How long for flowering indoors ?

[DIRTYMOOT]

How long should I let my plants flower for ? They're in a grow tent with a 600 hps.

[merl1n]

Some say 8 weeks, or when the white hairs turn brown.

Personally I go 12 weeks or allow the hairs to brown off then return then brown off again, I try to let this 'Browning' process happen 3 times.

It is a good idea to have a microscope to view the trich crystal colours, you want 50/50 white amber triches

IMHO

 

Merl1n

[itchybromusic]

Personally i don't think the hairs have much to do with it 

it's all about the  trich crystal colours, 50/50 cloudy & amber , then time to pull 

[DIRTYMOOT]

So how many weeks in total approximately ? I've heard from 8-12 but say if I left it for say 16 wks would this increase the size of yield ? I'd upload a current pic but I'm new and not sure how ?

Thanks

[Johnsy]

just harvy the buds when ya feel like it then..... with a name like yours im bound to think your cool ay bloke.

[itchybromusic]

Hey Dirty

It don't work like that mate , cannabis plant has a life cycle 

it grows to maturity then dies , there is no leave it longer & it will get bigger

in fact once it passes maturity the quality starts to drop away, so leaving it longer

could give you a worse smoke than if you were to pull early , Its all about the trich crystal colours

How many weeks,well , Indica's have shorter flower times generally & sativa's longer flower times

do you know what strain your growing 

[merl1n]

Hi Itchy,

."........there is no leave it longer & it will get bigger"

That aint quite true. At 8 weeks the buds are fully  formed but by leaving it the bud will swell and become more dense.

The plant will mature further than the 'normal' 8 weeks, I regularly flower for 12 weeks and the buds do swell and the taste of the smoke is markedly improved by leaving it

I do agree that the plant has a lifecycle but not that it "....grows to maturity then dies,....." This would depend what you'd call mature

The levels of individual psychoactive compounds and their properties alter but I'd personally question the statement that "the quality starts to drop away"

IMHO anyway

 

Merl1n

[t bone]

its alot to do with the sub-species you grow and wether it is sativia dominant or indica dominant or a mixed up poly-hybrid of both sub-species

leave sativas and they will continue to flower, then re-flower for up to 26 weeks, so there maybe some increase in yeild there

indica IMO do tend to lose psychoactive quality and die after very long extended flowering (12+ wks), little, if any increase in yeild after this time

naturally psychoactive properties are going to degrade over time as plant ages, from oxidization, intense light and heat

 

these are observations ive made whilst growing out cannabis and by no means the last word on the subject

Edited September 6, 2013 by t bone

[sticky THC]

the flowering time will depend on the strain you are growing. however, you can dictate/induce your plants to flower when you grow indoors. simply switch the light and dark hours and that will signal the plants to start producing buds. most indoor strains can flower as early as 7-8 weeks up to 10 weeks. it takes longer outdoors