How long does a plant usually live for? From seed to harvest?
From the point, a plant shows it’s sex to the point of mature buds how long should this be?
I am asking because I have no idea where I am at in my grow(flowering) and when I should be flushing and harvesting?
A plant could live indefinitely in the right conditions.
Photo-period plants can be in vegatative state as long as they receive more than 12 hours of light a day. Flowering generally takes 8-12 weeks depending on the strain.
Auto flowering generally take 4 weeks to flower and they are ready about 8 weeks later.
Do you have the grow bible?
If you look at the top of the site there are a ton of guides you can read.
Could take anywhere from 6 to 16 weeks for the flowering stage, depending on the strain…
First thing I look to see if I am close is at the easy stuff, the pistils, all those little white hairs in the buds, eventually they will turn a redish/orangish/brownish color, when they change colors I get out my cheap 60x - 100x magnifier and check the trichomes, I prefer about 50%cloudy, 50% amber trichomes, and try to let them grow until I see that in my magnifier. I don’t or haven’t flushed ever flushed mine, but if I did, I would do it when my trichomes were close to where I wanted them…
I don’t know if you do this or not but I keep a grow Journal on a calendar in my grow room. I mark everything I do from the pH of my feeding too when I took clones, Etc.
It really helps me remember and record what happened in the past so I know what to do in the future.
I also keep a sheet of paper next to it just to write down any odd and or questions I might have that sort of thing. Good luck and enjoy your growing.
I do the same. I keep a tablet in my grow room and write everything down.
Also helps when you get to stoned when your updating your grow journal on this site, so you can remember what you did! 
That is a great great point. I’ve been blown’ out and forgot stuff I did just minutes before because my mind wandered off on something. Ha 
I had to give you a thumbs up because I have to wait 3 hours for more likes
This is great advice. Thank you. 
