When it comes to growing your own cannabis, it’s necessary to understand that you can’t just plant a seed and wait for growth. Cannabis is a plant that requires finesse and care during all its various growing cycles and stages. There are a number of considerations that go into not only keeping a cannabis plant alive, but also ensuring that you get the largest and most high quality yield possible.
If you have been following the Smokey Okie’s blog, you’ll remember that we wrote a series on how to care for cannabis during the vegetative stage. It was met with popularity, so we decided to continue that journey with a series that helps growers navigate the stage directly after the vegetative stage: the flowering stage.
Simply put, the vegetative stage is when the cannabis grows. The flowering stage is when cannabis begins to produce fruit. Understanding how long each stage should last and knowing when to help your plant transition to the next stage is key. Let’s unpack these stages a bit further so you can understand the key differences.
The vegetative stage of cannabis
Purpose
The main purpose of the vegetative stage is for the plant to grow from a seed into a plant that is mature enough to produce fruit.
Timing
The length of the vegetative stage spans a vast amount of time. It can be as short as 3 weeks or as long as 16 weeks, depending on the type of strain or seed you are growing. Cannabis comes in all shapes and sizes, some growing short and bushy, some tall and skinny. The main takeaway for the vegetative stage is that (when growing plants indoors like we do at Smokey Okie’s) your cannabis plants will continue to grow in their vegetative state for as long as you allow them to, since the next stage is brought on by light reduction.
Care
During the vegetative stage, all of the plant’s energy is focused on producing leaves. The key consideration for you as a grower during this stage is to ensure that you keep your plant healthy and strong to avoid any issues with fruit production down the road. You need to review the watering methods and amounts, fertilizer selections and recommendations on trimming and training your plant. You can find all of that information in our caring for cannabis during the vegetative stage series.
The flowering stage of cannabis
Purpose
The flowering stage is when the plant begins to stop growing in overall size and begins to produce flower, or cannabis buds.
Timing
Typical flower time for cannabis is about 6-10 weeks, depending on the type of cannabis and the conditions. At Smokey Okie’s, we grow indoors and have greater control over our plants, which we find gives us the highest quality and largest yield of marijuana.
Within a few weeks, you will begin to see white pistils on your plant (if it’s a female plant) or pollen sacs (if it’s a male). By about halfway through the flowering stage, you’ll notice that the plant has stopped growing and is using its energy to grow buds. As the buds grow, they produce trichomes, which is the sticky external coating on your cannabis plant. Finally, usually around week 8, you will see that your cannabis has ample buds, with some buds even growing on the main colas (top of the branches). This is when you know you are ready to harvest your cannabis plant.
Care
Your plant will not stop growing right away, and during the first few weeks of flowering, you can experience a stretch of growth, so ensuring a proper amount of space for your plant is essential. You may want to train your plant, as well as determine by how much you should increase nutrients in order to support the energy needed to fuel the production of buds.
When your plant is close to harvest, you will want to flush the plant. This means that you will reduce its diet to only plain ph-balanced water to remove any salts or minerals. This will help bring a quality and purity to the flavor of the strain once harvested.
In our next installment, we will be covering the key indicators that it’s time to begin flowering your cannabis plant. Be sure to stay up to date with all our cannabis thought leadership on the Smokey Okie’s blog.
FAQs
Simply put, the vegetative stage is when the cannabis grows. The flowering stage is when cannabis begins to produce fruit. Understanding how long each stage should last and knowing when to help your plant transition to the next stage is key.
What is vegetative growth vs flower growth? ›
Vegetative growth is the growth of leaves, stems and roots. Generative growth is the development of flowers, fruits and seeds. The plant divides its energy between vegetative and generative growth. The leaves of a plant are the sugar producing organ of the plant.
What is the vegetative phase of growth? ›
In the vegetative phase, which begins at germination and continues through tillering, the tissues of growth (meristems) are busy producing leaves. This is important because sufficient leaf surface area is needed to capture sunlight and continue photosynthesis.
How much growth does a flowering stage have? ›
At this stage, the cannabis flower buds begin to grow and develop, and high-quality flower buds can be harvested after 7-9 weeks of growth. During flowering, plants will more than double their height than during the Vegetative stage.
