The cannabis growing process is one that is delicate and complex. We recently completed a series on how to care for cannabis in the vegetative stage, and now we will be focusing on what comes immediately after that–the flowering stage.
The flowering stage is when the plant begins to produce fruit that will become your cannabis. Because we at Smokey Okie’s grow our cannabis indoors hydroponically, this series will focus on indoor growing and flowering and the best way to care for your cannabis during that time.
This series is going to walk you through all the most important aspects of caring for cannabis in the flowering stage, including:
- The Difference Between the Vegetative and Flowering Stages
- When to “Flip” Your Cannabis to the Flowering Stage
- Navigating the Post-Vegetative Stretch in Cannabis Growth
- Preparing the Cannabis for Harvesting
It is our goal to help you understand the best ways to optimize your cannabis yield and quality. We want to share our expertise and all that we continue to learn with you and help the novice grower learn more and find success.
The Difference Between the Vegetative and Flowering Stages
The two stages of cannabis growth are the vegetative and the flowering stages. It’s important to know the difference because each stage plays an integral role in growing quality cannabis, and the timing of each stage is important. The plant requires a delicate balance. The vegetative stage is when the cannabis grows. It will continue to grow, producing no fruit until you tell it to do so. 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.
When to “Flip” Your Cannabis to the Flowering Stage
Cannabis is a photoperiod plant. This means that the plant grows and transitions through its growing stages based on the amount of light that it gets. The two stages of cannabis growth are the vegetative and the flowering stages. Outdoors, these stages are taken care of by the sun. Marijuana is planted in the summer and flowers as the hours of light during the day begin to wane. However, indoors is a different story. It requires knowledge of how, when and how much light to provide your plant. We will help you look for the signs to flower your cannabis and start seeing the literal fruit of your labors.
Navigating the Post-Vegetative Stretch in Cannabis Growth
When you begin to flower the plant, the plant will go through what we refer to as the “post-veg stretch”. During this time, the plant will grow very quickly in length, as well as in height. For about 2-3 weeks, you will need to be very present with your plants and be sure that you are properly defoliating them and getting them prepared to increase yield for harvest. We will walk you through all the different factors that can affect the plant during this sensitive time frame so that you do not jeopardize your success.
Preparing the Cannabis for Harvesting
After the post-vegetative stretch, the second half of the flowering period goes a lot smoother. You will be able to enjoy your hard work as you watch the plant produce fruit. It’s important to know exactly when to harvest and how to care for the plant as it flowers. When you reach the end of the flowering stage, you will be ready to harvest and enjoy the spoils.
Be sure to check in every month on the Smokey Okie’s blog and follow along with this series so that you can learn more about growing cannabis indoors with the most success.