Grow report – CBDV Auto

In this new issue of our grow reports, we invite you to explore the cultivation of an outstanding strain: CBDV Auto. Come with us on an in-depth journey through every aspect of this cannabidivarin-rich variety. A seasoned grower reveals all the secrets to obtain abundant crops thanks to the explosive yielding capacity of one of the most remarkable cannabinoid-rich strains in our repertoire.

The basis of any extraordinary cannabis variety lies in its genetics, and CBDV Auto by Kannabia is no exception. This strain has been meticulously developed from select crosses, thereby ensuring a unique combination of traits that set it apart as a variety that combines the therapeutic properties of the most sustainable cannabis with the simplicity and speed of an autoflowering. Developed by Kannabia Seeds, this strain has been specifically designed to provide a high CBDV content efficiently and without complications.

Cannabidivarin (CBDV) is attracting the attention of both scientists and consumers due to its potential soothing properties, which can be highly effective for the treatment of neurological pathologies such as epilepsy, or symptoms related to Crohn’s disease, HIV, and multiple sclerosis. And although there isn’t as much clinical research on CBDV as on other cannabinoids, this compound continues to arouse the interest of researchers all around the world.

And because CBDV Auto contains extremely low levels of THC (0.2%), users can enjoy the flavours and potential benefits of this strain without getting any psychoactive effects. With an average CBDV level of 5%, backed by 4% CBD, this is an incredibly accessible and forgiving strain for all types of growers that produces vigorous, easy-to-grow, and high-yielding plants.

Despite being slightly sativa-dominant, CBDV Auto grows into a very bushy plant, with dense branches and large internodes. She could be classed as ‘large’ for an auto, with her amazing structure that is neither too high nor too elastic… she’s simply a monster yielder. She can reach a height of 60 – 90 cm indoors, and 100 – 150 cm when grown outdoors, where she’s extremely resistant to cold climates, showing remarkable strength against harsh weather conditions and also pest and insect infestations. As CBDV Auto only takes between 63 and 70 days from germination to harvest, her buds will be yours to use in a really short time.

CBDV Auto’s step-by-step grow guide

This is an indoor grow inside a grow tent, in which two types of LED lamps will be alternated (100W and 300W), depending on the circumstances affecting the vegetative and flowering cycles. Features include:

• Grow type: Indoor
• Lighting: 300W LED Mars Hydro FC3000 / 100W LED ViparSpectra P1000
• Grower: gottagrowsometime
• Number of plants: 1
• Nutrients: Green House Feeding
• Irrigation: Manual
• Growing medium: Biobizz Light / All Mix substrate
• Vegetative period: 4 weeks
• Flowering period: 8 weeks

Germination

The grower puts the seed in water for 24 hours and takes it out as soon as the shell has split. He transfers it to cottonwool as soon as this appears. When the radicle reaches a length of 1 – 1.5 cm, it is placed in a seedbed with Biobizz Light Mix / All Mix mixture (60/40) so that it can then be transferred directly to an 11-litre pot, where it will spend the rest of its life cycle. The growing process starts with the following parameters:

Grow parameters:

• Daily temperature: 25ºC
• Height: 0 – 1.5 cm
• Substrate temperature: 21ºC
• Night temperature: 23ºC
• Hours of light: 20
• Air humidity: 75%
• Total dissolved solids: 110 ppm / 0.22 EC
• Irrigation volume: 0.1 L per plant per 24 hrs
• pH: 6.7
• Distance between lamp and plant: 45 cm

Vegetative phase

During the first week, the plant lifts her head, and the cotyledons are free and ready to open. She’s growing at a normal pace with constant development, so everything is OK so far. As the substrate mix is 60/40, nutrients aren’t added yet (only water). However, one dosage of Green House Feeding Mineral is added, just to prepare the substrate. As water is 110 ppm, the grower adds some growth booster after 7 – 10 days to reach 180 ppm. He also decides to add a little biobooster at the end of this week to accelerate growth and consolidate the pace. He’ll only use the LED FC 3000 Mars Hydro for the vegetative phase, and then 3 100W ViparSpectra lamps: 1 on the top and 1 on each side of the lower nodes.

In the second week, the grower has caught the Covid virus and therefore hasn’t been able to keep a close eye on the plant. CBDV Auto has suffered a little but she’s OK, even with low relative humidity levels and high temperatures. She’s not as fast as another Kannabia autoflower that he recently planted (Dream Sherbet Auto); “but even so, she has solid genetics”, he claims. He decides to give the plant an extra touch of nutrients (Green House Powder Feeding BioEnhancer) to speed up the growth a little. This increases the bioavailability of nutrients and stimulates substrate micro life and root mass development.

In the third week, CBDV Auto is doing very well. A couple of large fan leaves are removed so the light can reach deeper. The plant still seems to be struggling with heat stress, but not much more can be done about it, although she should now be able to withstand higher temperatures. “I hope she keeps vegetating during the next 2 or 3 weeks. With a bit of luck, she’ll reach a height of 40 – 50 cm before she starts flowering. The plant has taken a good shape”. She currently has 8 sets of nodes, and she doesn’t seem to have finished stretching all the nodes on the top yet. She is now 24 cm high, and she looks healthy.

Pre-flowering phase

In week four, we are in the days leading up to the flowering, and the plant starts being shaped using the Low Stress Training technique. She seems to be adapting well to LST. Any issues which caused heat stress from the beginning have been eliminated. The vegetative phase has led to a decent height of 31 cm, and the nodes have developed well. The grower is lighter than ever with the nutrients, and only uses between 1 and 3 types, mostly 1 per week. CBDV Auto begins to emit an earthy and minty scent. The grower checks for mosquitos in the substrate, and gives the plant a light feed of 400 ppm when he realises that the top of the substrate is a little dry.

