The marijuana or weed plant goes through many stages for several weeks before it is ready for harvest. We don’t get to see the process very often around us because it is “weed”! So, if you are wondering how you can grow a marijuana plant on your own, you’ve landed in the right place. This plant needs timely care and suitable conditions for proper growth. One needs to be aware of the process to cater to the plant’s needs at any instant.
Through this article, we will give you all the details about the stages of the plant. Also, we will tell you what factors are pivotal at which level. Even if you are just curious about the plant cycle of marijuana, this will be an amusing piece of information for you.
Total time and Stages
Generally, the best time for harvest takes 6-8 weeks to arrive. However, it depends on the seed variety as well. It may also take around 30 weeks for some strains to grow a weed plant. In the vegetative stage, the time taken by a plant can vary from others. Moreover, other factors like weather, sunlight, and other conditions in the surroundings have a role to play too.
If we broadly divide weed plants’ growth cycle, we come down to four major stages.
Following are the four basic levels of growth of weed plant:
- Germination
- Seedling
- Vegetative
- Flowering
There are more layers in some of the stages between the period of seed to plant. Mainly, the flowering stage has more levels of growth depending on the maturity of the flower. We will discuss that in detail when we reach the final stage of the process. However, do not forget the final outcome- WeedDeliveryVancouver!
The Main Stages of Weed Growth
Stage 1: Germination
It is where we start the journey. This process takes somewhere around three to ten days. One has to be careful and look after several factors to begin the plant growth properly. When the weed seeds mature, they appear deep brown and are rigid to touch. That indicates that they are ready for germination.
Seeds are kept in the dark and wet conditions, providing them with humidity. Under warm temperature and air, the seeds start to develop a white taproot. Then, it is ready to be placed in a pot or planter containing soil. In the medium provided by the soil, further development of the seed takes place. The roots start developing, and gradually, you will see tiny leaves coming out too. At this stage, we call it seedling.
Stage 2: Seedling
When a seedling forms, we see the two tiny leaves, called “cotyledons.” As the second week progresses, new leaves start growing, carrying more tiny leaflets with them. Through the course of this process, the plant starts developing a traditional weed plant-like appearance. At the beginning of the seedling process, there are only single serrated leaves that are growing. You will notice only one rigged finger in the initial stages.
By the third week, the digitate leaves become visible. You can identify them by noticing the serrated borders. Leaves in a later stage bear 6-10 fingers each. They start to resemble the typical cannabis leaves. The leaves are bright green. Usually, they grow in pairs, appearing on the alternate side of the stem.
At this stage, the plant needs a squeaky clean environment and ample moisture to stay healthy. When these leaves start appearing, you can tell that the vegetative stage is approaching. This stage generally arrives during or at the end of the third week. The main pointer of the vegetative stage is when 6-7 pairs of cannabis leaves appear.
Stage 3: Vegetative
The duration of this stage depends on what size of plant you want. 4-8 weeks is the average period of this stage for indoor weed plants. That is the stage where the size and height of the plant develop majorly. The stems and leaves of the plant show growth. The size and yield of the plant are more if we give it enough time to vegetate.
Plants need no more than light for no more than 16 hours during the day. In the sixth week of this stage, you can see the growth of pre-flowers that indicate the gender of the plant. Male parts of the plants are separated to avoid excess seeds and a shortage of buds.
Stage 4: Flowering
This one is the final and the longest stage of the process of weed plant growth. Its time ranges somewhere between 8-11 weeks. Flowering occurs when the supply of light becomes less. In outdoor growing, this comes naturally due to the transition of summer to fall season. When weed is grown indoors, the flowering is triggered by controlling the light supply. Light for less than 12 hours is made available to it per day. We can divide the flowering stage into three phases, namely, pre-flowering, mid-flowering, and ripening. During pre-flowering, pistils start growing, and buds start to develop. In the mid-flowering stage, buds begin to flatten. And the overall size of the plant stops growing. The trichomes mature fully, and the density increases. The plant becomes sticky. It is ready for harvesting when the majority of trichomes turn brown.
Finally, the harvesting process begins. The plant is then cut into small branches to facilitate drying. Drying is very significant to keep unnecessary fungus and bacteria at bay. It also helps to elongate the life span of the marijuana plant.
Conclusion
One can grow weed indoors and outdoors. The process of growing weed requires plenty of attention and a controlled environment. At each stage, the temperature and moisture conditions need strict monitoring.
The expected progress of the weed plant during each stage only comes when it gets adequate light. But, the amount of light that plants need is different at different levels of growth. Furthermore, to grow marijuana outdoors, you need to ensure that the climatic factors of your region can allow that. If not, you can always opt for growing it indoors.
Nowadays, many types of lighting and air devices can make the process easier. The color, texture, and other physical features of the plant tell a lot about it. It is significantly vital to study the tendencies of the weed plant properly. That will help in being informed about what the plant needs at any stage.