# When do outdoor plants begin to flower?



## bonez901

Does it go by how long the plants been growing or does it naturally flower when the days get shorter and shorter? 
If it goes by days getting shorter and shorter, does that mean I can plant a seed late in the season and have it flower 4 to 8 weeks later? How long is it usually until the plant flowers (on an average sativa plant). oh and im in state of maryland if that helps.


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## ShecallshimThor

i believe if you planted an indica dom strian you might get away with it
but an auto would work there done in 60-70 days
i think they are starting to flower within now and the next week 
up here in canda


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## tcbud

I am at a simular latitude as you. (I think) And I have found my girls going into flower bout beginning to the first half of August.  I did some seeds with a late start one year, started some about mid June, they grew up and flowered and were really small (bout two and a half feet). Looked kinda like some indoor plants cause they were so small.  They finished tho, with the rest of the garden that year.

Go with the above post, try some autos in containers, you can always bring them inside if it gets too cold on them.


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## StoneyBud

bonez901 said:
			
		

> Does it go by how long the plants been growing or does it naturally flower when the days get shorter and shorter?
> If it goes by days getting shorter and shorter, does that mean I can plant a seed late in the season and have it flower 4 to 8 weeks later? How long is it usually until the plant flowers (on an average sativa plant). oh and im in state of maryland if that helps.


Marijuana flowers as a result of hormones being released into it's systems, which in turn are caused as a result of less hours of light per/day.

Most strains of Marijuana will reach sexual maturity at about 6 weeks old from a sprout. They won't flower before that time.

The hours per/day of light that trigger the hormones necessary to initiate flowering are different with the various strains. Some will start releasing the flowering hormones when the light drops to 14 hours per/day, others require the light per/day to drop to as little as 10.

It takes about two weeks of flowering a cutting to determine how much light is required for a particular strain. A very small box with a single CFL in it will show preflowers in as little as 14 days on a cutting. Start with 16 hours of light per/day and back it down by an hour every second week until you see preflowers. Then you'll know the light trigger for that particular strain. It's a PITA, but if it's important for you to know the precise number of lighting hours needed to instigate flowering, that's the way to do it.


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## bonez901

well my plants are growing outside... i just planted the seeds 6 days ago (july 13) and theyre very small. is it possible that my plant s wont grow any buds if they flower  too soon (mid august for my region is what tcbud said) ??


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## StoneyBud

bonez901 said:
			
		

> well my plants are growing outside... i just planted the seeds 6 days ago (july 13) and they're very small. is it possible that my plant s wont grow any buds if they flower too soon (mid august for my region is what tcbud said) ??


After the plants have reached sexual maturity, about 6 weeks, they'll be capable of flowering. At that point, it depends on the hours of light per/day. When the hours of light drop to the point that triggers flowering of that strain, they'll start flowering.

They can't "flower too soon".


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## leafminer

Well, actually, you can have plants 'flower too soon' but not in this case because you mentioned they are sativa, which strain is suited to short days of  12 hours or less. With an indica if you start outside too late they won't veg at all but just sprout, stick around for a while, then die.


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## StoneyBud

leafminer said:
			
		

> Well, actually, you can have plants 'flower too soon' but not in this case because you mentioned they are sativa, which strain is suited to short days of 12 hours or less. With an indica if you start outside too late they won't veg at all but just sprout, stick around for a while, then die.


What I meant by my comment is that no marijuana plant will flower before it's sexually mature. It's just not possible. The hormones necessary for the plant to create flowers aren't present prior to sexual maturity. Perhaps you're referring to something else?


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## Hick

leafminer said:
			
		

> Well, actually, you can have plants 'flower too soon' but not in this case because you mentioned they are sativa, which strain is suited to short days of  12 hours or less. With an indica if you start outside too late they won't veg at all but just sprout, stick around for a while, then die.



  Late season planting will not kill an indica, or will it die from short light hours. You most certainly 'can' grow indicas under 12/12 from seed. The negative results will be a very small plant, because of lack of a long day vegging period. But imply that they "require" a longer than 12 hours of light to "survive", or that they will die if they don't get a long day veg' period, is incorrect. What will kill them, is frost or freezing temps late in the season.


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