Before getting your hands in the dirt, you must have a better understanding of the legality of the cultivation of marijuana in your area for the prevention of any unpleasant interactions with significant legal consequences or law enforcement.
You must do proper research about your state and local laws related to marijuana to ensure that you are doing the cultivation legally. Despite any local allowances of growing marijuana, this practice is still federally banned.
When you are going to grow your cannabis indoors, then you are having complete control of the environment, and while doing the production of high-quality cannabis you can also save a huge amount of money. In addition to this, there is exceptional satisfaction in growing your marijuana. Many enthusiasts of cannabis claim that until they grew this plant by themselves, they didn’t completely appreciate this.
The biggest advantage of growing cannabis indoors is that it facilitates you with greater control than outdoor growing. If you will grow your cannabis indoors then it serves you with numerous opportunities for the implementation of strategies like the introduction of high levels of CO2 that will result in huge buds that contain higher THC concentrations.
While there are numerous benefits of growing indoors, but yet there are some problems that might be disastrous or costly to your crop if you are not paying the required attention.
You are required to be confident in your ability for doing the production of a successful cannabis harvest before making a significant financial investment. Your efforts and time will also be saved and nobody is desired of spending weeks in a garden just for doing the production of fodder for the compost pile.
Setting Up Of Garden
Before doing the plantation of cannabis seeds, you must have the correct amount of materials for proper indoor marijuana growing. We have done the compilation of a list of general materials that are required for doing the production of fruitful harvesting:
- You are required to do the identification of an area for growth. It might be a closet, spare room, basement, or grow tent.
- Buy indoor grow lights. These lights come in a huge variety, but if you are a beginner then we recommend you to take HPS (high-pressure sodium) lights.
- Determination of growing medium. It might be the hydroponic system, Coco Choir, or soil.
- Buy proper nutrients.
- Locate and buy cannabis seeds in which you have an interest.
Selection of Seeds
When you are going to do the determination of the type of marijuana plants you are desired to growing then doing the selection of the correct seeds is very critical. You must try to avoid those seeds that have got damaged, which are pale, soft, or green. These seeds are not mature enough for beginning the process of germination, which could result in weak plants, or that are worse, or it might also be no plant at all.
If you are desired of identifying good seeds then these are usually shaped like a teardrop, dark brown, and are encased in a hard shell. Generally darker tiger stripes indicate Indica seeds, meanwhile, typically brown mottling seeds are Sativa.
When you are going to do the selection of seeds then the most crucial factor is to do the selection of regular or feminized seeds. Typically feminized seeds are more expensive, but most of the growers get agreed with the fact that these are well worth the cost.
If you are making use of feminized seeds then 99% of the time female plants will be produced. It is extremely necessary because of the reason that female plants generally do the production of larger buds. But if there is any male plant then the growth of the female plants will get stunned.
Regular marijuana seeds are capable of doing the production of both male and female cannabis plants. But it might be risky for you to make use of regular seeds as these could dramatically result in the reduction of the size of your harvest if they do the production of male plants. Therefore, if you are a beginner then you must strongly take into consideration to make use of feminized seeds.
How do you do the germination of your seeds?
The easiest way of doing the germination of your cannabis seeds is to do the plantation of these directly into a growing medium. Another common way of doing the germination of these seeds is by making use of a seedling plug. After germination, you are required to plant the whole plug, and you will be on a proper growth trajectory. If you are growing hydroponically, then you must always make use of seedling plugs.
You are required to keep in your mind that every seed will not get flourished when you are doing the selection of the number of seeds. It is a common practice to do the assumption that 10-20% of the seeds will not get germinated. So, you must ensure to overestimate. The time taken for the germination of seeds is dependent on numerous factors, but the seeds will usually get germinated in 2 to 7 days.
If you are a beginner grower of cannabis, then it might be beneficial for you to practice the process of germination on inexpensive seeds. Because if you are still learning to grow properly then you would not be desired of taking the risk of ruining a costly batch.
The Soaking Method
The soaking method is one of the most effective ways of germinating marijuana seeds. It is a very reliable process and is also extremely easy to do the execution. In this method, you are required to fill a cup with warm water and then you have to drop the seeds into it, then look for the seeds that get afloat.
Now you have to remove any floaters and then have to cover the cup with a lid. You will come to see that in 24-48 hours the roots start to get sprouted. Once the roots are grown about a quarter-inch, then you must transfer them to your growing medium. During this process, you are required to be extremely careful as the small sprouts are delicate.
Germination Tips
When the seeds are kept warm then the process of germination is expedited. Once your seeds are ready for the growing medium, you can place them about two inches deep in the medium. It is very necessary for you to keep your seeds moist but not soaking. If your seeds get dried out, just then the process gets stopped there.
If the seeds are older, these will get germinated slowly, and most often, these are also having lower germination rates than newer seeds. However, even if your make use of fresh seeds, there are some strains that better get germinated than others. If it’s taking a while for your seeds to get germinated then you are not required to be too much concerned.
How to give water to Seedlings
Most often novice cultivators of cannabis overwater their seedlings that results in a huge number of problems such as droopiness in the plant, nutrient deficiencies, or sluggish growth. It is extremely crucial to give proper watering to your seedlings for the growth of your plants so they could be strong enough for supporting the large flowering buds.
