Understanding nodes and internodes in cannabis plants: All about meaning and care

Cannabis nodes can be found on both the stem and the branches of your cannabis plant. Nodes rarely get much attention, but just a little knowledge about them goes a long way. Nodes can tell you a lot about the type and likely size of your cannabis plants as well as potential grow room/lighting issues. Understanding cannabis nodes will help you increase your chances of successfully cutting cuttings.

Summary:

• What are cannabis plant nodes and internodes?
• The importance of nodes and internodes in cannabis plants
• Identifying healthy cannabis nodes
• How to count nodes on a cannabis plant?
• Cannabis nodes FAQ

What are cannabis plant nodes and internodes?

Cannabis nodes are the points on the main stem where a lateral branch arises. The plant sections between each node are called internodes. As the plant grows, more nodes and branches form. The branches can also form numerous nodes and additional side branches. Some common terms used by growers are internode spacing and internode elongation.

Plants grown from sativa cannabis seeds may have greater internodal distance/stretch than those grown from indica cannabis seeds. Plants from both seed types show the greatest internode elongation during the early cannabis flowering stage as plant hormones prepare the plant for flowering.

How many nodes should a cannabis plant have before flowering?

The answer depends on a few factors, including the size of your grow tent/room, the specific genetics of your cannabis seeds and the time available for your grow.

• If you are growing autoflowering cannabis seeds, the plant will begin to flower automatically, usually around 4-5 weeks after the autoflowering seeds have germinated.
• When you grow photoperiod feminized cannabis seeds, you have complete control over your plants and the timing of flowering. If you grow using the SCROG method, the question of the number of nodes is largely irrelevant. Experienced SCROG growers They simply wait until the area is about 75% full and then initiate flowering by switching to a 12/12 cannabis light cycle.
• At Indoor cultivation of photoperiod feminized seeds, many growers start flowering after about 5-6 weeks of vegetative growth. At this point, depending on the genetics and growing conditions, you may have a main stem with around 5-12 nodes. However, the actual height will vary depending on the strain and environmental conditions.
• Outdoor cannabis seed growers will see a wide range of cannabis nodes on their plants during the flowering period, depending on numerous factors. These include the latitude, the local weather, the strain and whether or not the seedlings were grown indoors before being planted out. Outdoor varieties flower when they sense the days are getting shorter, often around August in the northern hemisphere (February in the southern hemisphere).

The importance of nodes and internodes in cannabis plants

Understanding and interpreting nodes and internodes in cannabis plants can provide valuable information that can be of great use to you as an experienced cannabis grower:

Indica plants, with their typical limited internode elongation and short internode spacing, are easy to identify for anyone with even basic internode experience. Similarly, an extremely stretchy sativa is easy to recognize in the grow room. Sometimes hybrid cannabis seeds can have individual phenotypes that lean more towards indica or sativa. Identifying these individuals gives you the opportunity to adjust your growing plans accordingly.

If you can interpret the subtle signs of your plant's level of indica/sativa influence, you can better prepare for the type of flower development you can expect later in the grow. For example, if you know that your plant phenotype has more sativa-like characteristics than expected, this may mean that the flowers will be slightly less dense and flowering may take a few extra days.

All reputable cannabis seed banks should use backcross breeding techniques to stabilize genetics as much as possible. But sometimes genetics can do the unexpected, such as a supposedly indica-heavy hybrid producing a heavily sativa-heavy phenotype.

With a little experience and understanding of cannabis nodes/internodes, you can recognize unexpected growth traits early and prepare for them. If you have limited vertical growing space in your grow room, you may top a plant that stretches too much. This removes the main growing tip, forcing the plant into a shorter, bushier structure with more lateral growth and less vertical growth.

Identifying healthy cannabis nodes

If excessive internode elongation is causing problems (or is expected to soon), there are a number of low stress training (LST) and high stress training (HST) techniques available to you for cannabis to successfully manage excessive plant growth and produce a quality harvest.

Healthy cannabis nodes are a sign of a healthy plant with good vigor and vitality. Here are some nodule-related points to consider.

• Internode spacing: Densely packed nodes with narrow internode spacing can indicate excessive light intensity or nutrient/temperature issues. Widely spaced cannabis nodes may indicate low light conditions or other nutrient/environmental issues. After one or three grows, you'll be familiar with healthy looking, well spaced nodes. Of course, you should always look at other indicators such as leaf health, environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, airflow measurements, etc.) when diagnosing a plant problem.
• The nodes are the same for autoflowering and photoperiod plants: regardless of whether you grow autoflowering seeds or feminized photoperiod seeds, the cannabis nodes and their function remain the same.
• Plant health near the cannabis nodes: Nodes usually have a shiny, vibrant green appearance; the leaves nearby should have the normal, healthy green appearance. If you see damaged, fading or yellowing leaves on or near the nodes, this may be an indication of problems elsewhere that need your attention.
• Wild lateral growth: Healthy nodes and vigorous genetics often lead to strong lateral growth that sometimes allows for extravagant lateral branching - resulting in yields that bend the branches. One of the evolutionary benefits of branching at cannabis nodes is that new parts of the plant can grow and reach light, ensuring the largest plant possible.
• Healthy flowers, healthy cannabis nodes: In the cannabis flowering stage, healthy nodes and dense, sticky buds often go hand in hand. For top-notch potency harvests, use the best cannabis seeds and keep your plants in the optimal nutrient and light range from seed to harvest.

Cannabis nodes FAQ

• Do cannabis flowers grow from nodes? Yes, you can often pluck a bud from a node. Occasionally you can also see a single bud growing on a leaf!
• Do plant nodes become roots? Normally not, because the node usually allows the plant to branch and thereby increase its future photosynthetic crown capacity. But the special meristematic cells present in the nodes can, under the right conditions, divide and grow into roots. Cannabis growers use this property to their advantage when taking cuttings. In nature, the meristematic cells present in the nodal tissue ensure that branches that have been accidentally removed (e.g. damaged by a storm) can develop roots and survive if they land in the right place and the conditions are right. Sometimes, for the same reasons, a low-lying branch resting in the ground can also develop roots.
• How many nodes should a cutting have? Generally, larger cuttings are preferred as they have the best chance of survival. However, many amateur gardeners do not have the time to produce these and often take cuttings with only one or two nodes.
• Can you propagate clones without leaves? Under special conditions in tissue culture laboratories, cannabis plants can be grown from just a few plant cells without the need for leaf material/structure. However, the rest of us should make sure that a cutting has some leaf material, even if it has been pruned, to reduce the need for transpiration until a root system has developed. The presence of a small amount of leaf material will allow the cutting to photosynthesize and provide the biochemical energy required as the new root system forms and the cutting begins its new journey into adulthood.