The True Cycle of a Cannabis Plant and Yellowing Leaves

[TonightYou]

When it comes to the yellowing of the leaves, we need to remember that its based on the plants life cycle. Once its fertilized, its job is to protect the ceeds until the death of the plant. The flowers act as mechanism to protect the ceeds and act as a vessel to spread the ceeds when the plant dies.
We growers on the other hand don't really want the plant to do exactly what its programmed to do. We are after the sensimillia. We want the plant to continue to flower to its full potential. Meanwhile the plant is trying its hardest to attract pollen before it dies. I see this as an at odds type situation. The plant wants simply to fertilize and is trying its hardest to push out flowers in the attempt to grab any nearby pollen. Its using up everything it has in nature to do this, even cannibalizing itself. In the grow room, we can stop the plant from cannibalizing itself by continuing to feed it while it uptakes nutrients which are required.

I personally keep my leaves as green as possible. The plant will get rid of any leaves it doesn't want or require, but I don't interfere for the most part. If the plant wants something, why not give it? Its better and more efficient than allowing the plant to use itself.

 

[nevyn]

Excellent comment Tonightyou, makes sense too, I finally understand something, I think! lol

 

[Guitar Man]

Nice thread OP, a lot of what you say makes sense and some excellent info from the commentators, thanks guys. Most weed in my country is outdoor, we have the climate for it, and when I sneak into those plantations to grab a quick bud or two, I have seen dying and yellowing leaves, all the time. These are Rasta plantations btw, I hope they never catch me though, they have knives and machetes.

Great to have someone like this chime in. Nevyn, your experience with Cannabis is important, as you see the yellowing leaves while this plant is growing in a natural environment. That is my main reason for starting this Thread. Like AimAim said in his previous post, Cannabis stores important nutrients within in its own pantry for the day the plant is in need of "Food" for flowering. I've have watched so many growers get nervous about this, including me, but I don't stress about it anymore. It's in the "Plan", so I'll go with the plan.

I also use this "Signal" to know when my plants are ready. If I'm forcing my plants to stay green, the finishing stage will be botched with a color not meant to be, possibly causing a grower to harvest at the wrong time. I shouldn't have a problem with my plant dying because when I'm done harvesting the buds, she's gone anyway.

As long as my finished product is quality, with some quantity, my goal of growing weed is a good one. Now, if a grower wants to keep his/her plant green all the way to the end with acceptable results, that's cool too.

 

[Guitar Man]

When it comes to the yellowing of the leaves, we need to remember that its based on the plants life cycle. Once its fertilized, its job is to protect the ceeds until the death of the plant. The flowers act as mechanism to protect the ceeds and act as a vessel to spread the ceeds when the plant dies.
We growers on the other hand don't really want the plant to do exactly what its programmed to do. We are after the sensimillia. We want the plant to continue to flower to its full potential. Meanwhile the plant is trying its hardest to attract pollen before it dies. I see this as an at odds type situation. The plant wants simply to fertilize and is trying its hardest to push out flowers in the attempt to grab any nearby pollen. Its using up everything it has in nature to do this, even cannibalizing itself. In the grow room, we can stop the plant from cannibalizing itself by continuing to feed it while it uptakes nutrients which are required.

I personally keep my leaves as green as possible. The plant will get rid of any leaves it doesn't want or require, but I don't interfere for the most part. If the plant wants something, why not give it? Its better and more efficient than allowing the plant to use itself.

Do you have some pictures of your plants before harvest?

I realize we manipulate Cannabis by keeping Male pollen from dousing our dank buds…but…I'm not so sure that a continual onslaught of nutrients is good or necessary to a achieve a quality harvest. Also, the plant will cannibalize itself regardless if it is seeded or not. This lets us know that the plant is following the path of death no matter what we do in our grow rooms.

