# Veg/Flower stages. How long?



## CVD1983 (Feb 19, 2016)

I started my grow with 2 clones and some tips I was given from a friend. I let them have 5 weeks in veg at 18/6 with watering times 15mins/hour... I then switched to 12/12 and changed the nutes. Wow did they take off. Its been nearly 5 weeks in flower now with same watering times and I think they've finally stopped stretching and settled.

 I'm just curious what others time frames are for veg stage and then flower. I've read flowering takes longer, I'm thinking next time maybe not so long in veg. I've ran out of room and now have 2 HUGE females in a crowded cupboard. 

Also wondering if harvesting in the 6/7 week of flower is ok due to unforeseen circumstances... Any advice and experience would be greatly appreciated


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## pcduck (Feb 19, 2016)

Everything you want to know is strain dependent and/or grower dependent.

I never harvest early. They really plump up the last couple of weeks plus their effects will be different.


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## Rosebud (Feb 19, 2016)

Your plants won't be ready at 6 or seven weeks.. they are just starting to put on weight and mature... 9 weeks flowering is an average. Some plants might maybe be ready at 8 weeks, but not usually.

Congratulations on your first grow, try everything you can to let them finish. Sounds like you have done well, let us know if we can help.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 19, 2016)

Thanx heaps for the reply. 
Yes i think I've done quite well so far. Very exciting. 

Just another quick question. 
How long do you think I could leave the ladies by themselves without any complications? 
I have to go away for 8-9 days and I didn't want to leave the room in full operation without being somewhat close and available if something went wrong.

Do you think leaving light off for that long would create issues?
I do have the option of telling a close friend but for obvious reasons I'd rather not if can avoid it! 
Cheers


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## Rosebud (Feb 19, 2016)

I don't think the plants can go without water and light for 9 days. Do you have your lights on a timer? How warm is it in your grow? what is the temp?


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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

The system I use leaves roots constantly floating in airated water within the reservoir so was thinking  maybe just leaving the light off and letting it run as usual. 
I do have timers, just worried 8/9 days be too long left unattended. My grow room is running at a steady 32 degrees with light on and 22c off.


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## Hushpuppy (Feb 20, 2016)

Just some info for you: If you are growing MJ from seed, you will generally need to veg them for 5-8wks until they are sexually mature before trying to flower them. With many strains, you can get away with 5-6wks but if you set them in flower too early, they will either stretch to ridiculous proportions, or they will not grow much and be very small. Neither of these is the best way to get the best out of the plant.

However, if you are growing cloned plants, these are most often already sexually mature or very close. Therefore, you don't need to veg them as long. With clones, you can veg them to the size you need, considering that most MJ plants will stretch some when flowering(typically 1.5-2x original height), then set them in flower for finishing art the height you want.

You can't leave the plants in the dark for 8 days or they will die and rot. Your buds will rot in the dark that long. If you had everything automated and set right on, they could be left alone for several days but every day that you don't check them is another chance for something to go wrong and ruin a couple months worth of work and money. Not to mention losing all that potentially great smoking product.
Taking the plants early is just as bad as allowing them to die in the dark. The resin glands need time for the resins to ripen so that the chemicals are correct or the bud will be worthless for smoking.

Welcome to The Passion  Stay around and don't be afraid to ask questions. We are a smaller forum but we care about growing MJ (you could say we are "passionate" about it) :hubba: I know that was a bad pun :doh: But don't be afraid to ask questions, that's why we are all here, to discuss growing MJ and help others learn.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Feb 20, 2016)

Flowering time is dependent on the strain of the cannabis.  As you got these cuts from a friend, I am assuming that he can tell you the strain and then we can give you a lot better flowering time estimate.  I can tell you that taking them early will be very disappointing.  Immature trichs will not get you high.  While there are a few strains that will be ready with only a 7-8 week flowering period, the vast majority of strains take longer--9 weeks or more.  So, let us know what the strain is and we can give you a fair estimate.  Different grow room conditions can also affect flowering time.  If you use CFLs, expect them to take longer.  If your grow room is cool, expect them to take longer.  I found that my plants under LEDs took longer than those under HPS.  You will need a small microscope or loupe to check the trichs as you get close to harvest time, something at leasr 30x.

With only a 5 week veg period (5 weeks is a short veg period) and an 18/6 light schedule, if you have huge plants, they must have stretched a lot.  Running your lights 24/7 will give you less stretching and more bud sites.  There is no reason to give cannabis a "rest" period.  It will grow all the time it has light (and food and nutrients and fresh air).

Can we get a pic of your plants?  Can you let us know what strain you are running?  

With a hydro system, you may get away with being gone 8-9 days, but it will be a gamble.  However, taking them at 6-7 weeks is not really an option.  You would end up with compost material and no real usable bud.  Like the others though, I agree that putting them in the dark is not a good idea and would be very detrimental to the plants, possibly killing them.


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## Rosebud (Feb 20, 2016)

Can the friend that gave you the clones help you out? that would be cool, then you could help him out.


