Light cycle for autoflowers

1) water the entire pot. don't leave dry spots in the center it can fuck you later. 2) if the DLI for 12/12 is the same as 18/6 then it should preform about the same. I don't think it gives you any advantage of more veg time or anything. If anything it might speed it up as increased darkness help make plant flowering hormones in photoperiods, but from my limited understanding, autos are not affected like that. But I could be wrong.

hey 👋 Unless you are growing autoflowering plants at the same time as photoperiod plants in the same tent, which would justify 12/12, give your plants an 18/6 cycle. This means you don't need to run your lights at full power, risking overheating and burns during the day, and a nighttime period that is too cool and too humid. Ruderalis genetics are different from indica and sativa, converting energy into sugars more quickly and spreading their roots less (two processes that take place at night). What you would save on your electricity bill, you would lose in yield 😉

Yes, my diary chapter #12 was 4x auto at 12 hours for entire grow. You would need to increase intensity though to compensate for the loss of time.

Autoflowers can grow and flower under 12/12, but they won’t reach their full potential. They don’t depend on the light cycle to start flowering, but less light means less energy for growth and smaller yields. Best results come with 18/6 or even 20/4

As long as you give the same DLI over 12h that you did over 18h there should be little difference in yield. This is certain. I doubt it impacts an autoflower's mechanism for when it enters flower phase. This is likely but not 100% certain. Autoflowers are fickle things. Treat them poorly and it might induce or delay flower. I don't know exactly how the autoflower plant triggers flower, but it's definitely not a hormone that is produced in the dark...