How long from seed to smoke?

[LeMollusque]

Hi guys,

 

I got some femanised White Widow seeds delivered today so I'm pretty excited to start growing (first time). I just want to know how long I can expect it to take from seed to the final product (grown indoors, in soil, under 400W MH/HPS). I am going on holiday for a couple of weeks at the end of April, and don't trust anybody enough to look after them for me. Will I have enough time? Or am I better off waiting until I get back?

 

Note: Seed supplier says 8 weeks to flower. Would that be 8 weeks from the day I start them germinating?

Edited February 4, 2011 by LeMollusque

[merl1n]

Hi there LeMollusque

 

In short, wait until you return.

The actual question 'how long from seed to smoke?' is a bit like asking 'how long is a piece of string?'

You have 2 cycles, grow or veg stage and head or flowering stage.

In the grow stage the lights are on 18hr and off for 6. The length of grow stage depends on the area you have to fill. ie I have one plant in a 3x3m room. I veg longer than most growers that I know of, about 4weeks or until my space is full. If I grew more plants it would take less time to fill the grow space.

In the head stage the lights are on 12hr and off for 12. With the head stage most commercial growers look at about 8wks some wait for the hairs to turn brown. If the plant is left longer it will go through this browning repeatedly. I allow it to have 3 brownings, the maturity in the taste is very nice and this usually takes 11-12 weeks.

So for me I'm looking at about 4 months in the pots and this does not include drying and curring time either, which depending on how you do it can take another month+

Now if you've got no one you can trust and you're new at this, wait. You actually need time for 'just in cases', the little problems that pop up (and they will). I have just had a problem with lights another OS member was having 'fun' with timers.

Wait.

 

Merl1n

[Pleb Scrubber]

Hi mollesque,

 

like merlin said it depends on how big you want your plants to be, and that will depend on how much space you have.

 

the 8 weeks the seedbank was talking about is just the flowering stage, you will need to add on veg stage and time to germinate your seeds to get them started.

 

I am growing some fem white widow as well, also with 400W hps and mh.

I have vegged them for 10 weeks, and about to turn them to flower for another 9 weeks.

 

But if you want to grow monsters, and have room for them, you will have to allow more time in veg, but the same time in flower.

start them when you get back from holidays, since you wont be restricted by the seasons outdoors

[smashed1]

 

 

 

The actual question 'how long from seed to smoke?' is a bit like asking 'how long is a piece of string?

 

Merl1n

i was thinking its gona be a long long awnser, thats a top awnser merl1n PMSL

[LeMollusque]

Thanks a lot guys. I guess I pretty much knew I would have to wait. I was just hoping for some kind of loophole. Guess I wont be smoking for a few months, my area is pretty dry. Thanks again, really informative.