In this guide, we’ll explore the fascinating process of re-vegging Cannabis plants. We’ll delve into the reasons why growers opt for this technique, the method itself, and the many benefits associated with re-vegging. Let’s get started!
How to Re-veg Cannabis Plants
The vegetation stage of Cannabis plants focuses on producing foliage, branches, and establishing a strong root base. By providing 18 hours of daylight and 6 hours of darkness, growers can prevent the plants from blooming, allowing them to grow to their desired size before inducing flowering.
Re-vegging Cannabis plants involves promoting new growth after a harvest. When harvesting mature plants, it’s crucial to leave enough growth on the lower parts of the plant. These parts will eventually grow back as healthy new shoots around 4-6 weeks later.
To revert the plants from the flowering stage back to the vegetative state, it’s necessary to create an environment conducive to vegetative growth. This involves switching to 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness, while maintaining humidity levels between 65-75%. It’s worth noting that some cultivars respond better to re-vegging than others, and smaller-sized Cannabis plants tend to revert back more quickly.
What Does Re-vegging Cannabis Plants Look Like?
When re-vegging Cannabis plants, you’ll notice a change in the leaf pattern. Normally, Cannabis leaves have a sequence of 3, 5, 9 blades or points. However, during the re-vegging process, this pattern starts at 1. Initially, a set of leaves will emerge, displaying only one leaf. Over the course of 4-6 weeks, these leaves will gradually grow, still with only one single leaf.
Once the plant has fully converted back to a vegetative state, you’ll begin to see leaves with 3 blades emerging, and later, 5 blades, and so on. While re-vegging may not be the most visually appealing sight, once new growth is established, the plants will resemble their original seedling form.
What Are the Benefits of Re-vegging Cannabis Plants?
There are numerous advantages associated with re-vegging Cannabis plants, benefiting both home growers and breeders alike. Let’s explore some of these benefits:
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Genetic Replication: When clones fail to root, re-vegging provides a viable alternative to attain a genetic replica. Although it may take longer than cloning, re-vegging can be a lifesaver, especially for breeders.
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Faster Growth: Re-vegged plants can produce new growth at a much faster rate since the main stem and root base remain fully intact. This quick recovery is facilitated by the presence of a mature root base.
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Desirable Traits: Smaller-sized Cannabis plants tend to revert more quickly, making re-vegging beneficial for breeders or growers aiming to identify and preserve plants with desirable traits.
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Outdoor Growth: By placing a harvested plant outside during the Spring to Summer months, growers can save space, nutrients, and electricity. Additionally, keeping a mother plant outdoors allows for the convenience of taking indoor clones.
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Plant Recovery: Re-vegging can save plants that have been cut down and intentionally destroyed. With careful nurturing, plants that possess lower growth can be restored to full health and a vegetative state.
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Replacing Mother Plants: If a mother plant is lost and needs to be replaced, re-vegging is a viable option. By repotting the plant into a large-sized container, it can grow large and produce fresh clones as the new mother plant.
Top Tips to Re-veg Cannabis Plants
Here are some valuable tips to ensure a successful re-vegging process:
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Tip #1: When harvesting, leave plenty of growth on the lower parts of the plants. Aim for 5-6 bud sites, rather than limiting yourself to a single bud site. This increases your chances of a successful re-veg.
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Tip #2: Only revert Cannabis plants that exhibit healthy-looking growth with green leaves. Plants that have been flushed prior to harvest may lack essential nutrients needed for a successful re-veg.
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Tip #3: Larger-sized plants may take longer to revert compared to smaller-sized ones. Be prepared to add a few extra weeks to the process, and remember that patience is key, especially under less intense lighting conditions than during flowering.
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Tip #4: Boost the plant’s health and facilitate easier re-vegging by adding a top dressing of compost, worm hummus, and feeding it with Nitrogen-dominant products such as fish emulsions. If you’ve been using large amounts of nutrients during flowering, it’s crucial to replenish them and maintain a thriving microbial life in the soil.
Now armed with the knowledge of re-vegging Cannabis plants, you can explore this technique to replicate genetics, enhance growth, or recover plants in need. Happy growing!