If it could be factual and proven that keeping leaves green longer is a true benefit worth fighting for, I would consider that approach. But so far, from talking to growers who grow outside and inside, and I'm talking about very large grows, the yellowing of leaves is part of the final stages of bud development and the direct signal for the optimal time when to cut.

 

[nevyn]

I am not a very experienced grower, but I have helped some of my Rasta friends harvest, plant and curing, they do things this way, and the weed we get is pretty dam potent, and smokes smoothly. Although I did go to a farm school, they teach you certain things that stick with you.

The thing is some people on RIU are hardcore growers, who are like wine farmers, they take this very seriously, I respect that alot of course without them we would be a little lost, but for me it's about getting my grow for myself, tired of trying to score weed, and this shit is getting expensive nowadays. hehe.

 

[Guitar Man]

GM interesting thread, Do plants in the wild die because of old age or that they completed their mission for survival? Parts for sure but the whole plant? I think it's because of a reaction to changes in their environment. Light, temp, moisture, etc. Some people harvests tops then continue to flower or harvest reveg and flower again. If we changed the environmental conditions of the wild plants like we do with indoor would they produce more or live through multiple cycles?

Cannabis will die even in tropical climates. Depending on the environment, the plant's different stages are affected in length (Germ/Veg/Flower), because of light, temperature, etc., and the veg stage can take up to 3 months, something we don't do in our grow rooms.

The reason I want to allow my plants to follow the pattern of yellowing leaves is because I rely on this signal for an optimal harvest. People wrestle night and day with when to cut, but this glowing gold on my plants is like the shining sun, letting me know to get the drying room ready! Seeing these dying leaves gives me reason to rejoice!

 

[AimAim]

I personally keep my leaves as green as possible. The plant will get rid of any leaves it doesn't want or require

Dead on correct.

When a leaf no longer is making a positive energy contribution to the overall growth of the plant it is abandoned by the plant. Any plant, not just MJ. It's not just there to be pretty. If it can't photosynthesize enough to keep itself alive and add to the overall assimilation of energy and tissue in the plant, the plant will give it it's walking papers: suck out the nutrients, then cast it aside.

This is real basic botany but a lesson that needs to be revisited. If the leaf is green it is photosynthesizing and both maintaining itself and adding to the growth of the plant. If it can't do that due to lack of nutrients, or insufficient light, or whatever, the plant knows tough love and will drop the leaf.

Wish our social welfare system worked as well.

 

[nevyn]

Cannabis will die even in tropical climates. Depending on the environment, the plant's different stages are affected in length (Germ/Veg/Flower), because of light, temperature, etc., and the veg stage can take up to 3 months, something we don't do in our grow rooms.

The reason I want to allow my plants to follow the pattern of yellowing leaves is because I rely on this signal for an optimal harvest. People wrestle night and day with when to cut, but this glowing gold on my plants is like the shining sun, letting me know to get the drying room ready! Seeing these dying leaves gives me reason to rejoice!

What do say oak leaves do in autumn? So that is a good point.

 

[Gemstone]

Light Green and Yellow Leaves
Dank two days after picking! In the past when the leaves remained green at harvest, the buds were harsh.

 

[TonightYou]

Probably some pictures posted somewhere in my album or where ever the hell they are uploaded.

I understand the idea of following the natural cycle, it makes sense trying to replicate nature the best we can.
The thing is we are manipulating nature into doing what we want, not the plant. I want the plant to keep trying to capture some pollen. I want the plant to continue photosynthesis for as long as possible. As I do this, I keep the plant from doing its natural thing of cannibalizing itself.
One observation from keeping the leaves green until harvest is as the plant matures, it begins to desire less nutrients. The closer I get to harvest, the less it desires to uptake due to it reaching maturity. On a 9 week strain, I'm still fertilizing, but at levels that are half strength from the previous week.

 

[Rob Roy]

Sometimes it helps to let your plants blend in with the natural fall colors rather than letting it stay green and sticking out like a sore thumb. Just sayin'.

