Vegative Phase Tips

WHAT IS THE VEGETATIVE STAGE?

The vegetative stage is a specific period of the growing cycle. It occurs after germination and before the flowering period. Your cannabis plant first germinates. After this, a seedling emerges from the soil. These small plants have a short stem and two round cotyledons. Eventually, the first "true" leaves develop. Over the course of 2-3 weeks, seedlings will mature and develop a number of fan leaves. This is necessary for photosynthesis and marks the beginning of the vegetative stage.

The vegetative stage lasts approximately 3-16 weeks (or longer). This depends on the genetics and the grower's goal. During this period, explosive growth occurs. At the beginning of the vegetative stage, you will often repot plants into larger containers. This gives the root system more space. The main stem becomes larger and the space between the nodes increases dramatically. Indica strains remain small and grow more sideways. Sativas grow larger with much less branching. In photoperiod species, the vegetative phase ends when the light cycle shortens.

Outdoors, this happens due to the transition from summer to autumn.
Indoors, the grower manually shortens the light cycle to induce flowering. Plants will flower when they receive a light cycle of 12/12. Autoflowering species, on the other hand, flower on an internal clock. A light cycle does not apply here.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VEGETATIVE PHASE

The vegetative phase is an important period in the life cycle of the cannabis plant. As a grower, you need to create optimal environmental conditions. Only then will you see healthy, large plants. The size of the plant has a lot to do with the yield. The larger the plants, the more needs or "bud sites" they develop. This of course leads to a heavier harvest.

But size is not the only factor. Some growers prefer to keep their plants small, while still producing excellent yields. You do this by training plants. These techniques are applied during the vegetative phase, before the first buds appear. Many important physiological functions take place during the vegetative phase. Fan leaves work hard to convert light and CO₂ into energy. The root system expands. This acts as a strong anchor and prevents collapse. The roots also absorb essential nutrients and water.

To meet the needs of the plants at this time, you need to provide the right amounts of light, water and nutrients. You should also keep an eye out for pests and diseases. Prevent these threats from damaging or killing your crop.

Ultimately, the vegetative stage is the stepping stone to the flowering stage. The healthier your plants are, the better prepared they are for flowering and a bountiful harvest.

While you’re preparing for the flowering stage, it’s important to optimize your plants’ growth during the vegetative stage. Watch our video “The Growth or Vegetative Stage” to learn practical tips on managing light, temperature, and nutrients to help your cannabis plants thrive.

HOW TO ACHIEVE IDEAL VEGETATIVE GROWTH?

The above factors are important in any growing project. If you create the perfect balance between all of these variables, you will see remarkable growth in the vegetative phase. The primary needs of the plants remain the same, but you should still be aware of the differences between an indoor and outdoor grow. These are two different environments with different problems.

INDOORS

When growing indoors, your plants are usually housed in a tent or dedicated grow room. There are pros and cons to this. Indoor growers have almost complete control over the environment throughout the entire growth cycle. During the vegetative phase, you can keep the lights on 18-24 hours a day. The more light plants receive, the more photosynthesis takes place. This results in more explosive vegetative growth.

More control also means more work. Regularly measure CO₂ levels, humidity, and temperature. Keep these factors between specific parameters to optimize plant growth. Sometimes you also need to invest in fans, hygrometers, dehumidifiers/humidifiers, extractors and other devices to run smoothly. You can automate these systems with timers and sensors, but for amateurs and hobbyists this is often not feasible.

OUTDOORS

Outdoor growers have much less control over their plants during the vegetative phase, or actually during the entire growth cycle. The elements take over and sometimes this works to your advantage. You don’t need to arrange a light source and a regular rain shower or irrigation system provides your plants with water.

Achieving ideal vegetative growth is mainly about stimulating the defense mechanisms of your plants. Many mammals are eager to eat your plants. Small creatures, such as insects, like to worm their way into the leaves and roots. Birds and deer can damage leaves and stems. A humid environment increases the risk of mold. You can combat pests with biological agents, such as predatory insects. Companion plants also repel unwanted visitors. Nets and fences are effective against larger animals.

You can combat mold with a foliar spray. Also place your plants somewhere where there is a nice breeze and avoid stagnant areas.

THE BEST START FOR YOUR CANNABIS SEEDS

As mentioned above, the seedling stage falls just before the vegetative stage. It is an important step in the life of the cannabis plant and sometimes decisive. Vegetative growth contributes to an optimal flowering period. A healthy seedling stage does the same for the entire growth cycle. Let's discuss the most important factors during this period.

GROWING MEDIUM

You can choose different mediums for your plants, including soil and water (hydroponics). The growing medium gives roots space to grow. If you choose soil, it also contains organic matter and nutrients. You can also add microorganisms to your plants, such as mycorrhizal fungi. These form a beneficial relationship with your plants. They break down organic matter and improve nutrient uptake.

In a hydro setup, you obviously start with high-quality, filtered water. Tap water contains chlorine and other harmful substances.

LIGHTING

When growing cannabis, light is essential. In addition to water and CO₂, it is essential for photosynthesis. So you need good lighting to grow healthy and strong plants. LED lights are handy. They are economical and emit little heat.

