Weed Grow Guide by Royal Queen Seeds

Cookies settings

We are requesting your permission to use your data for the reasons stated below:

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of data from a particular website that get stored on a user’s computer while they’re surfing the internet. Cookies have several different functions. Some of them track browser activity that enables businesses to deliver targeted advertisements. Other cookies serve to remember user login details to different websites to make jumping on social media, or other sites, a more fluid process. Because each cookie has its own unique ID, these pieces of data allow website owners to measure the unique traffic coming into their site.

Why do we use cookies?

Cookies come in handy when you visit our website. They ensure you stay logged in, that you can shop safely, and that the items you add to your cart stay there before you make a purchase. But cookies also help us. The data they provide allow us to improve our website and enable us to present you with targeted advertisements that are compatible with your interests.

What kind of cookies do we use?

Functional cookies

Functional cookies help our website to function optimally and allow us to personalise certain features.

Preference cookies

Preference cookies allow us to remember information that influences the way our website looks, including your preferred language based on your region.

Analytical cookies

Analytical cookies give us insights into website traffic and customer behaviour, including how many people visit our site, how long they browse for, and which parts of our site they visit.

How can I disable or delete cookies?

Not a fan of cookies? No worries. You can disable them (with the exception of necessary cookies) in your browser settings. However, blocking cookies may impact your browsing experience and prevent you from enjoying all of the technical features of our site.

Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

[email protected]


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

  • First and last name
  • Home and billing address
  • Telephone number
  • Gender
  • IP address
  • Email address
  • Date of birth

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

  • First & last name
  • Gender

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

  • Email address

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: [email protected].

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to [email protected].

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

  • Revoke the consent you have granted;
  • Access personal data;
  • Rectify personal data;
  • Delete personal data;
  • File a complaint or a writ for the protection of your rights before the Spanish Data Protection Agency;
  • Be notified of any security incident that may affect your rights;
  • Limitation of processing;
  • Portability.

Complete Guide To The Cannabis Flowering Phase

A close-up image of a cannabis plant flower in full bloom, showcasing the vibrant, resin-covered buds during the flowering phase. This stage is crucial for cannabis growers as the plant transitions from vegetative growth to producing flowers, rich in cannabinoids.

We guide you through the cannabis flowering phase, from the first week all the way to harvest.


Ahhh, the bloom phase. After weeks of caring for your strains, pruning and training them in order to promote as much vegetative growth as possible, it’s time to turn your focus to helping them flower. In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to do that.

Entering The Flowering Phase

When exactly your plants are ready to flower will depend on a number of factors. If you’re growing outdoors, your plants will only start flowering toward the end of the summer when the days naturally get shorter. If you’re growing indoors, you’ll have a lot more control over your plant’s flowering phase. Most growers will move their plants into bloom after about four weeks of vegetative growth, but you can technically keep them in this phase indefinitely.

Once your plants receive less light, they’ll automatically start focusing their energy on growing buds rather than foliage. For the best possible harvest, you’ll want to help them along with the right nutrients, lighting, and environmental conditioning.

Below is a detailed overview of a regular eight-week flowering period. While some strains have shorter and/or longer flowering times, this guide will help you understand what to expect as your plants approach harvest, and what you can do to maximise the quality of the buds they produce during this vital stage.

Flowering phase (Week 1)
Flowering phase (Week 2)
Flowering phase (Week 3)
Flowering phase (Week 4)
Flowering phase (Week 5)
Flowering phase (Week 6)
Flowering phase (Week 7)
Flowering phase (Week 8)

Weeks 1–3

What to expect: Flowering stretch, white hairs (pistils), and noticeable aromas.

Many growers think that as soon as they flip their plants into flower, they’ll stop growing and start developing buds. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

During the first week or so of flowering, plants will actually experience a period of accelerated growth and stretching. This “flowering stretch” is completely normal as they try and outgrow surrounding vegetation in order to get the most sun possible to ensure higher chances of reproduction—plus, a longer internodal distance means more space for flower clusters, and better light penetration. Just how much growth you can expect to see during this first week will vary depending on what strain you’re growing, but some strains can almost double in height during this time.

