patchwayraver
Active Member
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE MARIJUANA PLANT
Germination:
This is the initial stage of growth and occurs when your
seeds embryo cracks open and the seedling produces a root. This root
fixes itself into the soil and pushes the newborn seeding up and over
the soil surface. Following surface contact two embryonic leaves open
outwards to receive sunlight, pushing the empty seed shell away from
the seedling. It takes anywhere between 12 hours to 3 weeks for seeds
to germinate. Once the plant has reached this stage it goes into the
seedling stage.
Seedling Stage:
After the first pair of embryonic leaves are receiving light
(Figure 2.12), the plant will begin to produce another small set of new
leaves. These leaves are different from the last and may have some
Marijuana characteristics such as the three-rounded finger shaped
points. As the seedling grows, more of these leaves are formed and
bush upwards along with a stem. Some stems are very weak at this
stage and need the support of a small thin wooden stake tied to the
seedling with some fine thread. The seedling stage can last between 1
and 3 weeks. At the end of the seedling stage your plant will have
maybe 4 -8 new leaves. Some of the old bottom leaves may drop off.
Vegetative Growth:
The plant now begins to grow at the rate which its leaves can
produce energy. At this stage the plant needs all the light and food it
can get. It will continue to grow upwards producing new leaves as it
moves along . It will also produce a thicker stem with
thicker branches and with more fingers on the leaves. It will eventually start to show its sex. When it does this it is time for the plants pre-
flowering stage. It can take anywhere between 1 and 5 months for the
plant to hit this next stage.
Pre-flowering:
At this stage the plant slows down in developing its height
and starts to produce more branches and nodes. The plant fills out in
the pre-flowering stage. During this phase of the plant cycle your plant
will start to show a calyx which appears where the branches meet the
stem (nodes). Pre-flowering can take anywhere between 1 day to 2
weeks. (See last page of this book for pre-flowering/calyx illustration)
Flowering:
During this stage the plant continues to fill out. The plant will show its
sex clearly. The male plant produces little balls that are clustered
together like grapes. The female plant produces little white/cream
pistils that look like hairs coming out of a pod. Each of the plants will continue to fill out more and their flowers will continue to grow. It can take anywhere between 4 to 16 weeks for the plant to fully develop its flowers. During this time the males pollen sacks would
have burst spreading pollen to the female flowers.
Seed:
The female plant will produce seeds at this point if she has received
viable pollen from a male plant. The seeds grow within the female bud
and can take anywhere between 2 weeks to 16 weeks, to grow to full
maturity. The female pistils may change color before finally bursting
the seedpods, sending them to the soil below. (Breeders like to collect
their seeds before the seedpods burst.)
These are the six stages of the life cycle of a cannabis plant. It
is important to know that if the males are separated from the females
and killed off then the females will not become pollinated. Let us go
back a step and describe what happens here.
Germination:
This is the initial stage of growth and occurs when your
seeds embryo cracks open and the seedling produces a root. This root
fixes itself into the soil and pushes the newborn seeding up and over
the soil surface. Following surface contact two embryonic leaves open
outwards to receive sunlight, pushing the empty seed shell away from
the seedling. It takes anywhere between 12 hours to 3 weeks for seeds
to germinate. Once the plant has reached this stage it goes into the
seedling stage.
Seedling Stage:
After the first pair of embryonic leaves are receiving light
(Figure 2.12), the plant will begin to produce another small set of new
leaves. These leaves are different from the last and may have some
Marijuana characteristics such as the three-rounded finger shaped
points. As the seedling grows, more of these leaves are formed and
bush upwards along with a stem. Some stems are very weak at this
stage and need the support of a small thin wooden stake tied to the
seedling with some fine thread. The seedling stage can last between 1
and 3 weeks. At the end of the seedling stage your plant will have
maybe 4 -8 new leaves. Some of the old bottom leaves may drop off.
Vegetative Growth:
The plant now begins to grow at the rate which its leaves can
produce energy. At this stage the plant needs all the light and food it
can get. It will continue to grow upwards producing new leaves as it
moves along . It will also produce a thicker stem with
thicker branches and with more fingers on the leaves. It will eventually start to show its sex. When it does this it is time for the plants pre-
flowering stage. It can take anywhere between 1 and 5 months for the
plant to hit this next stage.
Pre-flowering:
At this stage the plant slows down in developing its height
and starts to produce more branches and nodes. The plant fills out in
the pre-flowering stage. During this phase of the plant cycle your plant
will start to show a calyx which appears where the branches meet the
stem (nodes). Pre-flowering can take anywhere between 1 day to 2
weeks. (See last page of this book for pre-flowering/calyx illustration)
Flowering:
During this stage the plant continues to fill out. The plant will show its
sex clearly. The male plant produces little balls that are clustered
together like grapes. The female plant produces little white/cream
pistils that look like hairs coming out of a pod. Each of the plants will continue to fill out more and their flowers will continue to grow. It can take anywhere between 4 to 16 weeks for the plant to fully develop its flowers. During this time the males pollen sacks would
have burst spreading pollen to the female flowers.
Seed:
The female plant will produce seeds at this point if she has received
viable pollen from a male plant. The seeds grow within the female bud
and can take anywhere between 2 weeks to 16 weeks, to grow to full
maturity. The female pistils may change color before finally bursting
the seedpods, sending them to the soil below. (Breeders like to collect
their seeds before the seedpods burst.)
These are the six stages of the life cycle of a cannabis plant. It
is important to know that if the males are separated from the females
and killed off then the females will not become pollinated. Let us go
back a step and describe what happens here.
