The legalization of Cannabis has taken place in different parts of the world. Now many people want to cultivate it at home. Growing it can be complicated if you aren’t aware of the process.
A single piece of advice can help you grow the seedling most simply.
Are you ready for it?
Growing can be inexpensive and fun, and it can produce high-quality buds. But, similar to all gardening, it also needs care and does not take much time for anyone to master.
The procedure is not so complicated, and if you are a beginner, you can follow this step-by-step guide. In addition, we have included the process one needs to follow to grow the cannabis plant.
Getting The Perfect Strain
The right way to buy cannabis strain is from a trusted source. You can trust the genetics of Homegrown Cannabis Co. Different types of cannabis seeds are available in the market.
There is no restriction on the type of strain you want to buy and grow so that you can get anything. The strains available are Marijuana, Cannabis Sativa, White Widow, Quebec, Shawan, Nederwiet, and many more.
The Location
- Indoor Growing
Growing indoor gives you control over the growth when you are maintaining a few plants. It can produce dank buds consistently but comes with more responsibility.
It is 100% reliant, and you have to provide all the requirements; otherwise, the plant will die.
Which space will work the best?
It can be grown anywhere where there is easy access to fresh air and water. The best spaces are a closet, a spare room, extra bathroom, grow tent, and inside a computer case.
While growing inside, you have to give importance to grow lights and the temperature. In warmer temperatures, like 70 to 85 degrees F or 20 to 30 degrees C, young Cannabis grows faster.
It should be 65 to 80 degrees F or 18 to 26 degrees C during the flowering or budding stage. It helps you to get buds of the best color, smell, and trichome production.
- Outdoor Growing
It is cheaper as you do not need to look for space or grow lights. But you have to protect it from deer, bugs, possible pollination, etc. Moreover, when growing outside, if the climate is dry, you have to water the plant.
If it is raining too much, you have to protect yourself from getting overwatered. One thumb rule to follow is if you are feeling hot, so does your plant. Hence, you have to take a few extra steps to protect your plant.
The Grow-Lights
- Under Sunlight: If you are growing under sunlight, you must make sure the plant must get at least 8+ hours every day to get optimum results. It’s better to keep the plant under sunlight from 10 am to 4 pm.
- Household Lighting: LEDs or CFLs are household lights that people use to light up their homes. But they are not recommended for growing seedlings.
- High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) & Metal Halide (MH): It works well to grow cannabis plants and gives optimum results indoor. The smaller HPS or MH grow lights are well-suited for autoflowers.
The Growing Medium
Various growing mediums are there, and each needs specific requirements.
- Soil: For the easiest growing experience, you must grow in organic composted super soil. Additionally, you can use the Fox Farms Ocean Forest soil mix as it has enough nutrients that can last for a first few months of a young plant.
- Directly Growing In Water: You can get the fastest plant growth and the highest yield possible while growing in water combines with LEC/HID/LED grow lights.
- Soilless Mix: It is anything apart from the soil, like perlite, coco coir, and vermiculite. All soilless mixes are recommended for hydroponic growing as there is no soil.
- Types of Hydro: Some grow the seedlings in fish or plant roots suspended in misted air. But they are not suitable for cannabis growth.
Above all the mediums, the best solution is to buy composted soil or compost your soil and grow there. It will give you incredible outcomes.
Providing Sufficient Nutrients
- Hydroponic & Soilless Growers: If you want to grow Cannabis in this medium, you have to use nutrients specifically recommended for it. Some are more specific like Canna Coco works best for Coco Coir weed.
- Soil Growers: If you are not growing in compost soil, you will need cannabis nutrients. It helps reach the budding and flowering stage, and these plants are heavy feeders. The cannabis nutrients are available online, and if you do not provide them, they will absorb most nutrients before the budding time starts.
The Perfect Nutrient System
Dyna-Gro is the perfect nutrient system that works well with beginning growing plants. It can be used at half-strength in water, soil, coco coir, or any other growing medium.
Try not to use full-strength as it can burn the seedling and raise the dosage when needed.
- Maintaining Root pH
Maintaining the pH of the root environment is holds utmost importance before watering your plants. With a composted super soil, you have a microbial colony that can impact the pH levels.
All growers need to be tested and maintained for pH value for successful growth.
- Germinating Seeds
Different seeds germination methods are present, and the simple way is to place them in a starter cube. Then, you can place warm and moist in a rapid rooter, which helps you put the tray on the seedling heat mat.
Seedling starts in a few days, and after it has emerged, you can place it at the growing medium directly. Another germinating way is using a paper towel method.
Take a moistened paper towel, place seeds on it, and keep it inside two plates. Often in one to four days, the seeds will start germinating, and then you can place them in the soil.
- Vegetative Stage
When your plant has started to grow the first leaves, it is in the growing stage. Young plants grow fast in a bit warmer temperature, like 70 to 85 degrees F or 20 to 30 degrees C.
As long as the temperature is cold, the plant will grow. But flowers and buds will not come now, and you have to wait till its ¾ strength to grow vigorously.
During the vegetative stage, the plant must get 18 to 24 hours of light every day for indoor growing. For outdoors, it should be direct light from 10 am to 4 pm.
- Flowering Stage
Here the plant will start producing buds and then flowers and is the last stage of harvesting. You must change to 12-12 light time during this period, identify gender, and eliminate males.
During flowering, the plant goes through puberty and reveals whether it is a girl or a boy. Half of the plants are female in regular seeds, and cannabis growers look for more females to make buds.
Female plants will grow while hairs while males will grow sacs, and you can differentiate using this parameter. The temperature should be maintained at 65 to 80 degrees F or 18 to 26 degrees C in this stage.
- Identifying The Healthy And Unhealthy Ones
The unhealthy seedling will have discolored or yellow leaves. Also, you will find that it is not growing. Therefore, it does not look the same as the normal healthy ones and must avoid them.
The problem can happen as you have not given proper attention to pH, nutrition, lighting, pests, and water level. So, while growing, you must give attention to all the requirements.
Start Growing Cannabis Plant At Home
Well, by following the step-by-step process, you can now grow the cannabis plant at home. But, pay attention to every aspect if you want to get healthy buds in the end. The temperature is the most crucial parameter to be kept into consideration at all stages.
