What Light Cycle to Use for White Widow Autoflower?

White Widow autoflower. It’s one of those strains that just keeps showing up—like an old friend who never texts first but always brings good weed. If you’re growing it, you’re probably wondering what kind of light cycle to run. And the answer isn’t as clean-cut as people make it out to be.

Most folks will tell you 18/6. Eighteen hours of light, six of dark. That’s the standard. The safe bet. The “don’t screw it up” schedule. And yeah, it works. Plants grow fast, stay happy, and you don’t burn out your lights or your electric bill. But that’s not the only way to do it—and honestly, it might not even be the best way.

I’ve seen people run 20/4 and swear by it. More light, more growth, more yield. Maybe. Maybe not. Plants aren’t machines. They don’t just spit out more bud because you crank the light dial. Sometimes they get stressed. Sometimes they just get weird. You ever seen a White Widow throw out a bunch of single-blade leaves halfway through flower? Looks like a damn fern. That’s what overdoing it can look like.

Then there’s the 24/0 crowd. No dark at all. Just relentless, blinding light. All day. Every day. I tried it once. The plants didn’t die, but I swear they looked tired. Like they wanted a nap but couldn’t find the couch. I don’t care what the forums say—everything needs rest. Even weed.

Now, if you’re growing in a closet or a tent in your bedroom, you might want to think about heat. More light = more heat = more problems. White Widow’s pretty forgiving, but she’ll still throw a tantrum if you cook her roots. So if you’re running hot already, maybe don’t push past 18 hours. Let her breathe.

But here’s the thing nobody tells you: autoflowers don’t care about the dark. They’ll flower when they’re ready, light cycle be damned. So you’ve got wiggle room. You can experiment. Try 19/5. Try 17/7. Hell, try 16/8 if you’re feeling rebellious. Just watch the plant. She’ll tell you what she likes. You just have to listen.

And don’t get caught up in the numbers too much. It’s not a math test. It’s a relationship. You give her light, she gives you buds. But if you smother her with it—if you never let her rest—don’t be surprised when she gives you airy fluff instead of fat sticky nugs.

So yeah. Start with 18/6. It’s the middle ground. The old faithful. But don’t be afraid to mess with it. White Widow’s tough. She can handle your experiments. Just don’t forget to pay attention. That’s where most growers screw up—they stop watching. And when you stop watching, you miss the signs.

And if you’re still unsure? Flip a coin. Seriously. Half the time, that’s all this is anyway.