Cannabis Plants Need Sleep Too

Darkness, or “bedtime,” is crucial for cannabis plants during their flowering stage because it plays a significant role in their natural growth cycle. Cannabis plants, like many other plants, go through different stages of development, including vegetative and flowering stages.

During the flowering stage, cannabis plants require a specific light cycle to produce flowers (buds) effectively. The typical light cycle for the flowering stage is 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. This mimics the natural conditions that trigger the plant to shift from the vegetative to the flowering stage.

The uninterrupted darkness is crucial because it signals to the plant that it is time to flower. In nature, the changing length of daylight as the seasons progress is a key environmental cue for plants to transition from the growth-focused vegetative stage to the reproductive flowering stage.

When cannabis plants receive 12 hours of darkness, it stimulates the production of flowering hormones such as florigen, which is responsible for initiating the flowering process. This darkness period allows the plant to shift its energy and resources from vegetative growth to the development of flowers and ultimately, the production of buds.

At Kushberry Farms we utilize black out curtains in our greenhouse to manipulate the light cycle. This allows us to control the hours of light and darkness our plants receive to optimize the flowering process. This technique is known as photoperiod control and is essential for achieving a successful cannabis harvest with potent and well-developed buds. So, just as sleep is important for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is as important for cannabis plants too!