Leaving Plants In Flower Too Long: Is It Okay?

Timing is everything when growing cannabis. Everything you do, from planting seeds to gathering the crop, must be done at the right moment. 

One such crucial step is the flowering stage. But sometimes people let their plants flower for too long. That’s a potential formula for disaster!

So what is the outcome of leaving plants in flower for too long?

Leaving plants in flower for too long causes fewer potent buds. The growth rate and lifetime is significantly reduced.It doesn’t provide advantage your plant, unlike vegging. The plant stops producing new shoots. All of its energy may go into developing the buds’ size and health. 

The buds indeed become more powerful at the end of blossoming. But is there such a thing as too much?

Stick with us till the end to find them out.

What Will Happen if You Let Cannabis Flower for a Long Time?

Since CBD quality improves with increased flowering time. Most CBD growers choose to keep their plants in bloom for a bit longer. CBD’s effectiveness increases as THC declines.

Buds should be harvested when 60 and 70 percent of their trichomes turn amber. Do this if CBD is your only concern. The buds have started to lose their THC content, so get ready for that couchlock high.

But you shouldn’t wait for the trichomes to become black before harvesting. If the trichomes on the buds are black, that’s a bad sign. The plant will die if left alone for too long.

Flowering cannabis for too long is indicated when the once-golden trichomes begin to darken to black. Doing so causes the THC in your buds to decay, lowering their effectiveness.

Hence, it nullifies the whole cultivation process. Trichomes are the flower’s oil glands. Heavy rain can pound them off the blossoms, leaving weaker buds.

The buds will be exposed for a longer period if the flowering process is prolonged. They will be more vulnerable to mold and other fungal illnesses.

Leaving plants in the flowering stage for a prolonged period isn’t wise. You need to grow flowers like this person.

Also, when you leave the plants as it is for weeks, leaves will grow. Leaves of cannabis plants consume a large amount of protein and minerals. That is harmful to the cannabis flowers. 

So, an important question is can I cut fan leaves during the flowering stage?

During flowering, you can cut the fan leaves in the same way you would during vegetative growth. Trim any huge leaves that are blocking sunlight from reaching the bud sites. Also, cut any fan leaves that are dead or decaying. 

Now let’s move on to the next stage.

How to Determine the Flowering Time of the Hemps?

The flowering stage is the most vital stage of a cannabis harvest. It determines the seed quality as well as the yield rate per foot. 

However, some factors dictate the flowering time. Harvesting time and Cannabis strains are the most vital ones. We have discussed them in detail just for you.

Harvesting Time:

When most of the trichomes have changed from transparent to cloudy-white but have not yet gone amber. This is the ideal time to harvest cannabis because it has the highest amount of THC. 

If you wait much longer, the THC will begin to break down into CBN. This is a cannabinoid that produces highs that are characterized by feelings of lethargy and couchlock.

It is never entirely about the yield. The experience that you get with weed is determined by the quality of the buds. 

Users may experience the warm, full-body high that is so popular among consumers only at peak THC levels.

Cannabis Strains:

How long your cannabis plants flower is heavily dependent on the strain you’ve produced. If you’re growing a Sativa or a Sativa-dominant strain, wait until the trichomes are mostly hazy white before picking.

However, indica and Indica-dominant strains need a bit more time to mature for maximum THC production. At the point where at least half of the trichomes have gone amber, they are ready to be harvested.

The uniqueness of your highs will still depend on the strains you cultivate.

Even when harvested at their maximum THC levels, Indica-dominant strains tend to produce a sleepy high. In contrast, Sativa strains provide an uplifting, upbeat high.

When cannabis is left to flower for too long, it loses much of its power and flavor.

The jeweler’s loupe should be used exclusively for determining harvest time. You can use the DREAME 30X jeweler’s loupe. 

If you’re going to rely on your vision alone to determine when to harvest your buds, do it. Try this when the majority of the trichomes have become cloudy white.

Ideal Flowering Stage Time

The flowering stage is the most crucial part of cannabis cultivation. You need to maintain the timings. For this, we have prepared this comprehensive guide.

