Cannabis Grow Timeline: Week by Week Expectations
This is a typical photoperiod timeline in soil under a good LED. Your grow will vary, but big deviations are worth investigating.
Weeks 1-2: germination and seedling
Taproot within 1-4 days, surface break within 3 days of planting, first true serrated leaves by end of week two. Growth looks slow — it is supposed to.
Weeks 3-6: vegetative
Visible new growth daily. Begin LST around node 4-5, top once around week 4 if you plan to. Feed increases steadily. Plant roughly doubles every week or two.
Weeks 7-8: pre-flip
Fill 60-80% of your canopy footprint. Install the scrog net if using one. Lollipop the bottom third. Then flip to 12/12.
Weeks 9-11: stretch and bud set
Plant may double in height. White pistils appear at nodes, then bud sites form. Keep tucking, raise the light regularly, and shift feed toward bloom.
Weeks 12-17: bulking and ripening
Buds swell, trichomes go from clear to cloudy, aroma intensifies. Humidity down to 45-50%. Begin trichome checks around week 14.
Weeks 18-20: dry and cure
10-14 day dry, then jars. First real tasting at two weeks of cure, peak around four to eight.
Frequently asked questions
- My plant is smaller than this at week 5, is it a problem?
- Not necessarily — check pot size, light intensity, and pH before assuming genetics.