The marijuana industry is at a point where it is both lucrative and risky, and while there are already a wide variety of ways to grow the plant, making sure it’s done properly can be difficult. Luckily, there’s no need to worry. We’ve put together this list of tips on how to grow marijuana like a pro, so that you don’t have to fear either growing too much or not enough.
First, we’ll look at the common marijuana plant grow cycle using the most commonly used medium, soil. However, the pattern is usually the same even when you use other growing mediums. You can get good quality seeds by visiting here.
Germination
This stage normally takes 24 hours to 2 weeks. All you need to do is sprinkle two to four sheets of kitchen towels with water until they are damp, but not soaking. You then place a seed in between them and wait until you see a taproot emerge.
The conditions you need to check in this stage include;
- Room temperature of 70 – 90° F.
Seedling Stage
This stage occurs after 2 to 3 weeks. At this stage, you need to find a small pot of soil and transfer your already germinated seed. During this stage, you should be able to see a small marijuana plant as leaves start to open up in order to receive sunlight.
Conditions which need to be observed include;
- Temperature of 77° F
- Humidity of around 60%
- 18-hours light cycle of white light each day
- Nitrogen rich fertilizer
Vegetative Stage
This stage occurs between 3 to 8 weeks. By this time, you should consider transferring your already matured seedling to a larger pot. A good indicator you can use to know if the seedling should be transferred is checking if the roots have outgrown the plant pot.
At this stage, marijuana plants tend to grow rapidly since they’re taking on more carbon dioxide and nutrients. You should also do some vital checks such as checking for the sex of the plant. Males can be identified through pollen sacs while females start growing two white pistils.
The conditions you need to observe at this stage are;
- A temperature of between 68 – 77° F
- Humidity between 50% – 70%
- 18 hours of light and 6 hours of dark
- More potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen.
Flowering Stage
This is the stage where you start to see the trichomes; little white hairs necessary for terpene and cannabinoid production, as the marijuana plant fully matures and starts growing buds. For sativas, flowering usually takes 10 – 14 weeks and 6 – 9 weeks for indicas.
You will also need to transfer your plant to a larger pot. The conditions that you need to observe at this stage include;
- 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark
- Avoid light leaks to prevent stressing the plant
- Temperature between 68 – 77° F
- Humidity of around 50%
- No nitrogen intake, but increase intake of potassium and phosphorus
During the last week of flowering, you should avoid adding any more nutrients and use distilled water to flush the soil.
Growing Marijuana Indoors Vs Outdoors
Ideally, when you choose to grow marijuana indoors, you are recreating an ideal environment for your plants to thrive. There are several ways you can grow marijuana indoors;
- Using soil- this is a relatively easy method whereby all you need is some good quality soil, pots, a grow room or tent, and lights. Since soil already contains most of the nutrients, adding more nutrients is not really necessary.
- Hydroponics- This method is not usually recommended for first-time growers due to the setup and know-how that is required. Basically, you put an inert growing medium such as vermiculite or gravel in your plant pot and pump a nutrient solution into the pot. The method usually produces high yields but it’s best left for experts.
Growing marijuana outside is basically letting natural soil and sunlight to perform most of the tasks. Even though most people prefer this method, there are many variables that need to be taken into account.
First of all, you have to deal with nature, therefore, pests, climate and seasons may become deterrents. This means you can have high yields if everything goes as planned or get really lower yields, or even lose entire crops, when something goes wrong.
Tips On Growing Medicinal Marijuana
Marijuana has medicinal properties which have been crucial in assisting many people suffering from chronic pain as well as other conditions. Thankfully, the process of growing medicinal cannabis and that for recreational use isn’t so much different.
When you are choosing your strain, there are two things that you should consider; levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). We would recommend choosing a strain with high levels of CBD to cope with anxiety and other mental health conditions and one with high levels of THC for pain relief.
As your marijuana grows, you need to keep the environment healthy by eliminating any pests and diseases. As such, a lot of medicinal marijuana is usually grown indoors in order to be able to control all the environmental factors. This also limits the use of excessive pesticides and keeps pests and diseases at bay with much ease.
You can also select growing methods which increase the amount of trichomes. To increase the production of terpenes and trichomes and be able to achieve a higher yield, methods of high-stress training such as topping and main-lining can be used. In return, you will have a more potent harvest.
For first-time growers, we would recommend using UVB and grow lights to stress plants rather than cutting. This is because it will be easier to stress plants using light since you can adjust it but once you cut it, it is irreversible.
After your marijuana has fully matured, harvesting at the right time becomes really crucial if you want to maximize the levels of THC and CBD of your harvest. Once you harvest your marijuana, you must dry it and cure it. You can use longer curing and drying methods to maximize potency.
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