Before anyone grows their own marijuana, one of the first things that comes to mind is how long the whole process is going to take. How long from seed to harvest? Marijuana varies depending on the type of seed, and the time from seed to harvest depends on which seed you’ve used in the first place.
On average, is takes 10 to 32 weeks for cannabis to grow, flower, and be ready for harvest. But did you know that it’s a different story when it comes to autoflowering seeds and clones? For autoflowering seeds, it takes from 7 to 15 weeks from germination to harvest. And for clones, well the entire germination stage is eliminated, so it only takes a speedy 1 to 6 weeks.
If you’ve already got your hands on some marijuana seeds, then you’re ready to go. If not, you can easily find whatever you need right here after learning how long weed takes from seed to harvest.
How Long Does Marijuana Take to Grow?
From the moment you start germination of a seed, to the moment you’re excited to harvest, it will take anywhere between 10 to 32 weeks on average. Why is there such a large gap? That’s because there are so many variables when it comes to growing weed.
The surrounding environment, the type of seeds, the treatment of the plant, nutrition levels – these factors all come into play and determine not only how long your plants will take, but also how they will turn out.
To help you understand exactly what to look out for, let’s explore a quick rundown of the 4 main stages of growing a cannabis plant:
- Germination (3-10 days) – When the seed begins sprouting its roots where it is then ready to be placed into its growing medium.
- Seedling (2-3 weeks) – It will begin developing more prominent fan leaves. At this stage, it is more susceptible to diseases, so you should keep it healthy and always monitor its environment.
- Vegetative (3-16 weeks) – Growth really takes off here and there should be around 5 or more blades per leaf. Provide plenty of nutrition.
- Flowering (8-11 weeks) – Buds will begin to form and produce their sticky resin.
While all stages are crucial to end up with a healthy plant, the vegetative stage is one of the most important and variable. It is at this stage that the plant needs the most sunlight and most attention to nutrition. If not cared for properly, all your hard work from before would have gone to waste.
You should be increasing water intake, feeding higher levels of nitrogen, and this is also the time where you can determine the sex of the plants in order to discard the males.
Why are we talking so much about the vegetative stage? Because in the timeline of how long from seed to harvest, it is the longest period.
Where Can I Buy Marijuana Seeds?
Knowing where to buy the best cannabis seeds can feel tough, especially with so many websites out there claiming to sell the be-all-and-end-all of seeds.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to only purchase from reputable seed banks. If not, then you don’t always know what you’re getting, where it’s coming from, and its kind of quality. (vapingzone.com)
To help you along the way, you can explore our wide range of marijuana seeds, as you’ll always know what you’re getting. No frills.
Soil vs. Hydroponics
Did you know that there are different ways to grow marijuana? Soil isn’t the only option. There is also something known as a hydroponic system, which uses water as the main growing medium, rather than any kind of soil.
In terms of the timeline from seed to harvest, a hydroponic system is going to generate a much faster growth than if you were to use soil. It takes from 9 to 12 weeks from seed to harvest when using a hydroponic system. This is because hydroponics are much more controlled than soil growth. Also, soil introduces some other variables including pests or disease, which is reduced when using hydroponics.
Some growers have even claimed that hydroponics produces a larger yield, but it is more expensive upfront than what you’d expect for soil growth. If you’re hesitating, we suggest going with soil first as it is the easiest to access for beginners. Eventually, you can move towards hydroponics if that’s something you’re interested in.

Grow Your Own Marijuana Today
With a gentle hand and plenty of patience, you can easily grow your own marijuana at home. Buy your seeds between February and April, germinate them soon after, and start growing by May or June. By September, October or November (depending on when you began the process) you’re ready to harvest.
Now you know the timeline for growing marijuana, you’re probably wondering which type of seed is better? It all depends on your personal preference.
If you’re in a rush and choose to grow using clones, then you should be aware that they’re hard to find, extremely delicate, and unhealthy traits are easily passed on from the mother plant.
And it isn’t all about seeds or clones, either. Explore our Beginners Guide to Growing Marijuana for a breakdown of all the important things to know.

