Perpetual Harvest: Definitive Guide On Growing Unlimited Weed

Imagine not waiting months for your cannabis plants’ to mature. A perpetual harvest is a fantastic growing method to keep you supplied with unlimited buds—if you have the time and enthusiasm.

Learn how to maintain your cannabis plants’ life stages with our perpetual harvest guide. We’ll also examine the advantages and disadvantages to determine if it’s your ideal cultivation technique.

Let’s take a closer look at this growing method to discover what it is and why it’s so rewarding.

What is a perpetual harvest?

A perpetual harvest is a cultivation technique consisting of multiple grow tents with cannabis plants in different life cycles. For example, one tent may have marijuana crops entering their vegetative phase while another has flowering weed shrubs.

Many commercial cannabis farmers use this method to produce unlimited yields every year. They don’t have to wait several months for each harvest because they can gather handfuls of marijuana flowers every few weeks.

A perpetual harvest schedule isn’t just for commercial marijuana cultivators—anyone can use this method with the correct grow tent setup. Divide your indoor space into multiple chambers for each life phase to create your harvest schedule.

When one batch of your weed plants is ready for harvest, another group will enter the flowering phase. A strict schedule allows you to enjoy bumper yields of sticky buds without enduring long waiting periods.

You may need a marijuana cultivation license to grow large quantities of cannabis. Keep updated with cannabis legislation in your jurisdiction and abide by your state’s laws. 

Benefits and drawbacks of a perpetual harvest

A perpetual grow schedule is an excellent technique for cannabis cultivators who want an unlimited supply of buds. It requires patience and dedication, but the rewards are worth it.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of this cultivation technique.

Pros

Constant harvests have many benefits, especially for commercial growers and folks cultivating large amounts of plants. Here are some of the main advantages:

• High yields: Many marijuana plants flowering in tents means you can successfully gather substantial yields at every scheduled harvest.

• More control: A perpetual harvest enables you to learn quickly and gain control of your weed crops. It allows you to focus more on every cycle and achieve impressive yields.

• Fun and challenging: This technique keeps you busy and challenges you as a grower. It’s fun because you can apply your creative cultivating techniques while growing more marijuana strains each year.

• Unlimited cannabis supply: You won’t have to worry about running low on marijuana during the year. Most perpetual grow setups require harvesting every few weeks or months.

Cons

There are a handful of drawbacks to maintaining a constant harvest. Here are some disadvantages to having a continuous supply of cannabis buds:

• Different strain growth patterns: Some weed variants grow faster and taller. They also develop buds quicker than others. Ensure you research the different strains, and stick to ones that suit your growing space.

• Space: You need more than two marijuana tents for a perpetual grow and enough room for all your cannabis plants.

• More work: You typically need to focus a lot of attention on maintaining your marijuana crops. There’s always something to do: pruning, feeding, harvesting, and so on.

• Expensive to run: It can be costly to invest in this setup if you’re not a commercial grower. Supplies like LED lights for weed, nutrients, and odor neutralizers aren’t cheap, and you may see an increase in energy bills.

What do I need for a perpetual harvest?

Let’s look at everything you need for a perpetual harvest setup. Before you start, ensure you have the following: 

• At least 2 separate marijuana grow tents or a multi-chamber tent: You need separate marijuana tents for the various plant life stages. Ensure you designate an area large enough for your cannabis crops. If you don’t have enough space for cannabis tents, invest in a multi-chamber grow tent for a small perpetual harvest. These handy products contain different sections for vegging and flowering marijuana crops.

• Grow light: You need to invest in more LED lamps. Weed plants in the vegetative stage require a different light cycle than those in the flowering stage. Thus, seedlings and plants in veg phase need 18-24 hours of primarly blue-spectrum light per day. Meanwhile, marijuana in the flowering stage needs 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness each day to initiate blooming. So you need to invest in LED bulbs for both tents.

