Why Is My Cannabis Plant Revegging? Accidental vs. Intentional Reveg
GROWING

Why Is My Cannabis Plant Revegging? Accidental vs. Intentional Reveg

Why a flowering plant flips back to veg, how to reveg one on purpose, and what to do when it happens by mistake.

BY CosechaLibre Editorial5 MIN READ
Revegetation, or "reveg," is when a flowering cannabis plant flips back into the vegetative stage and starts pushing out new leafy growth, almost as if it were being reborn. It's triggered by a hormonal shift when the light cycle changes from the flowering photoperiod back to the vegetative one, and it can happen on purpose or by accident. In practice, a plant that was happily flowering suddenly starts throwing new shoots that will become new branches. Cannabis has an annual life cycle driven by photoperiod, meaning the number of light hours per day. Outdoors, the long days of summer fuel vegetative growth and the shorter days of fall kick off flowering. Indoors, you control that cycle with the hours of light you give your grow. Accidental reveg can happen outdoors when plants get more light than they should during flowering, and indoors when something goes wrong with the lights and the plants get more hours than they need. To reveg a plant on purpose, you bump the light from 12 hours a day in flowering back up to 18—six more hours. Before you start, harvest the buds from that first round of flowering. One reason growers reveg on purpose is to get another harvest out of a strain they like without germinating new seeds or taking clones. With autoflowers, reveg is a bad idea: they flower based on age rather than light hours, so instead of getting a fresh veg stage you end up with skinny, weak, low-yielding plants trying to grow and flower at the same time. The technique doesn't always work perfectly, either. The sudden change in the plant's cycle can stress it out, causing it to die or turn hermaphrodite.

Revegetating cannabis plant pushing new leaves

What happens if a plant revegs during flowering?

If a cannabis plant revegs mid-flower, it can cause several unwanted effects in your grow. Revegetation is the process where a plant in the flowering stage goes back to the vegetative phase. It can be triggered by several things, like light leaks during the dark period or a shift in environmental conditions. When a plant revegs during flowering, the downsides include:
  1. A delayed harvest: Reveg interrupts the plant's normal flowering cycle, which can push back maturity and harvest significantly. The plant needs extra time to get back into proper flowering.
  2. New growth down low: During reveg it's common for the plant to put out new shoots on its lower parts, which can cut the quality and yield of the top buds. That's because the plant's energy goes into vegetative growth instead of building buds.
  3. Lower potency and quality: Reveg can hurt the potency and quality of your buds. The new growth that pops up during reveg tends to be less dense, with a lower concentration of cannabinoids.
Overall, reveg during flowering is considered a problem in cannabis growing, since it can drag down yield and quality. Keeping your grow environment properly under control is the best way to avoid anything that might trigger an unwanted reveg.

Cannabis plant with new vegetative growth after revegging

How do you prevent reveg?

To keep your cannabis plant from revegging, follow these tips:
  1. Lock down your light cycle: During flowering, make sure your plants get an uninterrupted dark period of at least 12 hours a day. Kill any light sources during lights-off, like streetlights, lamps or electronics that could interfere with the cycle.
  2. Keep the environment dialed in: Make sure conditions like temperature and humidity are optimal for the flowering stage. Any environmental stress or extreme swings can trigger reveg.
  3. Avoid stressing your plants: Take good care of them and avoid unnecessary stress like physical damage, nutrient deficiencies or disease. Stressed plants are more likely to reveg.
  4. Use stable genetics: When you pick your strains, go for stable, quality genetics that are less prone to revegging. Do your homework and choose varieties known for finishing their flowering without reveg issues.
  5. Inspect regularly: Check your plants often for early signs of reveg, like new leaves popping up in odd places. If you spot any, act right away to correct the problem.
Remember, prevention is the key to avoiding reveg, so stay alert and do what it takes to keep your plants flowering without interruptions.

What should I do if my plant is revegging?

If your cannabis plant is revegging, you need to act to correct it and help it get back into flowering. First, figure out the cause: a disrupted light cycle, light leaks during the dark period, environmental changes or stress. Once you've found it, fix the light cycle so your plants get at least 12 uninterrupted hours of darkness a day, and get rid of any stray light sources during lights-off to keep the flowering cycle on track. Next, stabilize the environment by holding temperature and humidity at optimal levels for flowering. Avoid sudden changes or extreme swings that could stress your plants and encourage more reveg. Be patient and keep your care consistent, with proper nutrition and balanced watering. Watch for signs of recovery and adjust as you go. Every plant is different, so tailor your approach to its specific needs. In severe cases you can't turn around, you may need to restart the flowering cycle or start over with new plants. Keep a close eye on your grow and do what it takes to help your plants recover and get back on track to a successful bloom.

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