When does veg begin?

There are four distinct phases of a plant’s life cycle: germination, seeding, vegetive, and flowering. I know lots of people here start counting veg from sprout, but for my journal I want to differentiate between the four phases.

At what point do you consider the seedling stage to be complete? Is it when the first set of fan leaves appear? When the first “true” fan leaves appear?

My girl just put up the second set of leaves after the cotyledons, they are serrated but not fan leaves. I am expecting the next set of leaves to be fans but with only three points and the five point leaves after that I think.

Never really gave it much thought. I suppose when they have the first fan leaves would be a good point. I assume you ask for purposes of feed strength?

Yes, but mostly I ask for the purposes of documentation in my journal.
Feeding is a long ways off, I’m in Fox Farms Oceans Forest soil so four weeks or so.

this varies by grower. i personally start my veg from once it has fully sprouted. i've heard multiple things when veg starts though 1. when it sprouts 2. when the cotyledon fall off 3. when the 1st set of true leaves fall off ( this can take a while thus why i don't consider this one ). i think the safest bet to say when veg starts imo at least is when the cotyledon leaves fall off. i hear all sorts of things but no real answer to the question it just seems all based on 1 thing which is growers choice meaning you pick when you consider veg to start.

i really have not seen anything on this topic with a straight answer that everyone can agree on. i go by #1 mainly because when i look at the plants life cycle from seedling to veg nothing really tends to change. it just grows bigger over time, loses leaves, grows more roots. sure it grows different leaves like 1 blade leaves and cotyledons but so it does in veg as well going from 3-5-7-9-11 blades at most i've gotten were 9 but i've seen some go to 11. i even have one with 2 blades but they are weird plants in general with 3 sets of leaves per node.

I consider it about a week old when I feed the little girls some nutes.

chronichaze

I just went around with someone about this the other day. Biologically it happens when the plant stops relying on the energy from the seed and begins performing photosynthesis.

I typically would consider that to be once it has it's first set of multi blade leaves. Around that time the cotyledons are beginning to fade and fall off as well.

my general rule, is right after the first full leaf set comes in, then your vegging from then on out to flower phase....

.RootDown said:

There are four distinct phases of a plant’s life cycle: germination, seeding, vegetive, and flowering. I know lots of people here start counting veg from sprout, but for my journal I want to differentiate between the four phases.

At what point do you consider the seedling stage to be complete? Is it when the first set of fan leaves appear? When the first “true” fan leaves appear?

My girl just put up the second set of leaves after the cotyledons, they are serrated but not fan leaves. I am expecting the next set of leaves to be fans but with only three points and the five point leaves after that I think.

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There is no set time. Seedlings germinate with a small reservoir of nutrient. Depending on how they are being driven by their environment they use that reservoir at different rates. The answer is it depends on your environment. Once the cotyledons yellow and the plant tops are going a light green it's time to feed them externally at which point they transition into veg. You can speed that time up by warmer temps and brighter light (not necessarily longer light).

Thundercat said:

I just went around with someone about this the other day. Biologically it happens when the plant stops relying on the energy from the seed and begins performing photosynthesis.

I typically would consider that to be once it has it's first set of multi blade leaves. Around that time the cotyledons are beginning to fade and fall off as well.

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Nicely said.

curious2garden said:

Nicely said.

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Thank you I've had this conversation so many times over the years lol.

Thundercat said:

Thank you I've had this conversation so many times over the years lol.

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I look at it a little differently, as the internal hormonal shift with observable anatomic markers.

curious2garden said:

I look at it a little differently, as the internal hormonal shift with observable anatomic markers.

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Yep Definitely plenty of takes on it that will all work since it's mostly just a personal reference point

https://www.liwts.org/grow/cannabis-life-cycle-four-stages-plant-growth/

Sorry about the shouting it was copied and pasted, I did not put anything in bold print.

Cannabis Life Cycle 1: Germinating Seeds

Cannabis Life Cycle 2: Seedling Stage

he seedling stage immediately follows the germinating stage in your plant’s life. This marks the transition between the seed bursting into life and the plant itself actually being planted. The seedling stage can last from a fortnight or so right up to six weeks. It all depends on the strain you have chosen and a variety of environmental factors. It is during the seedling stage that much of your plant’s future health, strength and resilience will be determined – not to mention whether or not it survives.

During this stage, the ideal temperature at which to keep your seedlings is around 25° C. In addition, humidity should also be kept relatively high as it was the case during the germination process. Seedlings can be fatally damaged by nutrients in high concentrations, meaning that very few are needed during this stage. A good 18 hours a day of white light will be required for the best possible results, while looking to maintain humidity levels in the region of around 60%.

Cannabis Life Cycle 3: Vegetative Stage

Cannabis Life Cycle 4: Flowering

2 to 6 weeks to complete the seedling stage? What are they growing under? A candle? Lol. By week 6 after they sprout my plants are bushes.

NanoGadget said:

2 to 6 weeks to complete the seedling stage? What are they growing under? A candle? Lol. By week 6 after they sprout my plants are bushes.

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LOL I realized I had to self a strain and I had just germinated 18 seedlings. I need to run a seeded SOG table prior to putting those plants on that table. Therefore I've slowed their environment. I've kept it very cool, turned the MH to 400 and fed them enough to keep them alive but not rapidly growing. This slows their physiological processes down. They are still seedlings and just beginning to hit veg. They'll be ready for the table right when the SOG is finishing at this rate. Cross your fingers for me

curious2garden said:

LOL I realized I had to self a strain and I had just germinated 18 seedlings. I need to run a seeded SOG table prior to putting those plants on that table. Therefore I've slowed their environment. I've kept it very cool, turned the MH to 400 and fed them enough to keep them alive but not rapidly growing. This slows their physiological processes down. They are still seedlings and just beginning to hit veg. They'll be ready for the table right when the SOG is finishing at this rate. Cross your fingers for me

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I can totally see that if (like you) someone was intentionally trying to slow down the process. I was just kind of shocked to see a website stating 2 to 6 weeks for the seedling stage. I top, trellis, top again, and I'm still typically flipping to 12/12 by 6 weeks after germination. In my current run i have a plant that was topped twice and lightly trained that i flipped about 5 weeks after sprouting. Good thing i didn't go any longer.. sassy little thing is like 3.5 ft tall.

NanoGadget said:

I can totally see that if (like you) someone was intentionally trying to slow down the process. I was just kind of shocked to see a website stating 2 to 6 weeks for the seedling stage. I top, trellis, top again, and I'm still typically flipping to 12/12 by 6 weeks after germination. In my current run i have a plant that was topped twice and lightly trained that i flipped about 5 weeks after sprouting. Good thing i didn't go any longer.. sassy little thing is like 3.5 ft tall.

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Precisely, things can move a lot faster if you know the plant and want them to. These plants are very adaptable.