Flowering initiation stage – week 1-3

From week 1-3 plants stretch and grow in size and height. This phase is also known as the transition phase, as plants experiment drastic changes these days. Plants stretch and may double their size in this phase. The female Cannabis plant starts blooming by producing pre-flowers, their pistils look like “white hairs”.

Cannabis Flowering stage initiation – week 2 PH: Alicia M

Towards the end of the third week, the plant starts forming its bud sites in the plant nodes (where the main stem and the branches meet). Look for clusters of female preflowers.

All those places where white pistils have been growing are future bud sites. If you accidentally cut the preflowers along with the fan leaves, there’s a chance that that bud stops growing. You may lightly defoliate your plant during this phase, but be careful not to touch or damage the forming bud sites.

Mid-Flowering stage –  week 4-5

From week 4-5 plants stop growing in size and start growing, fattening their buds and darkening their pistils.

• Humidity levels need to be lowered to 40-50%
• It’s best to slightly lower temperatures in flowering
• Temperatures with lights on 18-26 ° C (avoid high temperatures)

• Late flowering / Ripening stage – week 6 to harvest

  In the last few weeks, buds gain the most weight. They are sticky to the touch and can be very smelly. You are very close to reaching your goal = harvesting!

  • Bring down humidity levels: 35-45% if possible
  • Increase the temperature difference (day/night)
  • Temperatures with lights on 18-24 °C
  • Start checking trichomes for signals or ripening to know when to harvest
  • Remember to flush your plants 1-2 weeks before harvest

  • Flushing your plants (week 8-10)

    Flushing a Cannabis plant is basically to run a lot of water through its growing medium (soil, for example) to get rid of the excess of salt and mineral nutrients. This action forces your plant to use up any amount of nutrients previously absorbed. The result will be buds with better flavor and aroma. The excess of fertilizer in your Cannabis plant may result in buds which are harsh to the throat when smoked and

    Flushing with clean, room temperature water will help to get rid of fertilizer excess in the soil.

    Two weeks before harvesting is usually a good moment to start flushing your plants and watering with water only and no fertilizers until the harvesting moment.