I've found that mj is a very tough plant (they don't call it weed for nothing).
On my first grow, I had a plant that was male I think, so I pulled it out the bucket, shook the soil off, got rid of all the top leaves and threw it out in the woods in the back. Well, blow me down, a couple weeks later I see this green thing in the woods, and the darn plant had started sprouting back. And this is with very little soil around the roots. I was amazed, and freaked out. I don't throw live plants in the back anymore.