What is the stretch?
The stretch is the growth spurt a cannabis plant has in the first weeks of flowering, when it grows taller much faster than before. It's a natural process and happens in almost every strain.
When the plant starts flowering, for about two or three weeks it lengthens its stems and branches at high speed. That's how it makes room to place its buds. After that period, it stops growing taller and focuses on fattening up its flowers.
It's like a teenager's growth spurt: in a short time, the plant you had under control gets a lot taller.
Outdoors, the stretch happens at the end of summer, when the days start getting shorter. Indoors, it happens right after you switch the light to 12 hours a day.
How much does the plant grow?
It depends a lot on the genetics. As a general rule:
- Indica-type strains usually stretch only a little and stay compact.
- Sativa-type strains usually stretch a lot and can double their height or more.
- Hybrids fall somewhere in between, depending on which side they lean towards.
Some product pages mention it. If not, the final height and the type of plant give you a good clue.
Why it's worth planning for
Indoors, the space between the plant and the lamp is limited. If you don't account for the stretch, the plant can get too close to the light and burn its tips. That's why many growers switch to flowering when the plant takes up roughly half the space they have.
Techniques like LST or SCROG also help control this growth spurt and spread the branches out better under the light.
Related terms
Before you grow, check the laws in your country: growing cannabis is not allowed everywhere.
