Last Updated February 19th, 2023: When you are growing cannabis plants, it is important to know what week of the year they will grow the most. That’s why we created this long-form article that goes through a weekly timeline and talks about what happens each day. We also provide information about how much light and water the plant needs at different stages in its growth cycle!
It’s important to understand what should be happening each week so that you can have a better idea if something is going wrong. This is especially important when it comes to mold or curling leaves.
What Week Do Buds Grow The Most?:
The buds will grow the most during weeks 3-5. This is when your plant shows its first signs of budding, and you’ll notice a lot more growth happening in week 7 (though it depends on which strains). However, this is also when things start to get really interesting – because at around week 8 or 9…the smell! Those terpenes that we talked about earlier? They’re starting to kick into high gear now too. You can’t wait for those sweet munchies!
That being said, if you’re using an early finishing strain then this could mean that you’re a week or two earlier than those timelines.
As mentioned previously, understanding what’s happening on a weekly basis will be extremely helpful in understanding what to expect, so below we’ll break down what happens on a day-by-day basis.
Cannabis Growth Cycle:
Whether you’re growing your cannabis plants outdoors or indoors, it’s going to affect the overall growth cycle and timeline. Along with this, different climates will differ in the amount of sun the plants receive, which will change how quickly they can grow. For example, if you’re growing cannabis in the Pacific Northwest you’ll receive less daily sun than if you’re growing in New England.
Week 1-3:
The first few weeks of the plant’s growth cycle are extremely important and when the plants will start to follow a more traditional light cycle. This is also known as the Stretch Cycle because it’s when the plants first begin to sprowt and grow and can double or triple in size.
At week 2, your plant will reveal its sex. If it’s female, you may notice that the wispy hairs (pistils) start to show up and if it’s male, there should be pollen sacs present on the flower head. It can get a little confusing when trying not to pollinate any of your buds so this is a time where we recommend separating them into their respective pots or containers for females and males respectively from now until they’re ripe! At second stage nutrients are important in order for healthy growth; more phosphorous helps with flowering while potassium encourages fruiting.
As the plant enters its third week of life, it won’t stretch much. It’s channeling all its energy into bud production to create a show-stopping finale in just two weeks! Check your feeding schedule and watch for any deficiencies that might affect budding plants during this crucial stage. The flowers are coming soon–you should be providing enough nutrients so they can grow to their full potential!
Week 4 – 5:
In the fourth week of flower growth, you will notice many budlets. The white pistils may also be sticking out but they won’t grow as rapidly in this phase because buds are growing fatter with days passing and branches might need support to keep them exposed to light if there is too much weight on an end branch.
At week 4, you don’t want your plant to get sick! Make sure it always has the right nutrients and is in a healthy environment. Watch for any leaf symptoms such as yellowing leaves or rapid loss of some leaves.
At week 5, your plant is now in full-flowering mode with thick buds. Not only will new budlets sprout on the old sites, but also more trichomes become opaque as your terpenes get richer and you need to use carbon filters for it not to smell suspiciously at home or if you’re doing a closet cannabis grow!
Week 6 – 8:
Buds grow to their biggest size at the final stages of flowering, and you should continue feeding them with a certain formula in precise proportions. Bud ripening is a delicate process so make sure that your plants get enough light without burning or evaporating THC through heat exposure. The best way for maximizing airflow is by moving lights higher from time to time when they become too close as well as opening up vents more often which prevents bugs infestation on your precious buds!
The excitement level in the room rises exponentially when harvesting begins because we know what’s up next: smoking our hard-earned weed! Depending on which strain we grow during this process of course, week 8+ marks the end of flowering cycle where all those sticky little flowers start changing colors. Sticky white starts turning into milky whites while THC levels increase before finally reaching amber shades signaling degradation
Final Thoughts On Buds Weekly Growth:
When you’re growing your cannabis, it’s important to know that your buds will most often grow the most during week 3 and week 5. This is when most of the growth takes place, so this means it’s important to properly water your plants and ensure that they have proper nutrients. This will ensure that you get larger buds and a bigger yield!