Characteristics of the flowering stage
Pretty quickly after changing the light cycle from 18/6 to 12/12 your plant will show changes. For first 2 weeks it’s basically the vegetative stage on steroids (known as “the stretch”).
This is a bit like our teenage years, strong growth followed by hormones; in the case of Cannabis after the growth pistils will start appearing, welcome to the flowering stage 🙂
Here’s what to expect
Characteristic | Flowering stage |
---|---|
MACRO-NUTRIENTS NEEDED | After the stretch the plant will need mainly Phosphorous and Potassium (PK) |
VEGETATIVE GROWTH | Once the stretch has ended, vegetative growth will stop |
HUMIDITY | You should aim for an environment around 50% humidity. Over that you might get bud molding issues |
TEMPERATURES | Temperature levels are the same as during the vegetation stage. Note: Some strains will react to temperature changes differently. For example, “blue” strains will only turn blue/violet if there’s a different of at least 10°C between the day and night |
PK – The two main nutrients of the Flowering Stage
The main difference with the Vegetative Stage Nutrients is the lack of Nitrogen.
Since the plant mainly uses Nitrogen in order to create new sections of the plant, now that she’s focusing on the developing her flowers there’s no need for it. For that, she’s going to need Phosphorous and Potassium, and a good amount of them.
Now just like during the vegetative stage, if you’re looking for a precise table of how much to feed your plant we can’t do so.. It depends on the type of nutrient and your strain.
Our advice is the same, follow the indications given by the manufacturer but reduce the levels a little. If your plant shows some deficiencies (apart from Nitrogen), add a little more nutrients in there.
Last but not least, don’t forget to flush your plants during the 2 last weeks of the flowering stage! If you don’t do so the buds will still be full of nutrients which will ruin their taste.. Would be too bad to waste your harvest just because you forgot to stop giving them Nutrients at the end of the cycle.
Now lets look closer to each nutrient and their use.
How does Cannabis use Phosphorus (P) during the Flowering Stage
Phosphorous basically has the same use during the Vegetative and Flowering stage, with a couple exceptions.
Once the stretch starts the plant will redirect it from the root growth to the blooming of the flowers.
Apart from that, it keeps on being part of the formation of the oils, sugars and starches and the photosynthesis process,all of which is necessary for the plant to thrive.
How does Marijuana use of Potassium (K) during the Flowering Stage
Potassium basically acts in the same way during the whole life of your Marijuana Plant.
It’s responsible mainly for 3 things during the whole life cycle:
- Encouraging the uptake of water, which your plant needs whether vegetating or flowering.
- Increasing the resistance to diseases.
- Helping the plant make better use of the light and air available.
On top of that, when Cannabis gets to the flowering stage, Potassium is essential for the development of the flowers.
This article is part of a series
Potassium and Phosphorus use in Cannabis - Recap
Nutrients | Use in Cannabis |
---|---|
POTASSIUM (K) |
|
PHOSPHOROUS (P) |
|