Week two of flowering is usually when you can confidently “sex” your plants. Females will start growing long, white pistils at their nodes (bud sites). Males, on the other hand, will develop round pollen sacs. If you’re growing from regular seeds, make sure to sex your plants early and separate your males and females quickly to avoid pollination (unless you’re breeding, of course).

By week three, your plants will gradually stop stretching and really focus on developing their buds. While the buds will still be small, you’ll notice larger calyxes and the development of some trichomes.

As your cannabis plants enter the dynamic weeks of flowering, it's important to maintain them with the right techniques. Watch our 'Cannabis flowering' video for expert advice on how to optimise conditions to ensure healthy bud formation and robust growth.

Video id: 484384420

Best Practices

Nutrients: A cannabis plant’s nutrient requirements will change dramatically as it starts flowering. In this early stage, your plants will respond well to nutrient solutions with higher concentrations of phosphorus and potassium. What exact NPK formula you go with is up to you—just be careful not to go too heavy during this preliminary stage to avoid burning your plants. At what stage you decide to drive up your nutrients is also up to you, but we recommend doing so during week two.

Overfeeding/deficiencies: Properly shifting from veg to bloom nutrients can be tricky, especially if you’re a rookie grower. Make sure to keep a close eye on your plants and look out for signs of deficiencies or overfeeding (dead, burnt, or yellow foliage).

LST: Low-stress training can be a great way to manipulate your plants and deal with the added stretching of the early flowering phase. LST will also help you create an even canopy and ensure your plants’ lower buds get enough light.

Temperature: Cannabis responds well to cooler temperatures during the flowering stage. Each plant will be a little different, and every grower will have their own advice on finding the perfect temperature for flowering. However, we recommend keeping daytime temperatures around 26°C and nighttime temperatures around 16–18°C. Keeping your nighttime temperatures relatively low is super important for better bud development.

Nutrients, Lighting, Temperature, And Humidity

NPK

5-7-10 approx.

EC
1.2–1.5
HUMIDITY
50–60% RH
TEMPERATURE (Day/Night)
26°C / 16–18°C

Weeks 3–4

What to expect: Bigger buds and more intense aromas.

By weeks 3 and 4, your cannabis plants will have stopped growing altogether and will be focusing entirely on developing buds. You should notice their flowers getting bigger on a daily basis, developing thick calyxes, more white pistils, and a nice layer of trichomes. Your plants will also start taking on more noticeable, complex aromas.

Best Practices

Feeding: As your plants grow bigger buds, they’ll need more nutrients. Again, the exact nutrient solution you use during this stage of flowering is up to you, but make sure to pay close attention to how your plants react to any changes in feeding. A common NPK formula used during mid-flowering is 6-10-15.

Humidity and airflow: It’s really important to keep an eye on humidity and airflow. Stagnant, humid air creates a breeding ground for mould and bacteria, and also attracts pests. To be in the clear, we recommend keeping your relative humidity at 40–50% and using fans or ventilation to keep air circulating around your grow room.

Nutrients, Lighting, Temperature, And Humidity

NPK

6-10-15 approx.

EC
1.5 approx.
Humidity
50% RH
Temperature (Day/Night)
24-26°C / 16–17°C

Weeks 4–6

What to expect: Full-throttle flowering and big, dense buds. Aroma will be nearing its peak.

By weeks 5 and 6, your plants will be well into flowering. Their buds should be big, thick, and loaded with white pistils. They will also be developing a thick coat of trichomes, which should be giving off a nice, pungent aroma. If you haven’t invested in an extractor and air filter by now, this might be a good time to do so.

If you take a closer look at your buds, you should notice some pretty drastic changes from how they looked a few weeks back. The calyxes should be notably larger, and the buds should look and feel denser and heavier. Some fast-flowering strains may be approaching harvest time already, in which case the buds should look even more mature (with more trichomes and darker-coloured pistils).

Best Practices

Feeding: This period (weeks 5 and 6) is considered peak flowering time for most cannabis strains. Make sure to keep a very close eye on your plants and look out for any signs of nutrient deficiencies or overfeeding. Depending on the size of your buds, you may want to dial up your nutrients one more time to help them produce the best possible harvest. Remember that, by this stage, your plants won’t need much nitrogen, which is more important for vegetative growth rather than blooming. Besides phosphorus and potassium, flowering plants have higher demands for calcium.

