it really depends on your strain, but heres a small run down.. first two weeks or so you don't really notice too much bud production.. your plant will really stretch a ton in this period, but not much else really.. then you will start to see the pistols forming.. slowly at first, then they will appear to be blowing up and it looks like the whole plant is covered in em.. this will last for maybe a week or so and you think, thats it? not looking like anykind of bud i've ever smoked, lol.. then maybe a week or so after that, the buds will really start to take shape and start to resemble something that you have smoked.. this period can last maybe two or three weeks again and slow down.. they may look about the same for another week or two with not much growth going on, then say the last two weeks or so if its and indica dom strain the buds will really swell up and get nice and fat for you.. this is the last swell and pretty much as large as they are gonna get till you harvest them..