As mentioned, photoperiod varieties in an indoor garden require 18-24 hours of light per day in the vegetative phase. The more light the plants receive, the faster they grow. Most growers let their plants vegetate for 4-8 weeks. After this period, switch to 12 hours of light per day to induce flowering.

Autoflowering plants, on the other hand, flower all by themselves. Give them 18-24 hours of light per day in the vegetative phase and the flowering period and watch the magic happen.

NUTRITION

Cannabis plants have specific nutritional needs. These needs differ between the vegetative and flowering stages. During the vegetative stage, plants require more nitrogen. This contributes to the growth of stems and leaves. They also require sufficient potassium to regulate the opening and closing of stomata and to produce energy. Magnesium is also important for vegetative plants. This stimulates photosynthesis. Calcium is needed for healthy cell walls.

Growers can purchase nutrients for the vegetative period to simplify things. Products such as Easy Grow growth enhancers provide all the nutrients that plants need during this period.

Are you growing on hydro? Then purchase specific nutrients for the vegetative stage and follow the instructions on the packaging.

WATERING

Water is life. Cannabis plants rely on water to absorb nutrients. This applies to plants in soil and on hydro. During the transpiration process, water enters the leaves via the stem. This way, nutrients reach the right places. But too much water is bad. Overwatering suffocates the roots and leads to root rot. When watering your plants during the vegetative period, wait until the top 3cm of soil has dried out before watering again. Hydroponic plants get all of their water needs from their growing medium.

TEMPERATURE

Vegetative cannabis plants thrive in temperatures between 20–30°C. Fortunately, this is a fairly broad spectrum, which is beneficial for both indoor and outdoor growers. Vegetative plants can tolerate fairly high humidity levels. However, don’t let levels drop below 40%. Both temperature and humidity are measured with a thermometer/hygrometer. Indoor growers manipulate these conditions with heaters, air conditioning, humidifiers and dehumidifiers. Outdoors, you can protect your plants from the sun with canopies or other forms of shade, should you be battling a severe heat wave.

AIRFLOW

Airflow is incredibly important for the health of your cannabis plants. In a grow tent, you can keep the air fresh with suction and extractors. These draw in CO₂ while removing excess oxygen. Airflow also helps prevent the formation of mold. If you’re growing outdoors in a polytunnel, it’s a good idea to position it in a direction that faces the wind. Installing fans is also an option to keep the air moving.

TRAINING

With training, you can shape plants to your own liking. You open up the canopy, which improves light penetration. With training, you also stimulate yield, while keeping your plants at a manageable height. With certain methods, such as low stress training, you change the shape of the plants by bending and tying the stems and branches.

THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE VEGETATIVE PHASE

During this period, the plants grow very quickly. You must constantly monitor them and adjust the parameters. If you use Easy Booster tablets, feeding is not a problem. You must also water correctly. Wait until the top 3cm of the soil is dry. Your plants are in a hurry and this has consequences for the height of your lighting. If the top of a plant is too close to the light source, you run the risk of burning. Hang the light source about 30cm above the top of the plant. If you see yellowing, hang it a little higher.

High humidity is important during the first two weeks of the vegetative phase. The amount of moisture in the air encourages healthy plants. If necessary, you can temporarily turn off the fans.

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTORS DURING THE VEGETATIVE PHASE

In addition to all of the above, there are a number of other important factors to consider during the vegetative phase. How or where you grow is irrelevant.

DETERMINING SEX

Determining the sex of cannabis plants is very important. This prevents males from pollinating the females in the grow room. If you want to grow resinous buds, you should remove the males as early as possible. As soon as the pollen pollinates a female bud, she starts producing seeds. This stops the production of resin. About four weeks after germination, you can determine the sex. Both male and female plants then produce pre-flowers. These small pieces of tissue indicate the sex. Male plants produce more globular pre-flowers. The female pre-flowers are teardrop-shaped. You can use a magnifying glass or jeweler's loupe to take a closer look at the pre-flowers. Remove the male plants from the grow room as soon as possible. You can set them aside for breeding, but you can also destroy them.

SPACE

Each plant needs enough space. If you put them too close together, they will overshadow each other and block the light. There are many variables involved. The genotype of a strain determines its size, but you can tame plants with training methods.

You can plan your grow space in advance. Determine how many plants you want to grow per square meter.

• If you use the SOG technique, you usually put 4-16 plants per 1m². You then put many small plants together to create an even, horizontal canopy.
• As already mentioned, low stress training (LST) is also a technique with which you can tame plants. On average, 4 plants fit per 1m².
•  Finally, there is the ScrOG method. With this you stimulate the final yield, but you can only fit a single plant per 1m².

TOPPING

Topping is a proven method of controlling the height of a cannabis plant, while potentially increasing the yield. By cutting the top of the main stem, you stimulate lateral growth. This creates more main buds. You can top as soon as a cannabis plant has 3-5 needs.

This technique is used in the vegetative phase. You will need sterilized scissors to cut the tip of the main stem. This will then divide. You can repeat this process to encourage more buds to grow. Be aware that plants need to "recover" after each cut. This will inevitably extend the duration of the vegetative phase.