If you’re thinking about how long it take for a weed plant to grow, then you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to cover everything you need to know in this article. Specifically, we’ll look at:
- How long does it take to grow weed
- When to grow weed during the year
- How long does it take for weed to grow in each phase?
Light levels, water amounts, and the nutrients you give your plants all vary during each growth stage, and that’s why you need to read an article like this.
How Long Does It Take to Grow Cannabis?
The length of time it takes to grow weed can vary wildly, and it all depends on the strains you’re using. The general range is anywhere from 3-8 months to complete every phase of the growth cycle.
If you use auto-flowering marijuana seeds, you can shave some time off the total. These seeds are great for beginners, and we’ll give you a few examples.
Autoflowering Marijuana Strains for a Quicker Grow
1. Gorilla Glue Autoflower Strain
Gorilla Glue Autoflower Seed Properties
| Plant Type | 50% Indica 50% Sativa |
| THC | Up to 26% |
| CBD | Insignificant amounts |
| Grow Difficulty | Easy |
| Climate | Indoors | Steppe | Mediterranean |
| Plant Size | Compact |
| Flowering Time | 8 weeks |
| Yields | 4 to 6 oz per 3x3ft |
Buy Gorilla Glue Autoflower Seeds
- 50% Indica 50% Sativa
- Extreme THC levels up to 26%
- Very easy to grow, great for beginners
2. Bruce Banner Autoflower Strain
Bruce Banner Autoflower Seed Properties
| Plant Type | 40% Indica 60% Sativa |
| THC | Up to 25% |
| CBD | Insignificant amounts |
| Grow Difficulty | Moderate |
| Climate | Indoors | Steppe | Mediterranean | Mold Resistant |
| Plant Size | Small |
| Flowering Time | 8 weeks |
| Yields | 4 to 6 oz per 3x3ft |
- 40% Indica 60% Sativa
- Our autoflowers are all feminized
- Fast flowering strain for quick harvests
3. Granddaddy Purple Autoflower Strain
Granddaddy Purple Autoflower Seed Properties
| Plant Type | 100% Indica |
| THC | Up to 19% |
| CBD | Insignificant amounts |
| Grow Difficulty | Easy |
| Climate | Indoors | Steppe | Mediterranean |
| Plant Size | Compact |
| Flowering Time | 8 weeks |
| Yields | 4 to 6 oz per 3x3ft |
Buy Granddaddy Purple Autoflower Seeds
- 100% Indica
- Extreme THC levels up to 23%
- Great beginner grow
Most of the variation in how long does it take for a weed plant to grow will be in the vegetative phase. In a grow room, you have more control over this because you can adjust the temperature and light levels. But if you’re outdoors, the weather will dictate the speed of growth.
When to Grow Weed During the Year
How long does it take for a weed plant to grow during the year will depend on several factors. If your location is the Northern Hemisphere, then you should start in the final weeks of April.
You’ve got the option of starting your seeds indoors, and then moving them outdoors once they’ve grown, but the choice is yours. Regardless, the seeds need to be in their final place in the closing weeks of July.
Harvesting will take place in the fall and winter, depending on your strain and the climate you’re in. September, October, and November are all good months to harvest. However, this is just for weed that’s grown outdoors.
If you’re growing weed indoors, then you’ll have almost complete flexibility over when you’re growing and harvesting cannabis. But you’ll still need to keep in mind what’s happening outdoors. Colder weather means you’ll need to warm up your grow room more. The reverse is true if it’s too hot outside.
If you’d like to choose specific dates to begin, then consider the Spring Equinox. That’s when germination should begin. By the time of the Summer Solstice, all your plants should be growing. You should consider beginning the harvest when it’s the Fall Equinox. Finally, you can finish the drying and curing processes in advance of the Winter Solstice.
How Long Does it Take for Weed to Grow in Each Phase?
Before we begin this section, it’s worth emphasizing the importance of keeping notes. There is a lot to keep track of, and if you forget vital details, you could put your harvest in jeopardy. That includes information like watering intervals and nutrient supplies.
How long does it take for weed to grow depends on the four phases of marijuana growth. These are the germination phase, seedling phase, vegetative phase, and flowering phase. The first two will be done very fast. Germination should take no more than 10 days, and the seedling phase should be over within 3 weeks.
After that comes the vegetative phase, which can take up to 16 weeks, and then the flowering phase, which can take up to 11 weeks. So that’s how long does it take to grow weed. We’ll give some more information on each phase.
The Germination Phase
Your seeds should be brown, dry, and hard before you plant them into the ground or a pot. That way, you can rely on them to germinate properly and not go to waste. Only once germinated should they be placed in soil.
Two leaves will emerge from the shoot that comes out of the seed. They will absorb sunlight to kickstart the growth of the plant. Below the ground, roots will be spreading out, and this will accelerate growth too. Fan leaves will emerge, and then your plant becomes a seedling.
The Seedling Phase
As the plant develops through this stage, more fan leaves will emerge. You can tell the plant is maturing based on the number of blades in the leaves. Maturing plants will have 5-7 blades on each leaf, and sometimes more. The color of all the stems should be bright green, as that’s how you can tell it’s healthy.
When the plant is in this stage, it’s vulnerable to sickness and overwatering, so be mindful of this when caring for it.
The Vegetative Phase
Growth becomes faster than ever during this stage, and it requires your plant to be in a larger container than it would have been as a seedling. You’ll want to start conditioning your plants with training methods and add more water and nutrients too. You should make sure to remove any male plants to prevent the pollination of female plants.
The plant will grow wider at this stage, so when you’re watering it you should do so further away from the central branch. This will help the roots, as will giving them some extra nitrogen.
The Flowering Phase
This is the final and most important phase of growth. Buds will emerge at different times depending on whether you’ve grown indoors or outdoors. It has three parts to it.
Flowers will start showing within the first three weeks of this phase. Pre-flowers appear on the females. Then in the next two weeks, the buds will grow larger. Finally, from the sixth week onwards, the plants will become sticky.
It’s important not to trim the plants during this stage, but you should attach them to a trellis so the buds are propped up.
Conclusion
You should now know everything you need to about how long does it take to grow weed. That includes the 4 phases, the relevant parts of the year to grow weed, and the length of time each phase takes.
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