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The Growth Stages of a Cannabis Plant

Last Updated: July 13, 2022By Joshua Mezher

Growing marijuana may sound like a major endeavor, but really it can be as easy as you want to make it. Still, it’s a good idea to know at least a little bit about what to expect before you begin. Having a basic idea of what a “normal” marijuana plant’s growing season will look like is an excellent way to get started. Keep reading for the basics of growing marijuana.

Related: How to Grow Marijuana as a Garden Variety

The Growth of a Cannabis Plant

What Happens During Growth?

Light is where plants get their energy. Thanks to the chlorophyll in all plants, they perform a process called photosynthesis, which involves taking in the energy provided by light. They also use water and carbon dioxide to convert that light into energy.

The leaves of your plants help process all the energy needed for growth by trapping light and using it to change water into a particular type of sugar called glucose. Having some big, green, healthy leaves allows your plant to take in and distribute even more of these necessary sugars, especially if those leaves are exposed to lots of direct sunlight. This is why your plant will grow faster and faster; the bigger the leaves, the more energy it can take in, and the more fuel it has to grow. Just make sure your growing the plant in an area of your home with plenty of sunlight and watering it as necessary, and you’ll be enjoying a hit of your first harvest in no time at all.

With a Pot for Pot, your marijuana plant receives everything it needs for growth with light from the sun, water from the tap, CO2 from the air, and a specially selected nutrient mix.

What do the Plants Need?

Now that you know why your plants need certain elements to grow and how it utilizes those specific elements, it’s easy to see how a Pot for Pot makes the process simple. The main growing components that many marijuana growers worry about are water, light, CO2, and nutrients. But our home-grown marijuana experts have ensured that all those aspects are covered as part of our specialty grow kits to help make the process as easy as possible for everyone interested in trying their hand at growing cannabis. 

Water

It’s crucial that you don’t give your plants too little or too much water. Underwatering can deprive your plants of the fuel they need to survive while overwatering can “drown” them and encourage mold to develop. It’s tough to give perfect advice about watering since it really varies in different growing environments.

a Pot for Pot features everything you need to properly water your plants, such as:

  • Watering and feeding schedule
  • Pot drain saucer
  • Aeration topsoil mix
  • Adorable watering can

Light

Light is essential for all plants, but it is especially important for marijuana plants because they are photosensitive. This means that traditional strains will need a specific light schedule to reach their flowering stage. The light schedule needs to be uninterrupted and consistent, or else your plants will get confused.

A Pot for Pot has simplified this process as well, by using auto-flowering strains. Now instead of worrying about complicated lighting schedules, you can focus on watching your plant grow.

Related: 5 Best Strains to Grow for Beginners

CO2

The main thing you need to know about CO2 is that it helps your plant produce sugars for energy. The other thing to know is that most plants do fine on their own as there is usually plenty of CO2 around naturally.

Nutrients

Your plants are going to be hungry for the right nutrients during different stages of growth. This can be a bit tricky since feeding nutrients to plants is not quite like feeding humans. It is easy to do too much or the wrong combinations and actually hurt your plant. 

Once again, a Pot for Pot removes this worry with a feeding schedule and specially formulated nutrients such as:

  • Premium Mycorrhizae to help roots absorb maximum nutrients
  • Premium Microbe Food Supplements
  • Beneficial Bacteria
  • Specially formulated Superb Soil

Are you tired of running out of weed and want to start saving money by avoiding repeated trips to your local dispensary? Take a look at the stellar growing kits from a Pot for Pot today to enjoy the fun, cheap, and rewarding experience of growing your own cannabis.

 How Long Does Marijuana Take to Grow

 

How Long Does Marijuana Take to Grow?

The total time it takes for a marijuana plant to go from a single seed to a fully harvestable plant depends on a wide range of factors, including the plant’s genetics, the plant’s desired size, and where someone grows their plant. It also depends on how well a grower is meeting the plant’s unique needs for water, light, and nutrients at each phase of the development cycle. 

Different cannabis growing sources will provide readers with a range of growth timelines for when their marijuana should be ready for harvest. Generally speaking, however, it will take anywhere from 4-8 months to grow a cannabis plant from start to finish in a regular home-based environment. That said, those with the benefit of having a fully dedicated indoor grow room may see their cannabis plants starting to flower after only a handful of weeks.

Related: How to Get a Job in the Cannabis Industry

The Marijuana Growth Stages

There are several stages worth thinking about regarding marijuana plant growth: germinating, seedling, vegetative (or the “growth” stage), pre-flowering, flowering, and harvesting. Below is a short description of the first five stages of marijuana development. We’ll get into more detail about the harvesting stage in a later section, but first, future home-growers need to understand what to expect regarding the primary growth stages of their cannabis plant.

