[puffjoe]

Step 10

Moving to flowering.

When your plant is the size and width that you want it to be when you begin flowering (remember plants will double in height during flowering) you simply switch the lighting pattern to 12 hours on and 12 hours off (a few use 10 on and 14 hours off).

Whilst there is some truth that a Cannabis plant isn't sexually mature until it's internodal growth is showing alternate phyllotaxy (branching is no longer opposite) most strains have enough non tropical genes in them to allow them to be forced to maturity at a much younger age than nature would prescribe. Equally, many many strains show preflowers whilst retaining opposite phyllotaxy far far earlier than they show alternate phyllotaxy, hell, alternate phyllotaxy isn't even something people generally talk about unless they grow tropical sativas that need a maturation period.

And since we don't want big plants, we're going to force these babies.

Before flowering is commenced it is worth giving one last veg strength feeding to ensure good solid stem growth through the initial s t r e t c h phase in flowering (2 to 3 weeks)

After this feed switch to a more flowering orientated fert (see above) or else you could slow the flowering process down and lessen the final possible yield.

For the first 10 days to two weeks the plants will s t r e t c h upwards faster than at any other stage in growth and if you are using flouro's it is here that you will have to really work at keeping your lights as close as possible without actually touching the plants.

After this initial stretch buds will begin to form and fatten.
The last two weeks are the key in putting on weight but during these final two weeks it is worth giving your plants nothing to eat but plain water in order to flush any chemicals out of them in the run up to harvest. You should see them begin to eat the nutrient stored inside themselves, seeing the leaves turn to yellow.