Growing marijuana is not a complex task, and anyone, even a beginner, can do it and obtain excellent results as long as they understand the plant cycle. The cannabis plant grows through six unique stages: germination, seedling, vegetative, blooming, harvesting, pruning, and lastly, a preparation stage for the cycle to begin again.The marijuana development cycle can span between 10 and 26 weeks, or up to half a year, starting with tiny seeds and concluding in bountiful harvests. As a result, cultivating your cannabis requires a significant investment of time and work, but the rewards may be plentiful. Therefore, you may grow a crop in three to six months that will provide you with plant-based medication, recreational delight, or both. The marijuana you cultivate has the potential to convert into smokable, edible, and topical gems with a variety of physiological and psychological advantages.
As it grows, the cannabis plant requires varying levels of nutrients. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are the three most essential nutrients for cannabis cultivators to understand. Based on the molecular symbols for each of these three major components, nutrient packages frequently identify these three major components as NPK. Aside from these essential nutrients, there are three additional nutrients to be mindful of magnesium, calcium, and sulphur. Finally, marijuana needs a variety of micronutrients, many of which occur naturally in soil. Also known as trace elements, micronutrients include zinc, manganese, other micro nutirnt include use of iron, silicon, cobalt and much more.
Additionally, cultivation is done in three main areas include indoors, greenhouse, or outdoor. The outdoor involves you choosing the suitable soil for the plant full of nutrients and organic minerals. However, outdoor has its limitation, such as relying on natural light. If your garden is not strategically, placed it might force you to think of other methods to allow for flowering outdoor for the marijuana plants.
Listed below are the stages expected in the growth of marijuana plants
- Germination stage
This is the initial stage of growth, and it takes 24 hours to two weeks. At this stage, ensure you maintain an abundance in the feminized plants due to their richness in trichomes. Trichomes are white crystals found on cannabis plants that contain the sought-after cannabinoids CBD and THC.
- Seedling stage
At this stage, the plants are officially seedlings, and it takes two to three weeks. At this stage, the plants start sprouting from the soilwith a pair of leaves fanning outward from the stem. Leaves will also grow from the plant’s top, while a root system develops simultaneously. Also, ensure you nurture your plant well at this stage with warm environments and light. Also, ensure you are fertilizers at this critical stage.
- Vegetative stage
At this stage, you need to transfer them to larger pots. This is because growth is immense at this stage, especially vertical growth. Also, at this stage, they take their shape following their type. Also, at this stage, the gender of your plants is now pronounced, and you can remove the male plants. Also, ensure you nurture the plant with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, slightly low temperatures, and enough light.
- Flowering stage
This is the final and most crucial stage of growth.Check for sticky resin on the petals as well as trichome clusters. The more trichomes you observe on your marijuana plant, the more powerful it becomes. Finally, potency is determined by how long a plant stays in the blooming stage however, the plant should not exceed the eight week threshold as it may loose the seeds quality at harvest time.
Finally is the harvesting stage; ensure you get them the right time. Not too early or too late.