The life cycle of cannabis.

This article is not meant for you, dear botanists and lovers of specific terminology. If you’ve spotted any inaccuracies or mistakes, go to hell (and from there, send us your angry comments). We’re writing here for those who have finally decided to buy some seeds and want to experiment with growing cannabis at home. But remember, storing and distributing cannabis is illegal. You may grow a couple of small trees on your windowsill, but don't even think about storing or giving away the harvest – that's a criminal offense.

So, let's figure out what stages of development our plant goes through. You've already bought your seeds, unpacked them, and are staring at them, imagining heaps of fragrant harvest. However, you’ll need to be very patient, because the entire life cycle of cannabis can take up to half a year! This, of course, doesn’t apply to autoflowering cannabis strains. And it all starts with the first stage:

1. Germination of cannabis.

The seeds in your hands need to germinate. You can consult with your grandma, but she might ask a couple of awkward questions. In fact, the process is simple and doesn’t take much time. Make a small hole with your finger about a phalanx deep, place the seed inside, and cover it with soil or vermiculite. You can lightly moisten it with water or a weak solution of growth stimulator. But don’t overwater! The temperature should be around 28-30°C, as seeds love warmth.

You can pre-germinate seeds and then plant them in the soil, but good seeds from reliable seedbanks germinate well without any fuss. For example, Delicious Seeds have proven to be excellent.

2. Seedling growth.

The seedling has sprouted, and the first leaves (cotyledons) have emerged. After this, it will start developing true leaves.

It’s best not to use any fertilizers during the seedling stage because universal soil mixtures already contain everything you need: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and more, in the right proportions. Be careful with watering too – it's better to let the soil dry out than to create a swamp for your seedlings.

This stage lasts about a month on average. Make sure your plant gets enough light – 16 to 18 hours a day. It’s said that CFL or fluorescent lamps work best. In principle, it will grow under HPS lamps too, but keep them about 90-100 cm away from the tops for optimal growth.

3. Vegetative growth of cannabis.

If you’ve done everything right, after 2-3 weeks, the seedlings will have more than ten beautiful leaves, a strong stem, and will be ready for transplanting into a larger container or open ground. The size of the container is limited only by your imagination and available space. Generally, a 10-liter pot is enough for most autoflowering cannabis strains. Keep in mind that the size of the plant roughly corresponds to the size of its root system.

By the way, autoflowering strains grow faster, and in a month, they will already be flowering.

Cannabis plants love it when their root systems are well-aerated, so you can use vermiculite for this purpose. Just mix it with soil at a ratio of 1 to 3, and you’re set.

During the vegetative growth stage, you need to start fertilizing the plant. It will require a lot of nitrogen, so if you use multi-component fertilizers, focus on this element.

The plant will need a lot of light – from 16 to 24 hours a day.

And again, watering is delicate. If the soil is still moist, don’t overdo it. It’s better to let the soil dry out, and the leaves may even droop slightly. The plant won’t die from under-watering, but over-watering can cause root rot and the death of your favorite plant.

4. Cannabis flowering.

We’re intentionally skipping the pre-flowering phase because we know you’ve likely bought feminized seeds from a reputable online store. So, the issue of identifying and removing male plants isn’t a concern for you. However, we have a separate article on this topic in our blog.

So, finally, your plant has started to smell and show its first thin pistils – the flowering phase has begun. This is the longest and most nerve-wracking period of the cannabis life cycle. The stress, of course, is yours.

Cannabis begins to flower outdoors when the daylight hours shorten, signaling the plant that its life cycle is nearing its end.

! Interesting. Tropical cannabis does everything in reverse – it starts flowering when the days get longer.

What should we do?

Once you realize the plant is ready to flower (this is usually after a month of vegetative growth), switch to a 12/12 light schedule. The plant will need more water now, so adjust based on the pot size. For instance, a 20-liter pot will need 1 liter of nutrient solution per day.

Fertilization should be more abundant too, with a focus on phosphorus. Nitrogen is needed in smaller amounts than in the vegetative phase.

Be mindful of the distance between the lamp and the tops of the plants. For example, with a 400-watt HPS lamp, the distance should be 40 cm, for a 600-watt HPS – 60 cm, and for a 1000-watt HPS – 75 cm.

Good ventilation is essential to supply the plants with carbon dioxide. Without proper airflow, the plants will grow weak and small, and the harvest will suffer.

5. Harvest.

The harvest time varies depending on the strain. For autoflowers, it’s around 2 months. If you’ve done everything right, you’ll get dense, resinous buds.

And here, you still need to be patient. To dry the buds properly, hang them in the dark for another two weeks until the stems become dry like straw. Now you can enjoy the fruits of your labor!

But remember, storing cannabis is a criminal offense in many countries!

Growing is an endless topic, so keep an eye on our blog for more interesting content.

 

 

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