Quick Answer
Gelato yields 300 to 450 grams per square meter indoors and 500 to 700 grams per plant outdoors. Flowering runs 8 to 10 weeks. Indoor plants finish in 3 to 4 months from seed. Outdoor plants finish from late September to mid October in the Northern Hemisphere. The strain needs 40% to 50% humidity, 68°F to 80°F days, and moderate feed. Topping and low-stress training raise yield. Seeds produce 2 to 3 phenotypes. Clone cuts such as Gelato 33 and Gelato 41 give the same plant each run.
Yield
Indoor
Growers report 1.5 to 2 ounces per plant in 3-gallon pots under 400W to 600W lights. A 4x4 tent with 4 to 6 plants returns 300 to 450 grams of dry flower. Plants stay short, so a square meter holds 6 to 9 pots in a sea of green setup. Buds are dense and the calyx-to-leaf ratio is high, which shortens trim time.
gelato cannabis strain information
Outdoor
Plants in full sun reach 5 to 6 feet and return 500 to 700 grams each. A long season with 14 or more weeks of warm weather is required. In short seasons or cold climates, yield drops to 200 to 300 grams per plant.
Flowering Time and Timeline
- Vegetative stage: 4 to 6 weeks indoors.
- Flowering: 8 to 10 weeks. Most phenotypes finish at 9 weeks.
- Outdoor harvest: late September to mid October.
- Seed to harvest indoors: 3 to 4 months.
Gelato stretches 50% to 100% in the first 3 weeks of flower. Set the net height with that stretch in mind.
Climate Targets
- Temperature: 68°F to 80°F in the day. 60°F to 65°F at night in late flower.
- Humidity: 55% to 65% in veg. 40% to 50% in flower. 35% to 40% in the last 3 weeks.
- Light: 18/6 in veg, 12/12 in flower. 400W to 600W LED per square meter.
- Airflow: one oscillating fan per 2 square meters, plus an exhaust fan.
A night temperature drop of 10°F in weeks 6 to 9 brings out purple in the leaves and calyxes. The trait comes from the Sunset Sherbet parent.
Feeding
Gelato feeds light to medium. Target an EC of 1.2 to 1.6 in veg and 1.6 to 2.0 in flower. Cut nitrogen at week 3 of flower. Add phosphorus and potassium from week 3 to week 7. In coco, add calcium and magnesium at 200 ppm. Flush with plain water at pH 6.0 to 6.2 for 7 to 10 days before harvest. Excess nitrogen causes clawed tips and loose buds.
Training
- Top once above node 4 or node 5, 3 days before the light flip.
- Bend branches flat through veg to build an even canopy.
- Run a SCROG net 8 to 12 inches above the pot. Fill 70% of the screen before 12/12.
- Defoliate on day 21 and day 42 of flower. Remove leaves that shade bud sites.
- Remove the bottom third of growth at day 14 of flower.
Problems to Watch
- Hermaphrodites: light leaks, heat above 85°F, and root stress cause male flowers. Check nodes each day in weeks 1 to 3.
- Bud rot: dense buds trap water. Keep humidity below 50% and pull dead leaves.
- Overwatering: the plant drinks slow in veg. Let the top inch of soil dry between waterings.
- Nutrient burn: tips claw and turn dark green. Drop EC by 0.2.
- Spider mites and powdery mildew: raise airflow and keep leaf temperature stable.
Harvest and Cure
Harvest when 80% of trichomes are cloudy and 10% to 20% are amber. Dry at 60°F and 60% humidity for 10 to 14 days. Trim, then cure in jars at 62% humidity for 2 to 4 weeks. Burp the jars twice a day for the first week. Dry flower weighs about 20% to 25% of the wet harvest, so a 700-gram wet plant gives roughly 150 grams of cured flower.
Legal Notes
Home grow rules vary by state and county. Check your state plant count and possession limits before you start seeds. Dispensary flower in legal states is tested for THC, pesticides, and mold, and home-grown flower is not.