How do you count the weeks of flower???

[Puffin Afatty]

:confused2: I have been growing indoors under artificial lights for more than 16 years. I always looked at the trichs to tell me when the plant was ready to harvest.
However, I always thought that the number of flowering weeks was counted from the moment you flipped the lights to 12/12.

Today I see, for the 1st time in all my growing experience, someone suggesting that the time of flowering is from the 1st sign of sex.

Not that it really matters to me, because I let the plant tell me when she's ready,

but which is it???? :confused2:

[yeroc1982]

Well as soon as u know its female, u can flower it whenever ur ready, its up to the grower. Just remember that wen u start to flower, the plant will prolly double in size wen its done so make sure ur gona have enough room for it. I usually start to flower wen they are about 1.5-2.00 feet tall.

[umbra]

I have been growing long time too. I have always gone by from when you set the lights to 12/12. And I also always look at the plant to tell me when to harvest. I do it because I found variation from plant to plant different pheno types show a little differently. Once the mother is selected it pretty consistent.

[Puffin Afatty]

yes, strains, varieties, phenos, nutes, growing conditions, all influence the length of the flowering cycle.

the question of when to start the clock has ocurred to me before, but I never saw anyone suggest to use the actual onset of white hairs.

I think it is a more accurate way to think of the cycle, than to just say the start is the flip of a switch and then so many weeks and you are done. Some things you just cant put in a can.

[umbra]

I would agree it probably is more accurate

[godspeedsuckah]

I always considered it to be when I first see the development of flowers. The reason is because some strains I have flowered can take 2.5 weeks after 12/12 to even show flowers.

[the widowmaker]

I personally count it after that the term is flowering and if you ever noticed before the weeks to flower on the label rarely match your times its flowering for.

The initial show of sex is still not flowering, its a preflower, the start of flowering is when you start to see the flowers develop not just the preflowers.

[Mr. Bubbles]

\The initial show of sex is still not flowering, its a preflower, the start of flowering is when you start to see the flowers develop not just the preflowers.

I second this, espeically if you are going to follow the breeders recomended flowering times.

[godtea]

The hormone is being produced constantly as long as the plant is growing.
It needs 12 hours of darkness inorder to completly form (light breaks down the intermediate stages ) The chemical process starts on the first period of 12 hour dark .
This is a objective starting point that can be measured emperically
Subjective opinion is way to fuzzy What you see as a flower and what I see as one can very by days.
I've found that for a clone line harvest times are within a day or two of the standard .variations due to micro climate

[Puffin Afatty]

common sense prevails, despite the strongest marketing plan. I like my little $10 scope from radio shack, it is never wrong as to judging the readiness to harvest. as to scheduling, I aim at the full moon nearest the advertised time to flower. generally, during this 2 week window I can find the cloudy/amber balance I prefer. :)

[KingKahuuna]

A good bit of reasoning there,
I like to pull it right at the cloudy/amber also, This is where you get the good pain relief out of it.
smoke in peace
KingKahuuna

[Crazy Horse]

I have yet had a plant ripen when they are supposed too. When the description of they strain says 8 weeks flowering period, mine usually are 10 weeks or more from when I start my 12/12. I always thought it was just me it happened to.

[umbra]

Even with starting the count at the flowering stage there can still be some variation. If you watch the youtube videos of greenhouse seeds, when they say 10 weeks flowering and then say just one more week will really pack on the resin. Here is a comment from a breeder with more intimate knowledge of growing that particular species and still adjusts for even more resin. The point is even when using the tricomes as a means of when to harvest there can be some subjective variations on how much amber or cloudy and certain species can be different than others. That why its as much an art as it is science.

[Midnight Toker]

I just switch to 12/12 whenever think its ready to...i count flowering time by the first day 12/12 was started.

[yeroc1982]

I go by when I first change the lighting from 24 hrs light to 12 hrs light. The first day when the plants get their first day of 12 hrs light, thats the first day of flowering.

[red_ss]

:confused2: I have been growing indoors under artificial lights for more than 16 years. I always looked at the trichs to tell me when the plant was ready to harvest.
However, I always thought that the number of flowering weeks was counted from the moment you flipped the lights to 12/12.

Today I see, for the 1st time in all my growing experience, someone suggesting that the time of flowering is from the 1st sign of sex.

Not that it really matters to me, because I let the plant tell me when she's ready,

but which is it???? :confused2:


me 2, i thought flowering weeks start as soon as i start 12/12!! but most of the growers dont count the first 2 weeks when its start to show sex.. so 2 weeks+8weeks =10 .. thats along time man .. but i get it now.. thanks for the thread

[littlenode]

evenin. good thread...so, what than, do most seedbanks, in general, consider when they state time of flowering?...from light change, or sex?...exp: Flowering time: 55-60 days.

[yeroc1982]

I only grow from clones so i dont gota wait to sex.

[umbra]

I only grow from clones so i dont gota wait to sex.

even so it still takes a certain amount of time and how do you measure it is the question. If it were a simple answer, everyone would have the same answer, but they don't. This one of those grey areas that are the result of years of growing and flowering and harvesting. I find mj to be a most special plant, partly because of what we do not know.

[yeroc1982]

When i feel my plants are big enough, i flower.

[Puffin Afatty]

the issue I mention is the way we (growers) count the weeks. seed sellers tell us x number of weeks and I never recall seeing when the x number starts. it makes sense either way really, I think it more accurate to go by the time the plant shows flowers. as to scheduling cycle in advance, I go with experience or what I am told by the seed sellers.

[fulltimes]

I always go by when I change the light cycle, because I can usually tell sex before veg is over. If I'm still vegging but can tell sex, that isn't flowering.

[Crazy Horse]

I have had plants show there sex before going in, but it still takes a while for the flowers to start coming. I have a plant in my flowering room now for 2 weeks that had preflowers before going in and it is just now starting to show little signs of flowering. There is no way she is going to be done in 8-9 weeks. I am thinking closer to 11 weeks. But every strain is different.

[Runbyhemp]

When I see the onset of white hairs, I consider this to be the beginning of flowering. Before that .. well .. it just aint flowering.

[littlenode]

I always go by when I change the light cycle, because I can usually tell sex before veg is over. If I'm still vegging but can tell sex, that isn't flowering.

so do you think your time period jives with the seedbanks estimates? :confused2:

[Puffin Afatty]

when the seed matches it's plants description, and the trichs go amber within the seed sellers estimates, yes, I think so, otherwise, it's usually longer than they say, by about 2 weeks in general.