How to Grow Northern Light x Critical Autoflower
Northern Light x Critical Autoflower, listed as Critical x Northern Light Auto, is a fast, easy and reliable autoflower that crosses two of the most famous indicas in cannabis. This 70% indica pairs a bright citrus and fruity flavor with a medium 16-20% THC and a euphoric, happy, relaxed effect, finishing a whole crop in about 8-10 weeks from seed.
It brings together the heavy, resinous reliability of Northern Lights with the big, fast structure of Critical, in an autoflowering package that needs no light-schedule changes. The result is a forgiving, high-performing plant that is one of our best autoflowers, well suited to beginners and to anyone who wants a dependable, quick harvest.
Recommended Strains
Critical x Northern Light Auto
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THC | 16% - 20% (Medium) |
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Type | Autoflowering |
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Yield | Medium |
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Phenotype | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
Northern Lights
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THC | 17% (Medium) |
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Type | Feminized |
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Yield | High |
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Phenotype | 90% Indica / 10% Sativa |
Because it is simple, fast and consistent, it is an easy way to grow two legends at once. You can see the full genetics and buy Critical x Northern Light Auto seeds on the strain page, and browse more of our autoflowering seeds alongside it.
Strain Profile at a Glance
| THC | Medium (16-20%) |
|---|---|
| Lineage | Critical x Northern Lights (auto) |
| Type | Autoflowering (feminized) |
| Genetics | 70% Indica / 30% Sativa |
| Climate | Tropical |
| Life cycle | 8-10 weeks (seed to harvest) |
| Harvest | All season (multiple runs) |
| Height | 4.92 ft / 1.5 m |
| Yield indoor | 1.15-1.31 oz/ft² (350-400 g/m²) |
| Yield outdoor | 17.64-21.16 oz/plant (500-600 g/plant) |
| Grow difficulty | Beginner-friendly |
| Flavors | Citrus, Fruity |
| Effects | Euphoric, Happy, Relaxed |
Promos & Deals
Growing an Autoflower
An autoflower does not need a change in light schedule to bloom. Instead of switching to 12/12 like a photoperiod plant, this one starts flowering on its own after a few weeks, purely on age, and runs its whole life cycle in about 8-10 weeks from seed to harvest. You can keep it under a long day of around 18-20 hours of light from start to finish.
Because the clock is always ticking, the golden rule is to avoid any check to its growth. Start the seed in its final pot rather than transplanting, since transplant shock costs an auto days it cannot make up. Keep any training gentle, low-stress tucking rather than heavy topping, and feed lightly. Being feminized, every seed grows into a flowering female, so there is no need to sex the plants.
Climate and Where to Grow It
This auto is adaptable but does best in a warm, sunny, tropical climate with plenty of light and good airflow. At around 1.5 m it is a moderate size for an auto, so give it a little room, but it still fits most tents and sunny plots. Its quick, light-independent cycle makes it forgiving in regions with a short or unpredictable season.
Its biggest advantage outdoors is flexibility: because it flowers on age rather than daylight, you are not tied to one planting window and can run more than one crop across a warm season. Indoors, aim for daytime temperatures around 68-80°F (20-27°C) with nights a little cooler, and keep airflow steady over and under the canopy.
Keep humidity in check to protect the resinous buds: around 55-60% early on, nearer 40% in flower, and down to about 30% by harvest. Those dense indica buds can trap moisture, so steady airflow and sensible humidity are the keys to a clean finish.
Feeding Schedule (EC Guide)
Autoflowers want a lighter touch than photoperiod plants. Feed gently, follow the plant’s lead, and taper off for the final flush so the citrus-and-fruity flavor comes through clean and the smoke finishes smooth. The ranges below are a guide; with an auto, err on the low side.
| Stage | EC (mS/cm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seedling | 0.4-0.6 | Very light feed, start in the final pot |
| Vegetative growth | 0.8-1.2 | Short veg, raise nitrogen gently |
| Early flower | 1.2-1.4 | Shift toward bloom nutrients (P and K) |
| Full flower | 1.4-1.6 | Peak bloom feed while the buds swell |
| Flush | 0.0-0.4 | Plain water for the final 1-2 weeks |
Flowering and Harvest
This auto starts flowering on its own a few weeks in and finishes its whole cycle in 8-10 weeks from seed, far faster than a photoperiod plant. As a 70% indica it fills in dense, chunky, resinous buds with the heavy structure its Northern Lights and Critical parents are known for. There is no flip to manage, so you keep the light steady and let it run.
Yields are solid for an auto: around 350-400 g/m² indoors and a strong 500-600 g per plant outdoors in a good season, depending on light, pot size and canopy health. Give it a well-sized pot from the start so the roots never stall, keep the canopy open, and harvest when most trichomes have turned cloudy for the fullest expression.