During week five, in the days before the flowering starts, the grower gives CBDV Auto 12 hours of rest for every 36 hours of light, even though she’s been under an 18/6 photoperiod up to this point. This is to avoid excessive stretching, and seems to be working well. The heating is turned on when the house temperature drops to 20°C, maintaining the temperature when the plant is resting in the dark about 3ºC lower than when the lights are on. “I have no idea what effect this will have on my autos; but, honestly, so far so good”.

Grow parameters:

• Daily temperature: 25ºC
• Height: 48 cm
• Substrate temperature: 21ºC
• Night temperature: 22ºC
• Hours of light: 18
• Air humidity: 60%
• Total dissolved solids: 400 ppm / 0.8 EC
• Irrigation volume: 0.2 L per plant per 24 hrs
• pH: 6.7
• Distance between lamp and plant: 30 cm

Full flowering phase

In week six, the pre-flowering phase is over, and the plant’s colour is starting to fade all over quite beautifully. You can also smell a delicious fruity punch scent that is hard to describe. “What a stunning plant. She’s the most attractive auto pheno that I’ve ever grown”, boasts the grower. He decides to raise the ppm by 150, increasing the support a little by a ratio of 0-30-25 NPK. That little bit more raises the weekly feed to 550 ppm. And this corresponds to a nutrient solution with biobooster + Epsom salts, which will be applied this week. The main cola is 60 cm tall, with lateral branches raised between 35 and 45 cm.

In week seven (day 49), the plant has already had 25 days of flowering. Therefore, it’s time to do a slightly harder defoliation so that the light can reach all the flowering shoots. CBDV Auto has only increased 5 cm in height in the last 7 days, so the growing process has ended. The grower tries to bend the leaves wherever he can to continue with LST in a non-intrusive way. He’s extremely happy with how she’s developing. This week, he can see some substrate mosquitos flying around. “I’ll kill the males and the larvae”, he says.

In week eight, the plant’s been flowering for a total of 32 days. She releases a truly pleasant smell, which is sweet and strong, and which floods the entire grow tent. The buds have turned rather sticky. “I’d say that she’ll need between 50 and 56 full days to fully flourish. Hopefully, she’ll continue to fatten up”. Lovely structure and a decent number of flowering shoots. Unfortunately, he has to place CBDV Auto in a grow tent by herself under a LED P1000 ViparSpectra, to isolate her from other plants that he’s growing with the FC 3000. “The risk of cross contamination is too high. I’m sick and tired of looking for mosquitos and only catching 1 per day. For now, I need to keep her under control, even if it’s just for that”.

Grow parameters:

• Daily temperature: 25ºC
• Height: 70 cm
• Substrate temperature: 21ºC
• Night temperature: 22ºC
• Hours of light: 18
• Air humidity: 50%
• Total dissolved solids: 550 ppm / 1.1 EC
• Irrigation volume: 0.2 L per plant per 24 hrs
• pH: 6.7
• Distance between lamp and plant: 30 cm

Ripening phase

In week nine, CBDV Auto’s nutrient solution is kept at 550 ppm, but the quality of the final product is much better than in terms of density. “If I had kept her under the FC 3000, she would have given me denser buds on the top part. There are so many ripe and aerated buds on the lower part that I’d say that they represent 1/3 of the total yield. Which is plenty”. She’s developed some considerable buds full of swollen calyxes that are bright and very sticky. The leaves begin to yellow as part of the end of the journey.

In the tenth week, CBDV Auto will finish with only water until day 67, so the grower lets the plant use up what’s left in the pot and performs a full root flush. For 3 more days, he lets this lady drink as much as she likes. The plant is already resting for 30 hours to control the volatility of the terpenes, and then it’s time to cut. The grower harvests the full plant, roots included. He shakes the soil from the roots before bagging them, and then he hangs the plant upside down (so no dirt falls on the buds whilst they dry all the way from the roots). The plant is dried at 55 – 60% humidity, with a temperature of 17 – 19°C. “It’s been a really nice grow and, without a doubt, one of the largest autos I’ve ever grown. With a height of 71 cm and such a large size, I am super happy. She has a lot of courage and reeks of fruit, I guess mostly passion. I’ve learned masses with this strain!”

Harvest

The total amount obtained is 41.5 grams of dry flowers. Using the 100W LED lamp, the ratio is 0.42 grams / watt, and 714.29 grams / m². The buds are shiny and very sticky. A little aerated and slightly denser on the top, but as you move down the plant they become lighter (due to the crazy lighting programme used by the grower!). Big buds with purple and rosy hues that release an aroma of fruits, with a slight smell of musky earth but with a piercing scent of berries and citrus undertones. And an extremely light touch of diesel (mixed in with the earthy aroma).

According to the grower, the smoke is soft on both inhalation and exhalation, maybe because she has little or no THC. And she also tastes delicious with a vaporiser. This is an extremely relaxing and soothing strain. In a way, she’s exactly what you’d expect from a 100% CBDV plant.

In conclusion, CBDV Auto is a jewel within the world of cannabis, and understanding her growth parameters and distinctive structure will enable you to grow this remarkable strain with great success. Follow these growing tips and enjoy a gratifying growing experience with CBDV Auto by Kannabia.