Start Time:

The starting time of flowering depends on whether you are growing outdoors or indoors. Hence, we have discussed both.

Growing Outdoors:

The ideal time is on shorter days, typically around the time when autumn is approaching. Plants that are grown outdoors will begin the flowering stage of their life cycle.

Growing Indoors:

To induce flowering in cannabis grown indoors, the photoperiod needs to be a 12:12 light: dark cycle.

For auto-flowering strains, the vegetative stage lasts for around 4 weeks. And then the plant converts to the flowering stage automatically without the need for a photoperiod modification.

Also, HPS lights are great for growing plants. Some of the best HPS lights are recommended below.

• The SPIDER FARMER SF4000 LED Grow Light is one of the best HPS lights. You can check the price on Amazon.

• Another great grow light is iPower Horticulture 400 Watt HPS. You can check for availability on Amazon.

During the flowering stage, the HYDRO PLANET T5 Grow Lights are most suitable. You can check the price on Amazon.

So, how long should you leave the grow lights on house plants?

You should keep your grow lights on 8 to 10 hours a day. This mimics the natural light cycle of the sunlight. You can use a grow light timer to automate the process. This will ensure routined lighting of the plants. 

Total Stage Time:

Different strains have varying lengths of time spent in the flowering phase. Misting in flowering is also done at this stage.

Cannabis plants, depending on the strain, might spend anywhere from 8-11 weeks in the flowering period. There are typically weekly or three-part divisions. 

Indica strains usually require about 8 weeks to finish flowering. However, it could take up to 10 weeks. 

10-12 weeks is not uncommon for Sativa varieties. Most hybrid strains need between 6 and 10 weeks to reach maturity.

Hemp Plants are left in Prolonged Flowering Stage: Now What!

Longer-blooming buds lose THC strength and are more likely to produce seeds. They become overripe buds as a result. Overripe buds will cause a bad odor. Furthermore, the THC level drastically drops if the buds are overripe.

When plants are left to blossom for too long, they will begin to produce seeds. This phenomenon is known as Rhodelisation.

Without putting the plant through the stress of chemical treatment, feminized seeds can be created through Rhodelisation.

Growers who rely on it for gendered seeds simply let the female plants flower for longer. This encourages the production of male flowers in an attempt to transfer the genes via self-fertilization.

A small amount of pollen from rare female flowers is all that’s needed to fertilize the rest.

Considering that you’re commencing this process two weeks beyond the time when you should have been harvesting your crops.

By that time, the pollen may be available. The plant has already passed its prime. Consequently, this stops the process of the plant producing its seeds.

When it comes to collecting seeds, many farmers report that they have either success or failure. This is because there is no guarantee that a plant will generate progeny before it dies.

When the strength of the bud is more important than the amount it produces. However, you won’t want to take the chance of picking wilted flowers.

In conclusion, flowering time depends on the strain and the effects desired.

Some cannabis strains are ready to harvest after two months, while others need another month.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can cannabis plants be Over Flowered?

It is possible to over-flower cannabis, resulting in weaker buds. Over-flowering occurs frequently when growers are unaware of the desired effect of their chosen strain. Never wait for the trichomes to turn black, regardless of the strain or desired effect. Even CBD will have deteriorated by now.

How Long Does It Take a Plant to Recover from Topping?

The healthy plants normally need two or three days after topping to recuperate. Leaves at the topped node must be left in place. This is because they provide the energy that drives new branch development. Topping during flowering produces unnecessary stress and should be avoided. 

When Should I Cultivate Cannabis CBD?

If you’re looking for CBD-rich buds, you should wait until at least 60% of the flowers have gone amber. Wait before picking your plant. Don’t rush it, but stop waiting before the trichomes turn black. This may require you to delay the time of your typical THC harvest by a week or two.

Conclusion

That will be all on me for leaving plants in flower too long. Flowering for too long won’t add many benefits to your plants. Even so, it might end up in disaster.

Hence, it’s best to follow the normal procedure. Taking good care of it will ensure a good yield rate.

See you soon.