Longest period of time you spent growing a plant for?

What's the longest time you allowed a plant to grow and flourish before harvest? Is there a situation in which you can allow plant to grow for too long? What's your story?

I'm curious to know because I think I got some slow growing seeds. Which is fine, I just don't want to do this incorrectly. I'm going to grow my seeds off of gut instinct instead of adhering to a schedule, me thinks.

If the plant is a photoperiod you can veg as long as you'd like. The more time that goes on the bigger the pot for roots as well as space for the canopy. For example I give my vegging plants 4 weeks per 1gallon of soil medium. So a 2 gallon pot I wouldn't want to keep it in for more than 8 weeks. You could go longer but that's my preference. Rather than keep a plant vegging say 6 months it may be easier to take cuts and clone to start over with a smaller version plant so you're not investing in more space, pot size, light, etc.

It's up to you and your environment. Your light height and skill level have a little to do with it as your ability to train it and keep the canopy even and under control as you grow it for a long period can play into it. If you're not in a rush for a harvest for production or you need meds then take as long as you want. I like to veg my indicas 6-8 weeks which is longer probably by a bit then some or most do even. I just feel it gives them a chance to really develop as a plant and then the terpenes are expressed more richly. I don't have any evidence of this, it's just personal opinion based on experience and talking with a breeder I really respect.

@FirstCavApache64 I have to agree with you there is something to it when taking a plant to a "mature" stage of veg before flipping I feel is a better product. Not sure if its a placebo effect or just preference.

I will only specify flowering as veg time can be infinite. I am also speaking of after stretch when it truly begins to flower.

17 weeks in flower.

I was testing how far is too far. Can I over ripen these buds?

They did not over ripen. I also could not do a damn thing if I smoked it. I was very zoned out from it.

I liked it tbh.

It breaks down to knowing your space and when too much is too much. That truly comes down to veg time and experience.

Was decades ago. I had heard weed isn't mature until it's 6 months old so let them go that long before flowering. This was back when Halide lights were used a lot. I started the plants under tube plant lights, then we cleared out a garage. put in several halides and a fan. Smoke was great, very impressive for the the late 70's/early 80's.

In the end though, it was a waste of space since we didn't know what plants were males until flowering and unnecessary.

I did get some seeds we purposely crossed a thai and Hawaiian strain. That was REALLY good! Had a few hits and couldn't drive for several hours

About 16 weeks flowering. I started in 18oz cups with Promix BX. Seedlings were always under a 1000w Hortilux HPS. Transplanted into 5 gallon containers/Promix BX, then vegged for 60 days under 1000w Hortilux HPS. At flowering I retransplanted into 20 gallons Promix BX and flowered 16 weeks. I got 24oz from 1 plant. Ended up having to use 2x 1000w Hortilux on it because it stretched for 80 days, and took up a 4 x 8 area. I also bent it over and it grew like a huge bush. I flowered it at about 2 feet long, and it ended up 7 feet long, and 4 feet wide. Its got the biggest and longest stretch Ive ever seen on any strain. I still have the mother plant. You may not believe it, but Ive also got a pound from this strain, in a 5 gallon container. Also the biggest yield by far Ive ever seen in a 5 gallon container. Ive given the cut to at least 5 people in case I ever lose it, it will still be around. I also gave 2 male clones to various friends so the genetics wont be lost.... I wish this strain would be ressurected. Tastes like Lemongrass, and will choke the crap out of you. Isnt done outside until mid November, and will get 15 feet tall if started early. Matures to late outside in my neck of the woods, unless we have a mild fall. Is also pretty mold resistant.

The strain was 2005 Willie Nelson. Its also super potent. Willie Nelson is Highland Nepali, crossed with Vietnamese Black. The buds are grey with trichomes. Its many of my friends favorite weed.
It doesnt hurt this strain to be started 12/12. Still gets huge.