The Sea of Green Autoflower method is a popular technique used by cannabis cultivators to maximize bud yields of autoflower cannabis varieties in a limited space. Let’s face it, growing your own weed at home can come with a few challenges, especially when you have limited room.
You can grow your own weed relatively stress-free by starting with autoflower seeds, and using the Sea of Green (SOG) method as a low-stress training technique for your plants. It involves growing several small plants simultaneously in a tight space. By applying the SOG method on autoflower plants, growers can achieve more buds per square meter/foot and harvest in the shortest possible time. By planting many smaller plants close together, you create a “sea” of green that will fill up your grow room quickly.
Now that we have a rough idea about what the SOG method is, we can start answering the top questions we get about the process. In this SOG autoflower guide, we are going to cover the basics of the SOG method and explain how to use it when growing autoflower seeds. You’ll also find out the advantages and disadvantages of SOG, along with specific instructions and tips to have you riding the waves of bud on a sea of green in your home grow!
What Are Autoflowers?
We want to briefly cover what autoflower weed plants are in case you may be new to growing autoflower weed seeds. Autoflower cannabis is quickly becoming the go-to choice for growers looking to reap a harvest of home-grown weed. Autoflowers are popular because their shorter lifecycle leads to quicker harvests, and they can be grown easily even if you don’t have a green thumb.
Unlike regular cannabis plants, autoflower varieties don't require strict light cycles and will start flowering on their own. This means you won't have to waste time trying to adjust the lighting throughout the lifecycle. Plus, once they start blooming, you can expect your crop to be ready for harvest in just a few short weeks. Growing big buds quickly is what makes autoflower plants such an automatic success. If you want to learn more about this fast-growing type of cannabis, you can read our article where we explain what autoflowering seeds are.
Can You SOG Autoflowers?
A lot of growers may already be familiar with the traditional Sea of Green method for non-autoflower plants. The SOG method was traditionally used to grow non-autoflower seeds. As autoflower seeds became more popular, growers started using the same principles of the technique to get more bud out of autoflower plants.
To answer the question, yes, you absolutely can SOG autoflowers! The Sea of Green method is one of the most popular training techniques used by home growers, and autoflowering plants are more than capable of flourishing with this method.
How to Sea of Green Autoflowers?
Autoflowers are the perfect plants for soaring yields with the Sea of Green method! The SOG technique is a great way to maximize your autoflower harvest and grow more buds in less space. It involves planting several small autoflower plants close together, instead of a few large ones spaced further apart. To use this technique on autoflowers, you should start by selecting the right seeds. The SOG method does work on all autoflowers, but we recommend using the best strains for SOG, which include strains like White Widow and Northern Lights. Starting with the strains that are already known to work with the SOG method is the best way to make the most of your SOG setup. Keep reading for a step-by-step guide on how to Sea of Green autoflowers.
Sea of Green Method Autoflower Steps
When using the Sea of Green method on any weed grows, it's all about using your space wisely! It's important to put your autoflower plants close together, but not too close, otherwise, you'll be choking off their growth and seeing fewer buds in return. With our SOG plan, we'll make sure you roll with success by showing you exactly how to space the plants and form a lush canopy of green.
Step 1 - Spacing Your Weed Plants
Each autoflower plant should be spaced 30 cm (12 inches) away from their neighbor. Any further apart and you miss out on the benefits, but too close together, and you'll be forming an overcrowded canopy. If you're looking for a way to fit more in a single space, experienced growers commonly recommend adding planks to elevate your garden with multiple levels for optimal growth.
Step 2 - Positioning Your Weed Plants
To maximize your plant's yields, a little position training can go a long way. Instead of reaching for the sky, you may want to train your plants to grow slightly horizontally. This technique, known as low-stress training, involves bending the plant slightly and securing it with a string to encourage a wider shape so that each bud can catch all the light it needs. By using low-stress training techniques, you can shape your plants to form a nice flat canopy across the top, ensuring that each bud gets enough light and room to grow. With just a bit of manipulation, you will find that you have much bigger yields in the future.
Step 3 - Vegetative Stage
During the all-important vegetative stage, your plant will become a full-grown wonder in no time! This growth phase is a crucial part of the weed growth cycle. It enables your plant to produce branches, leaves, and the very top of its structure. Without success during this period, you could find yourself with low yields come harvest season. This is the stage where you will focus on positioning your weed plants as they grow.
Step 4 - Flowering Stage
If you want a speedy harvest, SOG is the way to go. Autoflower plants don't need you to adjust the light cycle in order to enter their flowering stage, which is one of their benefits. They’ll make that switch on their own. However, you will need to be paying close attention, as the exact time from flower to harvest can vary. If you miss when it’s time to harvest, the potency of your yields could suffer. No one wants high yields of bud that doesn’t get you high!
Why Use the SOG Method for Autoflowers?
The main advantage of this technique is that it allows you to get more buds from fewer plants while taking up less space than traditional methods. Additionally, because the plants are smaller, they require less energy and resources to grow, resulting in lower costs for the grower.
Pros of Using the SOG Method for Autoflowers
Continuous cultivation throughout the year
Thanks to SOG, you can keep your growing cycle going all year long, seamlessly transitioning from one group of plants to the next.
Suitable for smaller spaces
With plants so close together and at shorter heights, you'll need much less space for successful results.
Major energy cost savings
Since fewer lamps are necessary and faster growth times are achieved, you will save money on your energy costs, which means even more green in your pocket!
Quicker harvesting times
Less height and rapid bud production accelerate harvests significantly, so you can go from growing to smoking in no time!
Cons of Using the SOG Method for Autoflowers
As you can see, with the Sea of Green method, you can get a great harvest yield in a shorter period of time, but there are also some disadvantages to consider.
Maintenance and Care of Multiple Plants
You'll have more than one weed plant on your hands this way, so it's important to give your plants regular attention and maintenance.
Difficulty Growing Different Strains
If you'd like to grow different species of weed at once, using the SOG method can be difficult due to the various approaches needed for each strain.
Increased Fungi and Vermin
Thanks to all your plants being close together, fungi and pests can easily spread across them, so it’s best to keep an eye out for these. If you want more tips on dealing with fungi, you can consult our guide to mold on weed plants.
Low Hash Production
Without lower leaves present, you won’t typically have enough small material to make hash with when using the SOG method.
SOG Method for Autoflowers Tips
Since the SOG method has such high reviews from growers, we have some tips for growing autoflowers with SOG. Here are a few helpful pointers to help increase your chances of a successful harvest:
Select Indica Seeds
Indica plants naturally have a fuller crown and are better suited to SOG.
Choose Seeds with Short Flowering Times
Results vary per strain, so take note of the indicated flowering time before purchasing any seeds.
Water and Nutrients
Feeding your plants the right amounts of water and nutrients across all of your plants will give you a higher chance of success.
Do Not Over-Prune
Too much pruning during the vegetative or flowering stages could put the plant into shock and lower your yield.
What have we learned?
Now you know everything you need to know about the Sea of Green autoflower method. This grow technique does work on autoflower seeds, and although there are a few disadvantages, it doesn’t take scale to see that the advantages of growing more bud heavily outweigh any potential downsides.
We invite you to search our Learning Center to learn more about how to start growing the best weed at home. If you’re an experienced grower, we recommend going straight to our Grow Guide for Advanced Growers. Whatever level of grower you are, you can rely on us to help you find the right seeds and get super high… yields of bud that is!