Grow times for cannabis plants vary widely, but on average, are about three-to-five months for indoor grows. However, there are many factors that could add or subtract from that range, including whether you choose to grow from a clone or a seedling, the target yield (how much consumable product) and the growing method, whether indoor, outdoor, greenhouse, hydroponic, coco, etc.
Before You Start Growing Weed (0-4 weeks) – Get seeds and supplies so you’re set to start growing!
Time Needed to Grow Weed, From Seedling to Harvest (8 weeks – 5+ months)
Germinate Your Seeds (1-7 days) – Learn about fail-proof methods to germinate perfectly in soil/coco or hydro.
Vegetative Stage (3 weeks – 8+ weeks) – In the vegetative stage, the cannabis plants are growing just stems and leaves. On average, most indoor growers vegetate their plants for 4-8 weeks. Seedlings are able to start flowering as early as 3 weeks from germination, but the resulting plants will be tiny. Most growers choose to let plants vegetate for longer because giving them more time to grow results in bigger plants, which tend to produce bigger yields as long as you have enough light to cover all the bud sites. That being said, you can still produce quite a bit of bud with a lot of small plants growing at once as long as you fill up your grow space.
Flowering Stage (5 weeks – 16+ weeks) – This is when plants start making buds. The length of the flowering stage depends heavily on the strain/genetics, with an average of about 8-12 weeks for most strains. Some strains are bred to have very short flowering stages (for example, most auto-flowering strains will naturally start flowering at around 3 weeks old and some are ready to harvest just 5 weeks later, for a total of only 8 weeks from seed!). Other strains can take months in the flowering stage before they’re ready to harvest. Typically, longer-flowering strains produce higher yields than short-flowering ones because the buds are exposed to more light-hours and have more time to fatten up, but that’s not always the case.
3. Post-Harvest (This is when the smell/taste/look you love shows up) (2-4+ weeks) –
After buds are harvested, they still need to be dried for about a week (sometimes a
bit less or more), then placed in glass jars to “cure” for at least 2 weeks. This
post-harvest processing dramatically improves the taste, smell and the
perceived potency of the buds. It also reduces the chance of buds causing
headaches or unpleasant “speedy” effects.
It is important to remember that you still need to dry, trim, manicure and cure your buds. The typical times are as follows:
Drying: 3-10 days
Trimming and Manicuring: 10 mins to 1 week ( this depends on the size and number of your plants )
Curing: 2 weeks to 2 plus months
A lot of growers cure their buds for 2 weeks to 1 month before smoking. This makes the smoke more flavorful, less harsh and less speedy, some people also say it makes the smoke more suitable for people with medical conditions as it helps with their symptoms more due to a higher CBD content as THC degrades to CBD during the curing process.
So now back to the original question - If I grow, how long does it take before I can smoke my weed?
The answer: 8 weeks to 8 + months with an average of 14 weeks to 18 weeks.
Now is the time to start growing your own plants and really enjoying the entire process from seed to smoke. As they say, it's not just the destination but also the journey.
Other factors: such as lease expiring, family vacation planned or having a property inspection. This is very dependent on your individual circumstance eg if your lease runs out in 4 months and you have to move at this stage it is best to have finished your grow. So you will want a short flowering strain and veges quickly so that you can cure properly before you leave or cure elsewhere if needed.
Prepare best equipment
The exact equipment you’ll need to grow weed indoors will vary depending on your skills as a grower and the size of your grow. Nonetheless, most indoor growers will need at least the following equipment, as well as pots, soil, and other basic grow accessories.
Grow light
Fan
Air filter
Light reflectors
Small ventilator
Timer
pH meter
Buying this equipment and running it will obviously take a toll on your back pocket. However, most of the equipment you’ll need to buy for your grow is reusable, and you’ll usually make your money back after just a few harvests.
If you’ve decided to grow indoors, your grow lights for indoor plants will serve as the heart of your operation. There are a variety of different grow lights available to you, and you’ll want to know which to choose well before you start your grow.
Here are some of the most popular cannabis grow lights available to you:
Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs): These are inexpensive lights commonly used by first-time growers. CFLs lack the power of professional grow lights and usually produce smaller harvests.
Fluorescent Lighting (T5 / T8): T5 and T8 flourescent lights are more apt for growing cannabis. However, these lights usually give off lower light intensities than needed, meaning you’ll have to install them very close to the tops of your plants.
LED grow lights: LED lights are the most expensive option available to you. These lights can produce great results and may also help keep your power costs in check. However, they may not be feasible for smaller grows given their price.There are many type of led grow lights, I want to recommend quantum led grow light for you, which is nice for indoor room, what's more, if you are a experienced grower, you really know that full spectrum LED grow light is important for your plant growth stage!
Metal Halide (MH) and High Pressure Sodium (HPS): MH and HPS lights are relatively cheap and produce great results, making them one of the most popular options for indoors growers.
Final thoughts
The time of germination, growth and flowering of marijuana is relative; each variety follows a different tempo, even each strain, which is why it is impossible to determine or pre-establish a generic time for cannabis.