Plant flowering

The flowering stage of marijuana growth is probably the most satisfying, as your hard work and devoted time begins to show a pay-off.  It's also a very telling time for the sex of your plants.  Once your plants have reached 20" inches or so and look strong and green (well nourished), it is then time to change your lights to 12 hours ON and 12 hours OFF. This makes your plant think that Fall has come, and that it is time to begin flowering (budding).

Once a plant is big enough to mature (12” or over), dark periods are required for most plants to flower and bear fruit. This will require putting the lamp on a timer, to create regular and strict dark periods of uninterrupted light. In the greenhouse, the same effect can be created in the Summer (long days) by covering it with a blanket to make longer night periods. A strict schedule of covering the plants at 8pm and uncovering them at 8am for 2 weeks will start your plants to flowering. After the first 2 weeks, the schedule can be relaxed a little, but it will still be necessary to continue this routine for the plants to completely flower without reverting back to vegetative growth.

Give flowering plants high P plant food and keep them on a strict light regimen of 12 hours, with no light, or no more than a full moon during the dark cycle. 13 hours light, 11 dark may increase flower size while still allowing the plant to go into the flowering mode. Use longer dark periods to speed maturity toward the end of the flowering cycle if speed is of the essence. (8-10 days) This will however, reduce total yield