How Long Does it Take to Grow Weed Indoors?

grow weed indoors

Everything you need to know to grow weed indoors

Curious about cultivating your own medical marijuana and wondering how to grow weed indoors?

If so then keep reading.

If you aspire to grow your own weed, then the best way to do it is for you to keep everything as simple as possible and follow a well structured plan.

Growing weed plants demands close attention and consideration. 

We provide a step by step guide to keep everything clear and straightforward for you. 

Before we go into the whole process, let’s have a brief chat about the significance of weed.

Is it legal to grow weed?

Private cannabis cultivation is not legal in most countries.

However, cannabis consumers are beginning to realize that by growing their own strains they can tailor the effects to meet their needs. 

Many people harvest weed for their personal use and if you are thinking of growing it then you should only ever keep it for personal use and not to sell.

Medical marijuana patients can grow their own Cannabis Sativa plants without being fearful of adverse effects or shady dealers.

It’s for reasons like these that home grown weed is becoming a popular choice.  

Although law enforcement is pretty tight in places where weed is not legalized, where it is legal under federal law you can grow weed indoors for your own use.

How long does weed take to grow?

The different Stages of the weed growing process can be manipulated depending on your grow space and setup. 

In the wild, cannabis will take much longer to grow and will produce a far smaller yield than it can if it’s grown in a purpose-built environment.

To get the best results, choose seeds that are feminized or “sensimillia”. 

These are female plants that do not grow their own seeds and therefore won’t become fertilized when they grow.

By not producing the male parts, the plant has increased levels of THC and other cannabinoids, making it great for consumers.

If you want to grow weed indoors then be ready because it is not as easy as you might think. 

According to many indoor growers, it is not as simple as putting a seed in a pot and watering it every day.

The length of time the plant takes to grow may vary. 

It can take 7 days before the seeds germinate, so be patient and don’t disturb the seeds once you have planted them.

Keep the local climate warm with bright lights to replicate the sun and encourage growth.

Hydroponic setups are the most common way of regulating the feeding cycles of your plants.

Whichever way you choose to do your setup, you should plant the seeds about 10 mm deep in the soil and keep them moist but not overwater them.

Once they have germinated, the plants will enter the vegetative state which can take around 4-8 weeks.

The flowering stage will follow and on average can take another 4+ weeks.

A typical grow will take around 12-16 weeks from germination to harvest.

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Choosing the right seeds for growing

After determining the best growing space, you can look at choosing the seeds which will be the first step towards growing your own cannabis plants. 

Make sure you buy good-quality seeds from a reputable source like seed banks.

These days determining the right strain is pretty simple as most online stores will have in depth descriptions next to the product.

Selecting the right cannabis seeds is essential to growing the best indoor crops of marijuana.

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The Germination phase: 1-7 days

The first stage of growing weed indoors is the seedling stage or germination phase.

The seedling stage is the most challenging stage to grow because essentially you are involved in a waiting game.

Over the course of the week prior to germination you can have yourself second guessing if you’ve actually bought the right seeds or if they may be duds.

Once you begin to see the plants sprout up, you know that you’re on to a winner.

It’s important during this phase to keep the soil very moist and the air temperature warm to encourage growth.

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The Vegetative phase: 6-8 weeks

The vegetative phase is the longest and can be the most demanding stage of your grow.

During this time, the plants will grow stalks, leaves, and trichome heads. 

Think of this phase as the teenager phase, the plants are going through puberty and they will need lots of attention.

By this I mean that they will need strong light for 18-24 hours every day and plenty of water.

Their purpose during this period is to form large and healthy leaves, which are needed for efficient photosynthesis during the flowering stage. 

If you want to grow weeds indoors, you need to nurture your plants during the vegetative stage.  

The better they are looked after in this period, the greater chance you have of getting good results in the flowering stage.

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The Flowering stage: 6-8 weeks

The flowering stage is where the cannabis plants start growing buds and turning into what you would recognize as weed.

Keeping the temperature above 68 degrees Fahrenheit is best for this stagehand also try to keep the humidity level between 70 and 80%.

The flowering period is a critical time to improve bud growth.

During the flowering cycle, you should expose bud sites to more air and switch the lighting setup to 12 hours on followed by 12 hours off.

If there are too many leaves on the bigger plants, you should prune them to improve the bud growth.

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The Harvesting Phase

The final and conclusive stage of cannabis growth is the harvesting stage. 

After buds are harvested, they are dried for about a week then placed in glass jars to “cure” for 2+ weeks in order to achieve the best quality.

This post-harvest processing dramatically improves the taste, smell and the perceived potency of the buds.

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Importance of Light in Weed Growth Indoor

The most crucial factor to grow weed indoors is the amount of light and quality of light. 

The PAR meter can determine the correct amount of light for any plant type. 

The higher the PAR, the greater the likelihood of a healthy plant.

The right amount of light and hours of darkness is crucial for cannabis plants to thrive.

For best results, choose lighting that produces a full spectrum of light and most similar to natural light, albeit more intense.

How Long Does It Take To Grow Weed Indoors - The Bottom Line

If you want to grow weed indoors, you need to know that it can be tricky for first-timers. 

Here are a few tips that will help:

  • Fans help to circulate air around the grow space and also help lower the temperature. 
  • An automated water system helps save you time and energy
  • Take your time when harvesting
  • Do your research at every individual stage to avoid making mistakes.
  • Use a grow tent to keep the climate of the grows at the desired level.
  • A soil mix with a good PH balance, organic matter, and good aeration will help roots grow.
  • Some types of soil mix contain peat moss, which requires the addition of dolomite to balance the pH level.