Marijuana cultivation requires a great deal of understanding to ensure the desired outcome is achieved. For those that are familiar with adequate cultivation technique knowledge, they know that the wrong step can mar the process. This is why it is important that the right information is used and the right thing is done in order. Graduating marijuana from the veg stage to the flowering stage requires appropriate timing. With the right timing comes maximum yield and fewer complications. Read on as we explore the things to do when flipping your marijuana from veg to flowering stage.
Flipping your marijuana
Making the switch from veg to the flowering stage too early can lead to a small yield. Likewise, flipping your marijuana too late can also lead to the production of burned buds or overgrowth. There are different factors that need to be properly considered in the bid to flip marijuana. These factors include the age of the plant, the maximum height that can be obtained in your setup, the type of cannabis strain, the source of the plant, and the growing method used.
It is important to know the roles that each of these factors plays in giving the final result when flipping. It is also important for every grower to consider the uniqueness of each grows when considering these factors too. The reason for this is that it helps to understand the peculiarity of different plants and why copying might not give desired results. We will look into these factors individually to explain what must be done and when.
Factors to consider when flipping marijuana
Age of the plant
The age of the plant is a factor that many growers tend to give less credence to even though they shouldn’t. Some have even gone as far as saying that the age of the plant does not matter at all. A common belief is that it takes 60 days for the maturation of plants grown from seeds but this is not set in stone. Young seedlings are unable to flower properly until about two to three weeks which is why the age of the plant must be considered. Optimally, plants should be in their vegetative stage for approximately 60 days for maximum yield. This allows the plant to grow sufficiently and ensures fewer mistakes are made. Nonetheless, if the growing conditions will not allow this 60-day benchmark, flowering can be done earlier.
Maximum plant height
The amount of space available in your growing setup is the most important factor to be considered. This is because this factor is dependent on the grower and each grower should make decisions based on this. Plants that stay longer in the vegetative stage tend to grow taller. For this reason, it is important that if your setup area is small, you flip the plants early. This is to ensure that the plants do not outgrow the area before flowering. Plants that grow too tall in such situations suffer extensive damage and can end up being burnt or fried.
The ideal height of the plant during the vegetative stage is 30cm from the lights above them. This height is quite easy to gauge for growers depending on their setup. It is however important to consider the light fixtures being used along with this height. Some LED lights grow brighter than others and this will have an impact on the distance from the maximum height of the plant.
Type of Strain
Indica and sativa cannabis strains have different peculiarities that must be considered when flipping your cannabis. The differences aren’t so pronounced during the vegetative stage as they are during the flowering stage. indica cannabis strains are more adept top giving short, thick, and bushy plants. Whereas sativa stains are longer, thinner, and grow more considerably in their flowering stage. Sativa strains can grow as much as doubling their height during the flowering stage up until harvest time.
Hybrid cannabis strains give a blend of both characteristics of the parent and so they cannot be easily classified under either indica or sativa. When handling hybrid cannabis strains, it is important to research the parent of the strain to know how best to grow it. The rule of thumb that hybrids will grow to twice their height in a vegetative state is used when dealing with hybrid strains.
Source of the plant
The origin of the cannabis plant is important when deciding the time to switch from the vegetative to flowering stage. A solid root system is important to avoid issues during the flowering stage which is why the source of the plant is important. Clones tend to grow very big and may force the grower to flip early based on size. However, growers must ensure that these clones have a sufficient root system before flipping. Seedlings on the other hand can be flipped earlier but will still require a period of 2 to 3 weeks before doing so.
Growing methods
The method of growing applied can affect the time of flipping from the vegetative to flowering stage. The flowering time differs based on the method applied. Sea of Green (SOG) methods ensures flipping is done early as it is mostly employed on indica strains. Plants grown under SOG can be flowered when the height falls between 15 to 30cm. The screen of Green (ScrOG) method involves the use of a mesh at 30 to 60 cm above the base of the plants. Under this method, plants must be allowed to remain in the vegetative state for several additional weeks before flowering. Lollipopping technique involves removing the lower growths of the plant to ensure the available nutrients go to those that are in need of it. Flowering can be done for sativas at 30 to 45cm while indicas are around 100cm.
Bottom line
The available factors and considerations show that the decision of when to flip the plant is one that must be taken carefully. Each of these factors and their effects must be sufficiently understood before the grower embarks on flipping the cannabis plant.
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