How long does it take to grow cannabis?

How long does it take to grow cannabis? If you have never grown your own marihuana before, it can be an extremely fun and rewarding project. However, there are a number of details to be aware of before you start. If you’re wondering: “How long does it take to grow marihuana?” or “How fast can weed grow?”, then sit back and let us fill you in! In this article, we’ll take you through the different growing times for different varietyand discuss the maturity stages of cannabis plants.

How long do I have to wait to harvest cannabis?

Expect to get cannabis flowers between 9 weeks and 7 months or longer. Cannabis has three key stages in its growth cycle: germination, vegetation and flowering. Germination usually lasts only one to five days. The vegetative phase can last from a few weeks to several months. Finally, the flowering phase, when the flowers actually start to grow, can last from 6 weeks to 4 months. Several factors influence how long it will take to reach harvest time, from the type of variety grown to the specific cultivation method.

• Autoflowering Indicas 7-12 weeks
• Autoflowering Sativas 7-12 weeks
• Sativa-dominat-variety up to 6 months or longer
• Indica-dominat-variety 4-5 months
• Hybrids 5-6 months

Genetics: short or high, fast or slow?

Autoflowering varieties have changed the rules of the game as the growing time of these varieties has been significantly reduced as they start flowering earlier, regardless of how many hours of light they get. With autoflowering marihuana, you can expect to harvest flowers in 7 to 12 weeks, as all growth stages are shortened and the plants themselves develop very quickly.

In contrast, photoperiod plants will need to go through the normal vegetative phase before flowering. These variety enter the flowering phase depending on the light regime and will remain in the vegetative phase until the light is reduced from 18-24 to 12 hours per day. Indica variety generally grow faster than Sativas, with the flowering period lasting 6-9 weeks rather than 8-14, although there are photoperiodic variety with rapid maturation.

If you want it really fast

If you want to achieve the fastest possible return, there are several ways to do this. As mentioned, there are fast-maturing varieties, but for a quick harvest, autoflowering varieties are ideal, with a vegetative state of about a month and flowering of about two months. Hydroponic systems also reduce growing time, but require more advanced setups. However, fast growing tends to produce lower yields because the plants spend less time gaining volume in the vegetative stage. The quality of fast-growing flowers depends on the stem, but can be improved by a slightly longer maturation period.

Finally, growing outdoors is not ideal for someone who wants a fast-growing grass. Because outdoor plants are dependent on natural light, they will not grow nearly as fast as with controlled indoor lighting and reflective material.

Video – How long does it take to grow cannabis?

Final summary

Every part of the process, from germination to drying, is crucial when growing your own cannabis. You can ruin an amazing harvest by being impatient, and you wouldn’t want to waste all that hard work and time, would you? We’ve found that 3-5 months from planting to harvest is pretty standard, and the growing process can be rushed. Do you have any tips on how to shorten the growing time? Let us know in the comments below what your favourite growing methods are!