The various "life stages" of a cannabis plant can be used to identify and track the plant's progression towards maturity. At each stage, the plant desires a slightly different environment.

Dormant

Before a seed is germinated it is alive but dormant inside its protective shell.

Vegetative

In this stage, the plant grows the most and will be the most resilient to High and Low-stress training.

During the vegetative stage, pre-flowers will appear that can be used to identify the sex of the plant. If white pistils are seen emerging from the calyx the plant is female, if the plant develops clusters of balls resembling grapes it is a male.

Ideal humidity: 40-70% RH

Flowering

Once the plant reaches maturity it will stop branching and producing leaves to begin the production of buds. Water consumption will increase at this point. The start of flowering can be identified by the appearance of stigma. At this stage, all plant training to shape the canopy should be complete.

Ideal humidity: 40-50% RH

Late-flowering

The last few weeks of flowering. At this stage lowering the humidity even further can increase yield and terpene content[citation needed]. Water consumption will decrease. Towards the end of flowering, fan leaves may turn yellow and even fall off the plant, this is a result of the plant running out of nitrogen and is normal.

Ideal humidity: <40% RH

Re-vegetation

It is possible to re-vegetate a photo flowering plant that has already flowered so that it can enter flowering again and produce more buds.