• Cannabis seeds or clones: Have an ample supply of your favorite weed seeds ready for planting. If you’re a new grower, buy marijuana seeds for beginners for a more effortless experience.

• Time and dedication: Be prepared to dedicate time to your cannabis plants during your perpetual harvest. There’s always something to do, and your marijuana crops will demand plenty of attention to thrive and grow.

How to create and maintain your perpetual grow setup

Now you know what you need for this method, the next stage is to put your plan into action. Take a closer look at the following steps to help maintain your schedule:

Step 1: Start with clones or seeds

The first items you need to start your perpetual harvest are clones or cannabis seeds. Cloning marijuana is an excellent way to keep costs down. It also saves you 2–3 weeks of work as you don’t have to worry about germination.

Clones and weed seeds love humidity and warmth. Germinate your cannabis seeds and leave their roots to strengthen for about two weeks before moving them to the vegetation section. If you only have one tent, place them in the bottom corner and leave the light cycle at 18/6.

Step 2: Vegetative cycle

It’s tempting to cultivate several types of cannabis plants in a perpetual harvest grow tent. Taller variants may overshadow shorter crops, especially in the vegetative stage. Keep to the same strain if you want to simultaneously transport them into the flowering tent. 

Use an 18/6 light cycle for your group of vegging cannabis plants. Feed them plenty of high-quality nutrients to keep them healthy, leafy, and robust. Your schedule for the vegetation cycle can take weeks or months—it’s up to you.

Step 3: Flowering cycle

Ensure you’re satisfied with your marijuana plants’ height and bud sites, then move them into the perpetual harvest flowering section. This area needs to be larger than the vegetative tent to allow your crops plenty of room to blossom.

The light cycle for weed during the flowering stage should be 12/12 to induce bud development. When you move your plants to this tent, remember to have clones or seedlings ready to occupy the vegetative section. 

Step 4: Harvest your first yield and repeat the cycle

Timing is essential, and the dark orange or brown plant pistils should indicate precisely when to harvest cannabis buds. Don’t lose focus and keep to your schedule. Harvest your buds and have everything ready to go to continue your perpetual cannabis grow. 

When your buds are dried and cured, your crops from the vegetative section should be ready to enter the flowering chamber. You can then move clones or seedlings into the vegging tent. Repeat the cycle to maintain constant marijuana harvests.

Perpetual harvest with autoflowering cannabis strains

Autoflowering plants are ideal for folks who want to try the perpetual harvest method for the first time. These cannabis seeds are usually cheaper, and you can keep all your plants in one tent.

Another great benefit is you don’t have to worry about flipping light cycles between the plants’ life stages. Auto crops grow as they age, unlike photoperiod strains. An 18/6 illumination cycle in your perpetual harvest grow tent will keep them happy throughout their life stages.

Autoflowering seeds may not be the ideal choice for beginners due to their short life span. They don’t allow much room for cultivating errors and impossible to re-veg. Fortunately, some strains are beginner-friendly and resistant to pests, mold, and harsh weather conditions.

The only drawback is you have to germinate autoflower seeds after every harvest. Controlling the plants’ heights can also be tricky, but low-stress training methods help. The Screen of Green (ScrOG) can maintain the crops’ size while optimizing yields.

Perpetual harvest: Perpetually happy!

The perpetual harvest setup isn’t for everyone. Finding a schedule that works for you requires time, dedication, and hard work. The consistent yields are worth it if you have the resources and money to invest. 

Keep updated with the latest marijuana news from our blogs to enhance your cultivation experience. Get expert advice from the legendary Kyle Kushman for your never-ending harvest.

If you find that being surrounded by cannabis plants gives you energy, consider a perpetual harvest schedule. Be perpetually happy and reap the rewards of unlimited buds for your patience, devotion, and dedication.

About the author: Parker Curtis

Parker Curtis has around a decade of cannabis-growing experience, specialising in soil-less and hydro grows. He’s mastering outdoor, greenhouse, and indoor grows.