It is important to know when to water your plants so we avoid overwatering or underwatering, which can stress your plants and will affect your yield. Generally, you want to water every 2 or 3 days during Flowering and you want to water enough that 10-20% of water comes out from the pot as runoff.
The nutrient requirements will change dramatically when the plants enter the flowering stage, and this may be a little hard for new growers. You can feed your plants 1-2 times every week, gradually increasing the nutrients, but at the same time pay attention to your plants' reactions after each feeding.
Light intensity
To some degree, more light translates to fatter buds and higher yields (you'll need to pay attention to the distance between your grow light and plants or your plant may suffer from light burn). Increasing light intensity is the most effective way to fatten up buds.
You can remove fan leaves during flowering in much the same way you do during veg. Prune away large leaves that are overshadowing bud sites, as well as dead or dying fan leaves. One thing to keep in mind is that you should prune in intervals, giving at least a couple weeks between each session.
All the leaves of a cannabis plant are necessary for healthy growth, but the fan leaves are the largest and take in the most light, but they also cast the largest shadow when fully developed. Photosynthesis refers to the process through which plants use sunlight to synthesize nutrients from carbon dioxide and water.
Fan leaves support the cannabis plant throughout the vegetative phase. They enable plants to absorb enough energy from light that is then converted into food needed for growth. While they might not be a smokable component of the cannabis plant, it's a pity to dispose of them following the harvest.
Lack of light is perhaps the most common reason that cannabis produces fluffy, light buds. You may have noticed the lower, puny 'popcorn' bud sites that form below the main canopy.
Loose, sponge-like flowers can be highly disappointing. Caused by a combination of poor genetics, inadequate nutrients, swings in temperature/humidity, insufficient lighting, and stress, loose buds are hardly worth harvesting. Soft, fluffy flowers can also be deceiving.
This occurs when plants lose their moisture content, curl up, and feel fragile and crunchy to the touch. Several environmental factors give rise to this issue—nutrient problems, too much water, and excess heat are just a few of the common culprits.
The pistils will continue to get darker during these final weeks too—another sign that your plants are almost ready for harvest. In these final weeks, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium are still your most important nutrients.
Some gardeners prefer to feed their flowers and plants with a liquid-soluble plant food once every one to two weeks. Some plants are heavy feeders and require regular fertilizing to thrive, while others will happily grow and produce for years with little to know fertilizer.
Overdosing flower food by more than 150% of the recommended amount can lead to stem discolouration and burnt leaves. Our tip is to always to add the right amount of flower food to the indicated amount of water by following the instructions on the back of the pack.
Phosphorus or Phosphate (P): Promotes blooming and fruit formation.
In the last two weeks, the buds will mostly be ripening and not really growing much more in size. At this point, the previously white pistils on the buds will now slowly turn amber-brown.
Having loose, airy buds may not seem like a big deal. This structure though can have a negative effect on bag appeal and potency. It's important that growers know what to look for, how to identify the causes, and then how to correct them.
Signs of Over-Drying Cannabis
There are a few signs that your cannabis buds are becoming too dry, such as: They start to crumble: When you touch the buds, they shouldn't be sticky, but they should still be slightly firm. They're brittle: When you break the buds, they should break easily and not be sticky.
Because bud formation starts after 7 hours of dark period, it is also wise to always maintain a minimum day length of 17 to 18 hours during the vegetative period. A dark period of 12 hours is used as a standard in cannabis to ensure a smooth flowering process.
Dense/Fluffy
These flowers simply hold more mass, look much healthier, and smoke smoother. Grinding up dense cannabis flowers seems to almost double their size. Even a small chunk of a compact flower can grind down to fill a good-sized joint. In contrast, fluffy buds yield disappointment and less plant matter.
Rehydrate With Moist Bread
This is one of the simplest ways to rehydrate your stash. Simply moisten a piece of bread but make sure you don't soak it. Place the bread and the dry buds in an airtight container for 1-2 hours to allow the moisture to distribute itself. Check it and repeat the process if necessary.
However, once the plant begins to flower, you can trim off some of the fan leaves. However, don't remove more than half of the fan leaves, because they are still needed by the plant.
Usually, growers trim the fan leaves weeks before harvest, which is a period that leads to senescence, a phase in the plant cycle when the larger leaves start fading away. It is safe to start removing these dying leaves and continue until harvest. However, the main trimming processes commence after harvest.
If you've never defoliated before, we recommend you always play it safe and stick to removing only the foliage that very obviously impedes bud production. In particular, focus on big fan leaves and interior foliage that's already covering bud sites.