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## pcduck (Feb 20, 2016)

CVD1983 said:


> The system I use leaves roots constantly floating in airated water within the reservoir so was thinking  maybe just leaving the light off and letting it run as usual.
> I do have timers, just worried 8/9 days be too long left unattended. My grow room is running at a steady 32 degrees with light on and 22c off.



Get a bigger rez and a good timer. Like HP mentioned, they will die.

Tell us what/how your system operates and I am sure someone here can fill you in on what you need to do.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Decided not to gamble and get friend to keep eye on them while I'm away. Thanx for the advice. 
My mate doesn't know what strain they are. Is there a way to tell? 
My grow room is 1500x900x2400. Has 600w Hps light source. Exhaust fan with charcoal filter. 2 large  rock wool top feed tubs both airated with external reservoir tank for easy access to nutrients. Fan Circulating. Room temps are steady 32 light on 24 off. 
Will post photo 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Keeping light distance at 12 inches approximately. I've read so many different oppinions. Didn't want to burn them.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Clones in 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

First week 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Second week 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Third week 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Fourth week 

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## Rosebud (Feb 20, 2016)

When you put your hand on the canopy of the plants it should feel warm on your hand not hot.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Flowering 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 20, 2016)

Flowering 

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## Hushpuppy (Feb 21, 2016)

Oh man you got that grow rocking  And you got some fat buds coming in as well. I hope they finish ok for you. I would hate to put them in the dark at this point as the buds wouldn't ripen and just die. 
Like Rose said, if you hold your hand right down on the tops of the plants and the light isn't uncomfortable to you, then the plants will be fine. Then you can slowly back your hand up toward the light until you feel it begin to get uncomfortably hot, and that is roughly, how far they can grow before getting heat stress.

Very good work, you have kept them healthy and growing. The growth really exploded about the 3-4th week. They must like the nutrients you are feeding them.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

At just over week 5 in flower, I can't help but think my Ladies are really looking good.
I'm just wondering due to my lack of experience, if they are actually were they should be at week 5? 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

Week 5 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

Smell GREAT 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

Thanx mate, really excited. Been very lucky so far I think, Really hoping I can finish them off well. Bit worried about when I should harvest tho and if I should flush them or not. Read so much contradicting information. 
I posted some more pics hoping to get some advice but reading your post, now I'm thinking I'm worrying about nothing!! Must be doing ok! &#55357;&#56397;


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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

Smell &#55357;&#56397; 

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## CVD1983 (Feb 27, 2016)

Excited 

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## WeedHopper (Feb 28, 2016)

Looking good. Yehaaaaaaaaa


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## The Hemp Goddess (Feb 28, 2016)

Just curious how your friend cannot know what he is growing?

If you do not know the strain, it is impossible to determine from just looking at them.  However, the leaf structure is long and thin, telling us that it is a sativa dominant strain.  Sativas take longer to finish that indicas.  I would plan on the plant taking 9+ weeks.  You should get a microscope or loupe at least 30x to check the trichs.  That is the only true way to tell if a plant is ready.

As these are unknown plants, I would keep a good eye out for nanners--male parts that often grow on plants from selfed seeds.  

You have done a great job.  Your plants are looking happy and healthy with nice fat buds.  I see a very nice harvest a month or so away.


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## Hushpuppy (Feb 28, 2016)

Those buds look really nice. Its so hard to judge by pics but I would say you are spot on for 5wks. Actually I would have thought closer to 7wks. They will get really fat I think by the time you harvest. 
Definitely get you a "good" microscope or jewelers loupe. And you should do it quick as you need to start looking at the trichomes (resin glands) on the buds and bud leaves so that you will have a baseline of what you need to see. You need to see them before they start changing on you as they can fool you if the strain has been hybridized a lot. Its hard to know for sure what the timing is going to be so you have to begin looking closely at the trichomes. I seldom time my plants out, I just watch the trichs as they start getting close, but I know about when they should finish most of the time. 

You may also notice that under certain lighting like HPS, it can be a little hard to notice if you are getting good cloudy to amber coloring. The frequencies can hide the colors sometimes unless you have very sharp eyes. I usually will take one of the bud leaves with scissors from a couple places(2-3) around the plant(s) and go outside into sunlight and I can see the best colors.


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## CVD1983 (Feb 29, 2016)

Thanx again guys for the info. Really appreciate it. Will go get a micro scope next couple days and check. 
Answer to question: 
My friend isn't an experience grower at all. He said he just grew from a couple seeds he had and been cloning ever since... He said he always does a 4 week grow cycle and 8 week flower. Doesn't own a microscope. Maybe we'll both learn something lol


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## Hushpuppy (Mar 6, 2016)

Oh boy is he in for a big surprise. Of course if he has only grown that one strain, and it is an 7-8wk flower, then he is ok. He just may find a better product if he lets it run longer. First 1 week then 2 and see how the buds and smoke change. You will be amazed in the differences that can occur.


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