 

[TonightYou]

No judgement call here, do whatcha nature and you do.
I was just pointing out mine is all.

 

[Guitar Man]

Probably some pictures posted somewhere in my album or where ever the hell they are uploaded.

I understand the idea of following the natural cycle, it makes sense trying to replicate nature the best we can.
The thing is we are manipulating nature into doing what we want, not the plant. I want the plant to keep trying to capture some pollen. I want the plant to continue photosynthesis for as long as possible. As I do this, I keep the plant from doing its natural thing of cannibalizing itself.
One observation from keeping the leaves green until harvest is as the plant matures, it begins to desire less nutrients. The closer I get to harvest, the less it desires to uptake due to it reaching maturity. On a 9 week strain, I'm still fertilizing, but at levels that are half strength from the previous week.

But does the plant desire less nutrients, or, does the plant just use the "Storehouse" its developed, telling us who are dumping nutes into the grow medium, "Hey, we've got it covered!!"?

I'm trying to listen to what the plant really needs at the end of its cycle, and I don't want to get in the way if she is happy with eating from the stock of her own barns, UNLESS, my grow is lousy because I neglected to do the right thing in the last stage of growth.

Like I said in my previous thoughts, the sunny leaves are a blessing because my lady is signing off, and that means cured bud is almost here!

 

[Guitar Man]

What do say oak leaves do in autumn? So that is a good point.

I used to live where grape vines were in abundance and the fabulous colors that sprayed the valleys during the fall (yellow/red/gold), which is Harvest time, was glorious! Leaf color is representative of change, the signal for which we know the time has come.

 

[TonightYou]

Well from being a gardener I remember even at the end of the season, when the last crops were finishing up they would stay pretty green.
I had very little deficiencies in my soil, and only a couple plants would require any fertilizer towards the end, but a plant that is producing a fruit or flower needs to put as much energy into its final days.

I do think that by providing it, I'm avoiding the fade towards the end of a grow cycle, but I've also seen outdoor plants, and they don't fade in a proper amended soil.

 

[crispypb840]

IMA yellowing of leaves is normal in later stages of flowering. I have noticed when growing a strain that has a high nutrient uptake you may want to compensate and add a liitle N boost half way through flower. The plant used it's leaves as energy to produce those beautiful nugs. You must feed the plant=(leaves) what they desire. So depending on the strain, Yellowing early in flower IMA means N deficiency. Late in Flower means she coming to the end and ripening up. In the end it all comes down to strain and flowertime.

In attempting to understand the nature and cycle of a Cannabis plant, many conclude that knowing when a plant is finished is easily seen by watching all of the plants changes, which include; buds are no longer are swelling. Pistils have receded and have turned orange. Trichomes are cloudy/amber via a certain percentage. The strain's approximate flowering cycle in weeks. Leaves have/are turning yellow.

I believe a grower can see when a plant is ready by watching all of these "Signals", without even using a special scope to see when the Trics are a certain color, as Tric color can be seen with the naked eye. But the key is, making sure the plant is "Done".

Now, my real purpose of starting this Thread is to discuss the yellowing of leaves. I have talked to growers who feel that keeping fan leaves green all the way up to harvest is good and that yellowing of leaves at this stage is not the best for a maturing Cannabis plant.

I have done research on this subject, and the Cannabis plant in the wild can tell us something about how she will finish out her life during the final stages of maturity. In the wild, Cannabis will die at the end of Flowering, so the seeded buds can drop into the ground for the next natural grow. This seems logical as we all know that Cannabis didn't come from our Grow Room/Closet.

We also should consider that Cannabis in the wild does die, and the leaves will turn yellow during maturity. I've watched many growers, including myself, become nervous when leaves begin yellowing during the last 2-3 weeks of Flowering, wondering if we over/under-nuted. I'm not so sure that this "Stress" is warranted, as we are simply watching what Cannabis does in the wild, and, this is a firm signal that our plant is entering the final phase of Flowering.