How do I know if my plant is in vegetative stage? ›
Vegetative Growth
It's stem become thicker and grows taller, it produces more leaves, nodes, and branches, and its root system becomes more established to prepare for flowering. This is the stage where growers will begin topping and training plants.
What is vegetation vs flowering stage? ›
Simply put, the vegetative stage is when the cannabis grows. The flowering stage is when cannabis begins to produce fruit. Understanding how long each stage should last and knowing when to help your plant transition to the next stage is key.
What is the difference between flower and vegetative? ›
The vegetative part of a plant may be its leaf (ex: Bryophyllum), stem (ex: Strawberry) and root (ex: Onion). The flower is the sexual reproductive part and cannot be a vegetative part of the plant.
Does vegetative phase precede flowering? ›
Answer: Dear it is the growth phase which has to take place before flowering... otherwise the reproductive organs will not develop properly. Flowers need energy, so usually there is a vegetative phase before flowering.
What is the vegetative stage of a plant in flowering? ›
The period of growth between germination and flowering is known as the vegetative phase of plant development. During the vegetative phase, plants are busy carrying out photosynthesis and accumulating resources that will be needed for flowering and reproduction. Different types of plants show different growth habits.
What is the flowering stage of a plant? ›
Once the plant has reached maturity, the flower buds will develop into flowers. These flowers are important in a plant's life cycle as this is where the new seeds are made. In other words, the flower is where reproduction happens.
In week 5 of flowering, you can observe the buds all over your plant becoming thicker. You may also spot new buds growing in new places such as along the main cola. With buds abounding, your cannabis plants will get fatter every day. This is a surefire sign you are in full flowering mode.
What does 4 weeks of flowering look like? ›
Mid-Flowering Stage: Bud Bulking Up (Week 4-8)
During the mid-flowering stage, you'll observe the buds starting to bulk up, accompanied by the emergence of numerous "stigmas" or white hairs. Often, these hairs are incorrectly referred to as "pistils." This is a critical phase to minimize any stress on the plant.
How soon can I switch to flowering stage? ›
Switching from Veg to Bloom
Plants need at least 13 hours of light each day to stay in veg – a few 'long' nights may be enough to trigger budding. Plants begin budding when they get at least 12 hours of 'uninterrupted' darkness each night (12/12).
How long should plants be in vegetative stage? ›
The vegetative stage is the second phase of a weed plant's life cycle, following the seedling growth stage. This vegetative stage last anywhere from 3-16 weeks, depending on the strain and environmental conditions.
How do I know if my plant is in flowering stage? ›
As the plant transitions into the flowering stage, there may be a noticeable change in its growth pattern. The plant may stop growing taller and focus on developing lateral branches and more nodes. This change in growth pattern is a natural response to the hormonal shifts that occur during flowering.
How often should you water during vegetative stage? ›
During the vegetative stage, cannabis plants experience rapid growth and a surge in the amount of water needed. Increase watering amount. Let the top inch of the soil dry completely between waterings. Continue watering consistently at this stage.
What is the difference between vegetative and budding? ›
Answer- Vegetative propogation- In this method, a new plant can be grown by the vegetative parts of a plant (stem, root, leaves). For eg- Bryophyllum plant can be grown by leaves, Rose plant from stem. Budding- In this method, a bud grows on the parent organisms and then it grows to a new organisms.
What are the two types of growth in plants? ›
Types of Growth
Primary and Secondary Growth-The mitotic division of meristematic cells present at the root and shoot apex increases the length of the plant body. This is called primary growth. The secondary meristem increases the diameter of the plant body and it is called secondary growth.
What is the difference between vegetative growth and reproductive growth? ›
Vegetative growth favors development of roots and shoots for a strong plant structure and leaves for photosynthesis. Reproductive growth favors flowering and fruit formation for development of a marketable crop.
How are vegetative buds different from flower buds? ›
At this point the difference between vegetative and flower buds is the flower buds look huge in size in comparison to vegetative buds. The vegetative buds will make new shoots and leaves for the tree. These buds are important in order for the tree to have plenty of energy and protection for those little almonds.
