What it is
The transition between growing and flowering. The plant "realizes" it has to reproduce: in photoperiod plants because the nights got longer (or the timer switched to 12/12); in autoflowers, because of age. It lasts 1 to 2 weeks.
How to tell
In the axils of the branches (where the branch joins the stem) the first white hairs appear: these are the pistils, the part of the female flower that catches pollen. A male, on the other hand, grows little balls hanging down (the pollen sacs).
The stretch
In these weeks the plant shoots up: it can grow 50 % to 100 % more (sativas, up to double or triple). You have to factor that in before switching to 12/12: if there is no room above, it will end up stuck to the lamp.
What changes in care
It starts asking for less nitrogen and more phosphorus and potassium (p and k), which build the flowers. It is best to start lowering humidity toward 40-50 %. It is the last chance to carefully reposition branches; no more heavy pruning.
🎮 Practice it in UnderGrow
This is when you start spraying colloidal silver if you want a female to give pollen (breeding). From here the plant eats bloom instead of grow (tap the plant › feed): it now counts for the bloom prize. With regular seeds, the lens already shows if it's male or female (on the plant you notice when it flowers).
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