The flowering period of the Cannabis plant is certainly the most exciting time in the life span of Cannabis. Here we try to anticipate the yield and also if the quality is high or low. After germination of the cannabis seeds this is the second of 2 critical phases. The average flowering period is somewhere between 5 and 10 weeks. But be aware that there are some strains that are made for extremely fast flowering and some that take longer!
Starting the flowering period
Regular cannabis follows the changes in daylight hours, you will need to stimulate the natural habitat a bit. If you are using auto-flowering cannabis strains, then you don’t have to worry about this part. All the others have to change the light to a daily period of 12 hours. This will mimic the change in sunlight in natural habitats.
But it is also essential to take into account other aspects in addition to the daily daylight hours. The flowering period also requires another light spectrum, for indoor growers. This means they have to use a sodium vapour discharge lamp or an equivalent lamp. Another important point is to change the fertilization scheme if you are fertilizing at all. The cannabis plants now require more potassium and more phosphorus than during vegetation. Therefore, you can find a large assortment of ready-to-use fertilizers, for all phases of growth of your cannabis plant.
During the first weeks of flowering
Within the first week, the changes are only minimal and you won’t be able to see a real big change in your cannabis plants. Within the second week that changes and now you will be able to see little white hairs or little green bumps.
If you haven’t been using feminized cannabis seeds, now is your last chance to separate the male plants from the female plants. Letting plants go to seed and you will end up with seedy buds with very low THC content.
All plants with white hairs are female Cannabis plants and luckily they can stay where they are. Cannabis plants with green bumps are male plants and will produce pollen inside the bumps.
Most growers just destroy male Cannabis plants, they will be of no use to you in any way unless breeding seeds.
Now that there are only female plants left, you have to make sure that all the flowers get full light for the best results. Another important thing is to turn the plants a little every 2 days, this is to strengthen their stems. It’s also to prevent them from breaking under the weight of the flowers. This is especially a threat when using cannabis strains with huge buds. In some cases, you also have to tie the stems so that they cannot bend too much or even cause the plant to break.
Later phases of the flowering period of the Cannabis plant
As has been said, the length of time it takes for the individual phases of the flowering period depends on the strain you are using. But to give an average, you will see a new change after about 5 or 6 weeks. The first white hairs of your cannabis plants will start to turn brown.
That does not mean that your plants are ready to harvest, it is just a sign of maturity. In this phase of the flowering period, the plants are very fragile against the mould of the buds. That means you have to check the humidity carefully and it shouldn’t exceed 45%. If you are already in the last phase of flowering, then you should also stop fertilizing 10 to 14 days before harvest.
When you stop fertilizing, you should give your plants plenty of water every day. This way your plants can use the nutrient debris and get rid of the fertilizer leftovers.
The last 2 days of flowering
Now you can stop watering your cannabis plants. This speeds up the drying process later, and will not lower the quality of the bud.
Give your plants the finishing touch, turn off the lights and keep them in the dark for the last 2 days before harvest. Lack of light will make your cannabis plants produce large amounts of resin. The dark also accelerates the maturation process.
To check it yourself, you can leave some of your plants in the light and others in the dark, so you can check it yourself.
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