Prospero’s Grow: Week 6: It’s Flower Time!

After five weeks of growing marijuana plants in my studio apartment in Denver, it was finally time to see some buds! It’s flower time!

A quick crash course for any non-grower Weedists out there: Marijuana typically grows in two stages. The first is typically referred to as the “grow” stage or “vegetation stage” (veg for short), which is the first 4-6 weeks of growing. This is where small clones or seeds first start growing, but do not yet produce any buds. It is typical to give the plants 18 hours of light, with 6 hours of darkness.

When the plants start getting quite big, it’s time to change up the light cycle and let the plants go into their second stage, typically referred to as “bloom” or “flower.” This is where you typically give plants just 12 hours of light and then 12 hours of darkness. Since plants do the majority of their growing and budding when it’s dark, the increased amount of darkness makes them want to start really producing the good stuff, not just fan leaves and stalks.

Right at 5 weeks, the plants are looking mighty tall and definitely were ready for bloom. Most growers will also use a different type of bulb for each stage. During veg, metal halide lights are the bulb of choice for most growers because they give off more blue-spectrum light, which makes the plants think it’s spring or summer.

This is what I’ve been using for the first few weeks, but just a few days ago I switched it out for my high pressure sodium (or HPS) bulb, because it gives off more red and orange-spectrum light, which makes the plants crazy excited and gets them to start producing flowers.

The HPS bulb gives off a more red/yellow spectrum of light

After just a few days of flower, I haven’t seen too many buds; I have, however, noticed a crazy amount of new growth, as my Third Dimension plant has almost doubled in size.

So far, everything seems to be going well with the plants and I haven’t had any major problems (I knock on wood with one hand as I type with the other, of course…).

Next week, I’m thinking about introducing Advanced Nutrients’ Bud Candy, which is an additive that is supposed to not only increase overall yield, but allegedly also improves the taste of the final product. Have any growers out there tried Bud Candy, or another similar booster?

Anyone have any thoughts on a good additional booster that will help during bloom? Let me know in the comment section!

Prospero’s Grow – 15 Week Series:

1. Week 1: Set Up and Explanation of Juicing Cannabis
2. Week 2: All Going Well and Nutrient Advice
3. Week 3: Advanced Nutrients Nirvana and Some Real Growth!
4. Week 4: New Developments from The Wizard and Start of Juicing Cannabis
5. Week 5: T-minus 1 Week to Flower and Important Lesson On Watering Cannabis Plants
6. Week 6: It’s Flower Time! [this post]
7. Week 7: Starting to Flower and Introduction of Advanced Nutrient Bud Candy
8. Week 8: Flushing Cannabis Plants and Raising the Grow Light
9. Week 9: Frosty Leaves and Real Buds! More Juicing Cannabis Information
10. Week 10: Growing Steadily and Some Thoughts On Pruning Cannabis
11. Week 11: About Time to Start Flushing
12. Week 12: Almost Harvest Time, Strong Cannabis Smell
13. Week 13: Harvesting Cannabis. This is It!
14. Week 14: Trimming and Curing Cannabis
15. Week 15: Final Thoughts On Growing your Own Marijuana
16. Epilogue: How to Make Your Own Homegrown Bud Joint Stash