Stress: Whatever you do, you’ll want to avoid stressing your plants during this stage to prevent stunting the growth of their buds or, even worse, triggering hermaphroditism. Stress can trigger flowering females to produce pollen and self-pollinate in one final attempt to reproduce before dying.

Support: You’ll be surprised by how heavy fresh cannabis flowers can be. If your plants are struggling to support the weight of their flowers, consider using bamboo stakes and string or plant clips to keep your plants upright and prevent them from tumbling over.

Humidity and temperature: Keep humidity at around 30–40% from here on out to avoid any problems with mould or pests. Also, keep your daytime temperatures at 25°C max, and nighttime temperatures around 16–17°C.

Nutients, Lighting, Temperature, And Humidity

NPK

5-9-12 approx.

EC
1.5–1.6
Humidity
30-40% RH
Temperature (Day/Night)
24-26°C / 16–17°C

Weeks 6–8

What to expect: Last stages of bloom and harvest.

Weeks 6, 7, and 8 make up the final stages of flowering for most strains. By this stage, the buds on your plants should be dense, firm, and coated with a thick layer of trichomes. The trichomes should be transitioning from completely clear to milky white, with a select few turning amber. This is a telltale sign harvest is here. You can verify this by "zooming in" on them using a pocket scope or magnifying glass. The pistils will continue to get darker during these final weeks too—another sign that your plants are almost ready for harvest.

In these final weeks, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium are still your most important nutrients. Two weeks before harvest, however, you’ll want to flush your plants with plain, pH-balanced water. This encourages them to take up all remaining nutrients, and helps preserve the natural flavour of your buds.

During this last flush, your plants will develop some yellow leaves as they consume all the remaining nutrients stored in their foliage.

Again, your buds will be ready to harvest once the majority of trichomes have turned milky white. Weed harvested earlier tends to have more of an uplifting, euphoric effect. On the other hand, weed harvested later tends to produce a more relaxing, sleepy stone. Although it hasn't been comprehensively verified, it is believed that cannabis plants produce more CBN (degraded form of THC) and myrcene toward the end of their life cycle.

Best Practices

Nutrient flush: Always remember to flush your plants with pH-balanced water two weeks before you harvest.

Humidity: Keep humidity between 30–40% max to avoid problems with mould or pests.

Bud maturity: Keep a close eye on your plants during your two-week flush. You’ll know your buds are ready to harvest using the trichome method described above.

48–72 hours of darkness: To try and raise the potency of your weed, consider leaving your plants in complete darkness for a full 48–72 hours before harvest. Some growers swear by this trick, claiming it helps plants produce more trichomes, resulting in more potent weed.

Nutients, Lighting, Temperature, And Humidity

NPK

4-7-10 approx.

EC
1.7–1.8
Humidity
30–40% RH
Temperature (Day/Night)
24-26°C / 16–17°C

Don't Rush To Harvest

Growers can get a bit anxious in the final weeks of flowering. However, try to contain yourself and avoid harvesting your plants too early. While a week might seem like an insignificant period of time, it can make a huge difference to the flavour, quality, and strength of your stash. Make sure to pay close attention to your plants throughout their flowering cycle, be patient, and you’ll surely be rewarded with some top-shelf bud. If you're eager to learn more about the last weeks of bloom, including how to administer bloom boosters, how to keep noise down, how to calculate your flowering phase based on pot size, and more, check out the next post in our series!


Now that you’ve mastered the basics of the flowering stage, it’s time to put your knowledge into action! Download our Beginner’s Growing Guide to get started and cultivate your first successful crop today.

Free RQS
Grow Guide!

Stay cultivated!
Get free guide


Part. 1: The Germinating Phase. Give your seeds the best possible start in life by reading our definitive guide to germination.

Part. 2: The Vegetative Phase. The germinated seeds peak out above ground and immediately spring up.

Part. 4: The last weeks of flowering stage. After weeks of mounting excitement the long-awaited moment the harvest is finally within arm's reach.

Part. 5: Harvest Time. Learn every step of the cannabis harvest and post-harvest process.

Grow Guide Topic Finder

Categories
eKomi silver seal
4.7 out of 5
from 44658 reviews