Drying and Curing
Dry whole plants or branches in a dark room at around 60°F (15-18°C) and 55-60% humidity for 7-14 days, until the thin stems snap rather than bend. A slow, even dry stops the dense, resinous buds staying damp in the middle while the outside dries out, which protects both the citrus aroma and the trichome coat.
Then cure the trimmed buds in sealed jars, burping them daily for the first week and letting them settle for three to four weeks. A proper cure is what brings the citrus and fruity notes forward and smooths out the smoke, which is well worth the patience even on a strain this quick to grow.
What to Do With Your Trim
Don’t bin the sugar leaves you remove while manicuring. This is a resinous, trichome-coated plant, so its trim is excellent for making dry sift, bubble hash or rosin. That gives you a bonus run of bright, citrusy concentrate from material most growers would otherwise throw away.
Flavor and Terpenes
Northern Light x Critical Autoflower has a bright, inviting profile: a zesty citrus lift over a sweet, fruity base. It is a fresh, mouth-watering flavor rather than a heavy or gassy one, and a good cure really brings that citrus-and-fruit character forward in the jar and on the inhale.
Its terpene profile is led by a handful of players. Limonene drives the bright citrus lift, myrcene lays down an earthy, fruity base, and caryophyllene adds a warm, peppery spice. Pinene brings a fresh pine edge, terpinolene a fruity brightness and linalool a soft floral sweetness, with farnesene and humulene rounding out the depth underneath.
Effects and Best Use
With its medium 16-20% THC and 70% indica make-up, Northern Light x Critical Autoflower delivers a balanced, approachable experience. It is reported as euphoric, happy and relaxed: a bright, mood-lifting start that settles into a comfortable, easy body feel, the kind of mellow, content high that is easy to enjoy without being overwhelming.
That balance makes it a versatile all-rounder, good for relaxing in the evening or taking the edge off during the day. The mix of two legendary indica parents, a fast and simple autoflower grow and a bright citrus-fruit flavor is exactly why this one is one of our most popular autos.
Common Problems and Pro Tips
The single most important thing with any autoflower is to never stall its growth, because it cannot make up lost time on a fixed clock. Start the seed directly in its final pot instead of transplanting, keep it in healthy, living soil or a well-mixed medium, and don’t overfeed a fast plant. An auto that gets checked simply stays small and yields less.
Keep training gentle. Heavy topping or aggressive techniques can set an auto back, so stick to low-stress tucking of branches to open the canopy and let light reach more bud sites. Because its indica buds are dense, good airflow and sensible humidity through flower also matter for keeping them clean and mould-free right up to harvest.
As a pro tip, make its speed and consistency work for you: because it finishes in 8-10 weeks and flowers on age, you can run back-to-back crops or stagger plantings for a steady supply. Keep the feed light, run a clean plain-water flush at the end, then follow the trichomes rather than the calendar and cure for three to four weeks for the brightest citrus flavor.
FAQ
Is Northern Light x Critical really an autoflower?
Yes. It is a true autoflower, crossing auto versions of Northern Lights and Critical, so it flowers automatically on age rather than on a light change. You do not switch to 12/12, and it runs its whole life cycle in about 8-10 weeks from seed, which makes it fast and simple to grow.
How much THC does Northern Light x Critical Autoflower have?
It is a medium-THC strain, testing at around 16-20%. That gives it a balanced, approachable effect rather than an overwhelming one. Combined with its 70% indica genetics, the result is a euphoric, happy lift settling into an easy body relaxation, which makes it a versatile all-rounder.
How long does it take to grow?
About 8-10 weeks from seed to harvest, since it flowers automatically on age. That short cycle is its biggest draw: in a warm climate you can run more than one crop a year, and indoors you can grow back-to-back since it does not depend on a light-schedule change.
What does it taste like?
It has a bright, inviting flavor: a zesty citrus lift over a sweet, fruity base. Limonene drives the citrus note and myrcene the earthy, fruity base, while caryophyllene adds a peppery spice and pinene a fresh pine edge, giving it a clean, mouth-watering character after a good cure.
Is it good for beginners?
Yes, it is one of our best autoflowers for new growers: fast, forgiving and feminized, so there is no need to sex the plants and no light-schedule changes to manage. The main rule is to avoid stalling its growth, so start it in its final pot and feed it lightly through its short cycle.
How much does it yield?
Yields are solid for an auto: around 350-400 g/m² indoors and a strong 500-600 g per plant outdoors in a good season. Results depend on light, pot size and canopy health, so give it a good-sized pot from the start, plenty of light and an open canopy.
