you’re growing in, you may need to feed calcium and magnesium, especially if you’re using filtered water.
Flowering Stage - Week 5
By week 6 from germination, your plants are officially in the flowering phase and the flowers should start taking form. You’ll also be able to see trichomes on the flowers and surrounding foliage so make sure to get the carbon filter ready.
The delicious cannabis smell can not only attract unwanted attention but also insects so now would be a good time to place a couple of yellow sticky traps around or use a natural insecticide as a preventive measure. If you don’t have access to any of these, the only way to get rid of bugs is to remove them by hand so make sure to check your plants daily.
Flowering Stage - Week 6
By week 2 into the flowering stage, your plant should be in full-flower mode and with lots and lots of trichomes all over. At this stage, you should only feed Bloom nutrients because your plant will focus all its energy on bud production and won’t grow in height anymore.
Now that the buds are forming, make sure to keep the humidity in check as mold can rot your buds and end up ruining your harvest. If you are having problems with humidity levels you can go ahead and install an oscillating fan to provide better airflow between the buds and prevent mold from attacking the beautiful buds.
If you live in a naturally humid climate and find that you’re struggling to control the level of moisture within your growing tent, you can always set up a dehumidifier in your space. This device will help to draw moisture out of the air and protect your developing buds from mold. If you have a busy schedule outside of growing weed, you can also invest in several other pieces of kit that will allow you to automate the response to excess humidity. Link up your fans and dehumidifier to a sensor and controller, and you won’t have to constantly check on and modulate the environmental conditions within your space.
Flowering Stage - Week 7
Week 8 from germination marks the second half of the flowering stage. If you’re growing colorful strains such as our Blueberry Auto, this is probably when your plants will start to exhibit unique colors. This can also happen with regular strains, especially if you lower the temperatures during the last weeks of flowering.
Now, keep in mind that even though a certain strain tends to show different colors it’s not the rule. Some plants may not turn purple at all but don’t worry, if the buds don’t turn purple they will still have the delicious smell and taste you’re expecting.
Flowering Stage - Week 8
Week 9 from germination marks the last week from seed to harvest. The buds should be almost completely covered in trichomes and properly developed. You’ll also notice how the white hairs slowly turn brown and wilt, this is a sign that the buds are ripening and you’ll be chopping them down in no time.
Since it's the end of its life cycle and you’ll be harvesting next week, it’s a good idea to start flushing with plain water. This serves to wash off the nutrient build-up in the substrate and will help you enhance the delicious flavor and aroma even more.
Harvesting - Week 9
In order to know exactly when to harvest, it’s recommended to get a jeweler’s loupe or a 40x magnifier. With the help of a magnifier, you’ll be able to see the trichomes clearly and harvest your plants based on the type of effect that better suits you.
If you’re looking for a stronger psychoactive effect, make sure to harvest when the majority of the trichomes have turned cloudy or milky but if you want a more corporal effect, you can harvest when the majority of the trichomes have turned amber. Also, remember that after harvesting you still have to dry the flowers so get your drying room ready, chop down your plants and it will only take a couple of days for you to try these delicious blueberry buds!
4. Terpene Profile
Blueberry Auto offers a unique blueberry terpene mix made of the following main terpenes: Caryophyllene, Pinene, and Humulene, and the following secondary terpenes: Limonene, Myrcene, and Linalool.
This terpene profile results in a mouth-watering sweet blueberry flavor and aroma with a strong floral background and fruity hints that leaves your whole mouth tasting like you’re eating a delicious blueberry candy! As well as underpinning the unique flavor and aroma of Blueberry Auto, this complex bunch of aromatic molecules also directly influences the effect of this strain. Each terpene works in isolation to produce unique effects; pinene helps to liven and clear the mind; limonene energizes the brain and stokes creativity; caryophyllene targets the CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system and creates a soothing and relaxing effect in the body. As well as working on their own, these terpenes also synergize with cannabinoids to amplify their effects by way of the entourage effect. This is where whole flowers and full-spectrum extracts outperform isolated extracts—they offer all of the synergistic molecules that a strain has to offer.
5. Type of Effect
This delicious strain hits as soon as you take the first hit, leaving you completely relaxed as if you were chilling in a spa while leaving you in a peaceful state of mind. This effect is perfect for social scenarios and ideal for those wanting to reduce anxiety symptoms.
Despite leaving you completely relaxed, Blueberry Auto won’t leave you couch-locked thanks to the Sativa genetics but make sure to smoke in consideration because this strain can definitely take you to sleep.
6. In Conclusion
Blueberry Auto is a must for terpene lovers. This excellent autoflowering strain is highly recommended for those looking for delicious terpene profiles that make for excellent hash and extractions. On top of that, Blueberry Auto is super resilient and easy to grow so if you’re a beginner looking to grow your first auto, Blueberry Auto is a must. If you’ve already grown our Blueberry Auto, feel free to share your tips an tricks with fellow growers by leaving a comment in the comment section below!
