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Re-Vegging Your Cannabis Plants to Save Money

Cannabis plants have a lifespan of just one flowering season. Once it’s over, the plants die, and it’s up to growers to make use of seeds for a new season.

But there is a way to work around this. This is called re-vegging, and it’s a process that is easy to complete. Here is a quick overview of why you should give it a try.

Advantages of Re-Vegging

Cannabis switches from a vegetative period to a flowering period, when days become shorter. Once this happens, the plant starts producing either female or male reproductive organs and eventually, it matures. Once that happens and harvesting is complete, the plant usually dies.

But that last part of the process is subverted by re-vegging. This method allows you to harvest twice from the same plant, doubling the yield or profits.

Preserve a Phenotype

A lot of growers clone plants before inducing the flowering stage. However, if you did not do this for any reason, it’s not over yet.

By re-vegging, you can preserve the phenotype of a plant that interests you even when it switches to the flowering stage. This is quite a useful way to preserve a phenotype

Eliminate the Mother Plant

Mother plants are specifically designated plants which are always kept in the vegetative stage. Their purpose is to be used to pull clones from them, which are then grown and switched to the flowering phase.

However, mother plants require a lot of investment. It takes time to grow one to a decent size, and then it ends up requiring a lot of space.

By re-vegging plants, you can free up space for bud-producing plants and save resources and time that would go to tending to the mother plants.

Reduce Vegetative Periods

When growing a plant, one of the key factors to take into consideration is the root system. When growing for the first time, a lot of nutrients and energy are devoted to expanding and fortifying the root systems.

However, if you use a plant that already has a fully fleshed-out, grown and mature root system, the vegetative stage will be done faster and a lot easier.

Increase Plant Yields

One of the more interesting uses of re-vegging is a method known as “monster-cropping.”

This involves taking a clone from a flowering plant. When done properly, this method allows you to have plants that are bigger, bushier, and stronger. With more branches, healthier stems and more numerous node points for buds, this can increase yields by a sizeable amount.

How to Re-Veg your Plant

You will start by sterilizing the knife or scissors that you will be using for cutting. It’s of the utmost importance to get a clean and healthy cut.

Try soaking the utensil of choice in a solution of 10% bleach mixed in water. After the utensils have been soaked, take care to dry them off properly and completely.

Step 1 – Prune your plant

Proceed to remove all the buds, leaves and stems from the upper third of the plant. As for the middle third, most of the big leaves must be left in place, and it should not be pruned at random.

As for the lower third, remove the largest germinal flowers, but leave smaller buds and all leaves intact. The cut, which should measure about two centimeters or less, should be made between the lower and central thirds of the plant. Now, with a horizontally held knife, cut in a straight line.

Step 2 – Cover the Wound

Now you must reduce the amount of stress done to the plant. Use a strip of tape as a cast for your plant. Cover the cut with the tape, and by doing so you will stop infection and reduce exposure to light and air.

If this is done properly, there is no more danger to the plant. It will need nutrients, time and light to recover, but there is no risk.

Step 3 – Nurturing the Plant

It is considered beneficial to wash the roots of the plant a few weeks prior to starting the process. Simply pour a considerable amount of water in the pot to eliminate the remains of nutrients. Do this frequently, but not too often as to not drown the plant.

The next step is to water the plant for the first time after the cut. Avoid temperature extremes and use lukewarm water.

Keep in mind that much of the plant has been stripped and pruned, so adjust the amount of water as well, because less is needed. The pH should be between 5.8 and 6.8.

Finally, take care to include a mild mixture of nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium and iron.

Step 4 – Lighting requirements

Before beginning the re-vegging process, your plant was probably on a 12/12 light cycle – that is, 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of darkness, for it to enter the flowering stage.

Now, however, you need to adjust the light cycle for plant growth. This means more than 12 hours of light – 18, or even 24 hours of light a day if possible.

Also factor in the intensity of the light. Your goal is to trigger photosynthesis immediately, so this requires a more intense light source. But be careful not the burn the plant. Now that light, water, and nutrients have been provided, let the plant rest. Do your best not to move it around or change the light levels.

Step 5 – Verification of Results

If all has gone according to plan, you should see the first signs of success in about a week. Look for new leaves on the crowns of shoots, or calyces near the stems. The first leaves typically do not resemble regular cannabis leaves – they do not have jagged edges. This is completely regular, so don’t worry about it.

If there are no new developments, give it another week to 14 days. Some varieties require a little more time. If it takes longer than that, it is most likely that the plant did not survive.

Concluding thoughts

Re-vegging is a technique that is well worth mastering. It can be used in a wide variety of ways to make the process of growing cannabis easier or more productive. No matter what your goals are, this versatile method will surely be of use to you. Take the time to learn it and do it properly, and you’ll be enjoying the benefits of your labor in no time.

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