Planting seeds can be an exhilarating experience! Witnessing those first seeds germinate and grow two rounded cotyledon leaves to absorb light from the sun is truly fascinating!
At this stage, plants require increased amounts of warm water and nutrient-rich soil or neutral media such as coco coir, perlite or rock wool to thrive. Air movement must also be ensured to prevent stagnant environments from breeding pests or mold.
Spring
Spring Equinox signals the start of warm weather and is an excellent opportunity to start an outdoor cannabis crop.
An Sativa plant planted in spring can reach six feet or higher by summer if cultivated to produce heavy flower production. These plants require ample space and special care so as not to hinder their development or develop powdery mildew fungus which may be difficult to control in high yield crops.
The spring equinox marks a shift to shorter days and typically triggers most regular or feminized marijuana strains to begin their flowering period, which lasts through autumn. However, autoflowering strains don’t require changing photoperiod for their flowering cycle to begin; these varieties may even be ready to harvest at the start of September! These varieties are known as autoflowering strains and they tend to grow much quicker.
Summer
Once a cannabis plant has reached the end of its vegetative growth phase, it enters its flowering period. At this stage you’ll begin seeing buds form and this stage typically lasts 8-11 weeks before yielding fruits of your labor; one fully grown outdoor plant can produce over one pound of dried and cured buds!
As summer progresses, sunlight for plants gradually decreases each day until solstice when growth resumes but at a much slower pace. Therefore, it would be wiser to move indoor photoperiod plants outside at the beginning of July instead of in May or June.
Now is also an ideal time to begin outdoor cultivation of autoflowering seeds, as these don’t rely on photoperiodism for flowering. A good way to determine when it is time for flowering is bending its stems – if they snap cleanly but do not break cleanly through, it could be ready for harvest.
Fall
Growers can harvest some of the highest potency buds during fall harvesting season because the plants are still in their vegetative phase and have not begun flowering yet.
Seeds germinate in springtime and begin their vegetative development shortly thereafter; with optimal planting occurring just after the spring equinox. At this stage, plants typically experience rapid growth with fan-shaped leaves emerging quickly – as such, extra tender care, water, and nutrients should be provided during this phase.
As the summer continues, days grow longer and plants enter the flowering phase of their cycle. Depending on their strain and whether it is photo-dependent or autoflowering variety, flowering timeframe can vary considerably; Afrodite strain has an accelerated 58-62 day flowering cycle and should be ready towards September end.
Winter
After the end of summer, many growers move their plants indoors to give them an early headstart by germinating and vegging before flowering outdoors begins. This allows them to use autumn’s long and warm days for maturing their harvest before winter sets in.
Cannabis plants are photosensitive, meaning their flowering cycle is dependent on changes in light cycles. For those living in northern climates, this means daylight hours begin shortening around August’s end and this will affect plant growth until September arrives and trigger the start of blooming phase.
Although growing cannabis in cold environments may present challenges, it is possible to achieve high yields from your plants once you understand their needs. Mold resistant strains as well as autoflowering varieties are best equipped for cold conditions and will recover more quickly after being exposed to frost damage.