Germinating

The first stage of the marijuana growing process begins with the cannabis seed. The seeds you use should feel hard and dry and be a light-to-dark-brown color. If the seeds are more squishy and have a white or green coloring, you should throw them away, as they’re likely underdeveloped and won’t germinate properly. To germinate the cannabis seeds, keep them in a wet, dark environment until they sprout. There are a few practical ways for growers to do this. Some prefer keeping them in a small cup of water in a shaded area, and others like to wrap the seeds in wet paper towels and set them aside in a cabinet.

This stage is a relatively quick one and will typically take between 3-10 days to complete. At that point, the seeds will have released a single root- called a tap root or radicle- that will grow into the ground, along with a new green stem that sprouts upward as the plant starts to break away from the protective casing of its seed. By the end of the germination stage, you’ll have a germinated or sprouted marijuana plant that’s ready to be put into a pot of soil.

Seedling

The seedling stage is when your plant is at its most vulnerable, but it doesn’t last very long. It takes between 3-6 weeks for photosensitive plants (and is much shorter for auto-flower strains). At this fragile stage of development, the plant seedling will require between 18-24 hours of sunlight, moist soil, and a mild level of humidity to begin its rapid growth. It’s essential for growers to carefully follow a watering schedule during this stage to ensure the plant receives an acceptable amount of hydration. Because the plant’s root system is so tiny at this stage, it can be easy to drown it by overwatering.

During the seedling stage, the plant will start to develop more traditional-looking cannabis leaves containing anywhere between 3 and 13 “fingers,” with an average of 5-7 fingers per leaf that are a vibrant green in color. At this point, it’s essential to ensure that its growing environment is kept clean and free of any excess moisture to prevent the plant from becoming moldy or diseased. Once the cannabis plant develops leaves with a “full” number of fingers, it will be considered out of the seedling stage and be well into its vegetative growth phase. 

Vegetative

The vegetative stage of development is when plants grow the most in their lifecycle, so it’s at this point you may need to relocate the plant into a larger pot to accommodate its need for growing space. At this point, you’ll practically see your plants getting bigger in front of your eyes! This phase will last between 1 and 2 months for a photoperiod schedule and much less time for an auto-flowering strain, which only needs about 10 to 12 weeks total from start to finish. Pay attention to the growth plan, as it will likely change during this time, and you may need to start adding nutrients.

Once again, ensure that you’re carefully sticking to a proven watering schedule, as plants at this developmental stage will require an increased amount of water to support their rapid growth. Also, be sure that, when watering, you’re applying the water towards the outer edges of the plant’s pot. Because the root system will be growing rapidly, it’s essential to help ensure their tips receive more access to water so they can effectively absorb it.

Pre-Flowering

The pre-flowering stage of the marijuana life cycle is the transition stage between its vegetative and flowering phases. It takes between 1-3 weeks to occur, depending on the growing conditions and genetics of the cannabis plant itself. As the plant goes through this stage, you’ll be able to determine its sex based on the shape of the pre-flower that developed at the plant’s nodes. 

Females will have two pistils (containing the flower’s reproductive parts) that grow on the buds, while males will develop small green sacks filled with pollen. Casual home-growers may not need this information, but it’s important for those looking to grow and breed multiple plants for a larger marijuana crop.

Flowering

This is when your plants start producing their delicious, THC-filled buds. It lasts anywhere between 6 and 10 weeks for photoperiod plants and just a few weeks for auto-flowering strains. This stage is often the most complicated for marijuana growers because ordinary marijuana plants grown indoors will need to be triggered into flowering; however, this is not the case with seeds used for a Pot for Pot. Your kit includes a discount coupon to purchase auto-flowering seeds that will naturally enter the flowering stage without any help from you.  Pay attention to any changes in the feeding schedule though.

Prepare for Harvest

 

Prepare for Harvest

When the flowering phase slows down, it’s time to prepare for the harvest. Check out your plant’s pistils; when half to most of them are brown, your plant is ready to harvest. A Pot for Pot makes sure you are prepared for this stage as well – use the included scissors to harvest your buds, and find additional details about when and how to harvest printed on the back of your scissors packaging.

Once your buds have been harvested, you’ll need to go through a drying process to remove their moisture and prevent the potential growth of bacteria and fungus. Drying will effectively preserve the life of your cannabis crop and shouldn’t be rushed. Going through the process too rapidly can cause problems and even result in harsh-hitting cannabis. 

For the most successful harvest, it’s a good idea to do a little research before trying it the first time. Consider checking out the a Pot for Pot blog for more information on everything you’ll need to know about growing a successful marijuana crop in your home.

If you’d like to try your hand at growing cannabis from the comfort of your own home, take a peek at the stellar selection of top-quality growing kits proudly offered by the cannabis industry experts at a Pot for Pot today. 

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