Trying to maintain green leaves all the way and into the final stage of Flowering seems to not only be unnatural, but also confuses a grower to when the plant is actually finished, as this is an important signal to know when to cut our plant(s) down. We also see some comparison to this when we watch Fall colors change our plants/trees during a certain time of year, letting us know the firm signal of a season via a plants color change.

It appears that a Cannabis plant will begin to digest the sugars/proteins/nutrients left over in the green leaves and this is what helps the buds develop fully in potency, size, and readiness. This also gives the grower confidence in the plants development and the time when she is really ready for Harvest.

Just some thoughts of mine...peace GM

 

[mrCRC420]

I wonder if ideologies are separated by Organic and Chemical growers.... It would make a lot of sense right? Organic growers tend not to interfere and love yellow leaves, while Chemical growers like total control and green leaves. Obviously BOTH are correct as NEITHER are wrong. But I bet there's a clear in correlation there. (I'm 99% organic and don't give a F what my plants wanna do, as long as their bud is that East Coast fire).

 

[Uncle Ben]

Cooter, but do you agree with this realistic approach towards proper maturation? The only reason I'm calling this, "Realistic", is because of basing the finishing stage of a Cannabis plant from actual events in nature.

Actual events in nature? What does that mean? I've finished plenty of plants, the "natural way" outdoors, and I strive to maintain a green and healthy mass of leaves until the end. N is usually deficient in nature so yes, the leaves will prematurely yellow on their own, I guess. Me? Never witnessed cannabis growing from start to finish in the wild as a naturally occurring event, so I can only speculate. I do know that 90% of natural soils occurring world wide are deficient in N.

What I have noticed is that most who are now following my preaching over the years of giving their plants plenty of N during flowering, trying to maintain green leaves until the end as it makes botanical sense, are now mostly posting with other veteran growers at Riddle3m while RIU newbs are still buying into the yellowing leaf effect which is a reflection of their cultural practices including the use of low N bloom foods. Homebrewer did an experiment using a 9-3-6 from start to finish and had excellent results with green leaf retention until harvest.

The condition and health of the leaves has nothing to do with the indicators I use of when a plant is ready for harvest. Sure you're going to lose leaves, that's what all plants do, but not to the extent you see around here.

There is a difference between premature leaf yellowing and leaf senescence induced by the grower and what occurs naturally with the plant if you manipulate the NPK values of your foods.

Marijuana Botany is your best source for bonafide info.

UB

 

[TonightYou]

I've witnessed first hand my friend grow outdoors organically and it doesn't yellow. if you provide a well balanced, and slow released organic matter, she will come in green.

 

[Uncle Ben]

Do you have some pictures of your plants before harvest?

Here's a couple at harvest and yes the leaves are getting a bit light in color, BUT, that may be because I was playing games with bloom foods or using a flash which makes the leaves look much lighter, witness my avatar. I just don't remember. Most old fan leaves are still pretty green and intact for this indica dom mutt (TrainwreckXSweetTooth) at 11 weeks flowering.

I grow a lot of plants, mostly perennials, thousands of them and one observation I've made is that perennials tend to lose their leaves upon flowering/fruiting. It depends on the variety though. For example, my peach trees will fruit but the leaves remain green until frosts. I have a Mex lime that sheds most of its leaves a couple of times a year. Really weird. It just got thru fruiting big time, is dropping leaves all over the place and is flowering again. I have an avocado variety that drops 95% of its leaves when it blooms and then as it's finishing off that cycle flushes with a robust flush of leaves.

Bottom line? With cannabis it's a cultural thang driven by the grower. The fact is leaves produce bud (not bloom foods) so I strive to keep the leaves green until harvest as they produce food for the buds via photosynthesis. Now, if folks can't see the science in that (and many don't here) they need to find another hobby.

UB