Poll: At What Point Do You Start Counting "Days in Flower"?

When do you start counting flowering days?

  • The day I switch to 12/12 lighting

    Votes: 67 66.3%
  • The day I see pistils growing

    Votes: 28 27.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 6 5.9%

  • Total voters
    101

theFLAKE

Well-Known Member
I wanna know how some people have put OTHER in the poll. What possible other moment of growing would you start your flowering days count. Seems to me like theres only the 2.
 

cadeneli

Active Member
I guess the grey area here is when does flowering actually begin. I see the point of the guys that say 12/12. The changes in hormones begin to happen as soon as the plant recieves more than 11 hours of darkness, but flowers dont show until days sometimes 2 weeks. So the breeders are saying their timeline is from the moment you switch to 12/12. Cant argue with that. I concede.bongsmilie
 

xXOnyxXx

Well-Known Member
days/weeks flowering does not matter .. neither does the start time 12/12 or show .... what matters is that the buds are ripe and ready... gotta have that amber color !!
 

AWnox

Active Member
Don't mean to be rude but I don't give a rats ass what different growers consider their flowering start point, what I DO care about would be to know the breeders concept of flowering periods. Supposedly they have the "optimal" conditions by which one can guide oneself and also have as start point for flowering either start of 12/12 or start of pistils or sex or whatever.

Does anyone know by any chance how does GreenHouse seed Co. schedule their periods? (xD periods...Damn you Beavis and Butthead for returning to my life!!)
 

GreenThumbsMcgee

Well-Known Member
i thought that when the plant shows sex was a good a time as any to start the countdown...but from looking at the majority, its when you flip to 12/12 huh? i am trying to figure out when my plant will be done... i dont have a microscope to look at the trich's, so....its up to the calendar to tell me when its time....
how long do you guys let your plant flower as a rule of thumb?
 

LordRalh3

Well-Known Member
I used to count from about a week after flip. But then after a few years i stopped caring as it doesnt really matter. Each plant is finished when its finished amount of days/weeks is pointless, all that matters is that when you see a few amber trichs shes done
 

Cobnobuler

Well-Known Member
I prefer to consider it starting to flower when I start to see pistils, which like someone else said is generally around 10 days or so from the switch. In the end, its only a general reference because the plant doesnt know or care what kind of time schedule we're on, its going to be done and ready when its done and ready. How they finish and when will vary wildly from one strain to another and of course from Indica to Sativa and all of the hybrids in between.
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
I prefer to consider it starting to flower when I start to see pistils, which like someone else said is generally around 10 days or so from the switch.
Your preference aligns with the reality, which is vegging first, then transition to flower, then flowering. Silly to think switching the clock will instantly trigger the plant to start flowering. The longer dark period causes the plant to build up florigen which in turn cause the plant to go from vegetative state to flowering (producing sex organs that is). Flowering does not actually include the transition 'to' flowering from day one 12/12 where it is clearly still in a vegetative stage.

And yes, just a generally reference (for the shortest flowering pheno the breeder knows is in it).

Famous ol' chinese once said: "only need to add one week if you sex fast".
 

mudhead31

Active Member
I don't know why but I have gotten my best results by putting them in the flowering tent then giving them one more round of the grow schedule nutes then in seven days starting the flower schedule of nutes and counting from there.
 

potpimp

Sector 5 Moderator
Your preference aligns with the reality, which is vegging first, then transition to flower, then flowering. Silly to think switching the clock will instantly trigger the plant to start flowering. The longer dark period causes the plant to build up florigen which in turn cause the plant to go from vegetative state to flowering (producing sex organs that is). Flowering does not actually include the transition 'to' flowering from day one 12/12 where it is clearly still in a vegetative stage.

And yes, just a generally reference (for the shortest flowering pheno the breeder knows is in it).

Famous ol' chinese once said: "only need to add one week if you sex fast".
Yep, that's why I don't take the breeders word for it; I chop when it's *done*. Theoretically yes it might be done in 10 weeks but more than likely 12 weels would be much, much better weed and 50% more weight.
 

GreenThumbsMcgee

Well-Known Member
Theoretically yes it might be done in 10 weeks but more than likely 12 weels would be much, much better weed and 50% more weight.
in your guys experience, did most of yr weight pack on the last few weeks of flower cycle? im about 6 weeks in on 2 VERY different plants, one looks almost done, and the other is far from it. im hoping the one that is behind catches up in the end. What happend to get me to the difference in size, is that the one that is behind was in shock for about a week when i tried "lolli-popping" for the first time, and took to much, so i lost a week of flower, can i make that lost week up in the later weeks?
thanks again you guys.
 

Sativied

Well-Known Member
They fatten up most roughly in the first two weeks of the last 3 weeks although that depends on whether you like to harvest late or early. The calyxes from which all those white hairs (pistils) originate will swell up in to a bud. It's sort of like going from creating flowers (lots of pistils) to creating fruits/buds and that's when most of the weight is gained.

As for making up for the lost time, I've wondered that myself several times. I think as with many answers it's not a simple yes or no; my guess is that if severely stunted for a day or so it may be on pause sort of speak but in any case during it's recovery the clocks keeps ticking and it just does less in the same time.

But, yes, different plants can have very different flowering times and finishing sooner doesn't mean they'll be fatter than a long flowering strain (usually on the contrary).
 

GreenThumbsMcgee

Well-Known Member
yes, I agree, there are WAY too many variables to give solid YES/NO answers on the many, many topics on growing, I have found this to be true, and also, I seem to get many, many different answers on most Q's I ask. I am learning that alot of growing comes down to preference...and my preference is to have big fat snow covered dank buds. every time. lol! so whatever it takes to get to that end result is the way i want to do it. I am always open to learning new techniques.
 

Popcorn900

Well-Known Member
The word "flowering" would imply that the plant is flowering so to me that would indicate the countdown starts when you see flowers.
I start when I see flowers.
 

mmjmon

Well-Known Member
Another breeder answer

"the correct answer would be from the moment you switch from 18/12 to 12/12.
Of course the stated flowering times are indications. You might want to flower a
couple of days longer or shorter, depending on your circumstances .

Good luck.
Louis


Ceres Seeds Amsterdam
PO Box 10213
1001 EE, Amsterdam"

https://www.rollitup.org/indoor-growing/158532-start-counting-flowering-12-12-a-2.html#post3583983
That's funny.... moment you switch from 18/12 to 12/12. I guess you could set up your timer for that huh?
 
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