While most of us already know that cannabis has a vegetative and a flowering phase, there are actually five distinct phases the plant goes through during it's lifetime. The reason this is important to know is that the needs of the plant change for each of the phases. From nutrient levels to heat and humidity, knowing what the plant wants during these cycles will help you grow the highest quality and get the best possible yields
PROPAGATION
This phase is when you create a new plant, either through seed germination or cloning. Seeds and clones need little water during this stage - only enough too keep them moist until they can take root. Seeds and cuttings prefer higher temp and humidity then normal vegetative plants. No additional nutrients or additives in this phase.
3-7 days
Temp. 75-85
Humidity 65 - 70%
SEEDLING
Seedlings and young clones are now small plants with roots and will start drinking more water. You need to give enough to wet the medium fully but only water when medium dries out - every 2-3 days. Additional nutrients can be added during this phase in low amounts. Temps can remain the same as for germination
1-2 weeks
Nutrients 200 - 300 PPM
Temp 75-85
Humidity 65 - 70%
VEGETATIVE
The vegetative stage is the fastest growing stage and as such will require more water per plant and higher nutrient levels. Temp should be lowered slightly between 75 and 80 and humidity should be lowered to 60%. The vegetative stage can last anywhere from 3-8 weeks depending on the desired size of your finished plant. Plants tend to double in size in the flowering phase, so you can control how big the plants will get by deciding how lang to keep them in this phase.
3-8 weeks
Nutrients 600 - 800 PPM
Temp 75 - 80
Humidity 60%
FLOWERING
The flowering stage starts when the amount of light the plant gets are changed to 12/12. This causes the plant to create and grow the flowers or buds. Watering frequency and nutrients will increase during this stage for the first 4-5 weeks. Heat and humidity should be gradually lowered over the first two weeks down to 75 degrees and 50 - 55% humidity.
6-7 weeks
Nutrients 800 - 1400 PPM
Temp 70 -75
Humidity 50 - 55%
RIPENING
The ripening stage is when the plant turns all its attention the the flowers. This last two weeks is when the buds put on the most weight and get denser. This is also when the trichomes start changing from clear to cloudy, signalling the THC is present and harvest is near.. Watering will slow down a little these last few weeks and little if any nutrients should be added to flush the plant of excess nutrients that can leave a harsh taste in the buds. Heat should be dialed down to 65 - 70 and humidity at 45 - 50%.
2 weeks
Nutrients 0 - 300 PPM
Temp 65 - 70
Humidity 45 - 50%
PHOTOPERIOD vs. AUTOFLOWER PLANTS
Cannabis is generally considered a photoperiod plant. This means that the vegetative and flowering phases are controlled by how many hour of light per day that the plant receives.
When given 18-24 hours of light per day plants will stay in the vegetative stage. The flowering phase for cannabis plants is triggered by the reduction of light hours per day and will transition to flower between 12-14 hours of light per day. Using this knowledge you can control how long the plant is in each phase and can effectively control the size of your plant by switching to flower when the desired height is achieved.
Autoflower plants are plants that have been cross bred with a low THC version of cannabis called Ruderalis. This plant does not rely on the photoperoid to initiate flowering but instead flowers depending on its maturity. The plants will typically start flowering at 3-4 weeks and will be ready for harvest at 7-10 weeks regardless of light hours per day. The plants tend to be much smaller in size and produce significantly smaller yields than photoperiod plants. These can be good options for some outdoor growers with limited space since they do not get larger than 3-4 feet tall.
Knowing how to water cannabis properly is one of the most important things to learn. May a first time grower has damaged their crop by over or under watering. We'll teach you how to know when and how much to water your plants.
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