The first time you give water to your seedlings, then you are required to ensure to serve them with 2 cups of water or 500 milliliters of water per seedling. You are required to pour the water in a small circle around the base of the seedling for ensuring that you are watering it inside of the dirt. After that, you are required to wait until the top part of the soil mostly gets dried before watering again.
You are required to gradually enhance the amount of water when your seedling starts to grow, so the circle around the base is just about the same width as the leaves. However, you are required to keep this thing in your mind that different types of grow mediums will have requirement of different amounts of water.
On average, seedlings are required to be watered every 2-3 days until they are no longer seedlings. Your seedlings must have a healthy root system that is eligible for handling more water when these are a few weeks old.
Once you transplant, you are required to switch to a normal watering practice. Generally, it means that you are required to give water to your plant until there is a slight runoff near the bottom. But, you must not let your plant to get remained in the runoff water. Then you have to wait until the top inch of soil makes you feel dry to touch before you give water again.
If you make the decision of growing in hydroponics or Coco Coir, then it is extremely crucial for you to add nutrients. The reason is that Coco Coir and other hydroponic grow media are not having sufficient nitrogen, potassium, or phosphorus for the sustenance of the life of the plant.
The Transplantation
When your seedlings become ready, you are required to transplant them into your garden. Just remove your seedlings from their small containers and then place those into large containers so they can continue to grow efficiently.
Before the next cycle of photosynthesis begins, it is extremely crucial to finish the process with as minimal light as possible so the plants will have sufficient time for getting settled into their new homes. Transplantation can cause some damage to the root system that may result in stress to the plants. Facilitating your plants with proper settling time will reduce this stress as well.
The Vegetative Stage
Your plants will start to do the production of new stems and leaves without buds during this stage of growth. It is rather simple to take care of your plants during this stage, particularly when you are having the experience of gardening. If you are making use of hydroponics, then you are required to give water to your plants regularly or you have to maintain the water reservoir. You have to periodically adjust the grow lights as your plants get taller for preventing them from the excessive heat that may kill your plants.
You have to look for droopiness or discolored leaves. When you will remove the discolored leaves from your marijuana plant then it will assist in growing bigger buds. The reason is that the plant can focus its energy on growing buds instead of trying to revive the leaves.
During the vegetative stage, it is extremely easy for your cannabis plant to recover. You are required to do your best for ensuring that your plants are having sufficient water, light, and nutrients. If you have made a few very small mistakes, then your plants will likely get returned to their health after corrections.
The Flowering Stage
Your plants should start flowering after they get reached half of their final desired size. Among enthusiasts of cannabis, it is the most coveted growth stage. The reason is that during this stage the flower which is produced will be processed for becoming smokable buds.
You can start the flowering stage by settling your grow lights on a timer with a 12/12 light schedule. It means your lights will be on for 12 hours and these will be off for 12 hours. You have to ensure that your plants are in their absolute darkness during their dark period otherwise your buds will not grow properly. If you ensure that your grow space is absolute without lights, then it is the key to this process.
Your plants will be growing rapidly after the first few weeks with the 12/12 light schedule. This particularly fast period is popularly known as the “flowering stretch”. Numerous cultivators of cannabis get extra growth in their buds during this period by serving their plants with CO2 and by getting switched from regular nutrients to bloom nutrients.
Typically your marijuana plants will start growing buds within 2-3 weeks after when they are switched to a 12/12 light schedule. You are required to double-check when your plants start flowering for ensuring that all of them are female. Male plants will do the production of pollen sacs at stem junctions that are very easily identifiable. If you come to find any male plants, then you are required to remove them instantly for preventing pollen spread. The presence of male plants will significantly result in the reduction of flower yield.
Watering
The amount of water required for your indoor plants is entirely dependent on the size of the containers of your plants and the intensity of the lights that is being received by your plants. If you give water to your plants on a daily basis then it may prevent the roots of your plants from receiving proper airflow.
What Soil Should Be Used?
You have to ensure that the soil selected by you for your marijuana plants is highly drainable. But, still, it must have the capability of retaining water. You would also be required to take the pH levels, texture, and nutrients into consideration. Presently Coco Coir is a popular choice and it is sold in large bricks or bags. Numerous growers of cannabis are fond of mixing regular potting soil and Coco Coir for the creation of a super soil of sorts.
It is extremely helpful to purchase a pH testing kit for ensuring that your plants are properly growing by making accurate pH assessments. It is also crucial for you to be conscious about the nutrients put by into the soil as they correlate with the pH balance as well.
Nutrients
The basic nutrients that are required for growing a very high-quality marijuana crop are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). However, these are not the only nutrients that are present in the marijuana fertilizer. There are also some micronutrients such as sulfur, magnesium, calcium, and numerous others. However, these micronutrients assist in the particular growth process, these are not as crucial as the three core nutrients.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen assists in the growth of leaves and stems. The leaves of your marijuana plant will turn yellow without the presence of nitrogen, and your plants will also ultimately die. You are required to make use of as much nitrogen as possible particularly during the vegetative stage.
Potassium
Potassium is required for building sugars and for transferring them throughout the marijuana plant. Potassium also does the creation of rapid growth with the ability it to assist the plants in absorbing water and other nutrients.
Phosphorus
During the flowering stage, Phosphorus is a key nutrient for indoor marijuana plants. You are required to serve your plants with more Phosphorus than nitrogen during this stage. The reason is that it facilitates your plants in doing the production of bigger buds.
When you are transplanting your seedlings into the soil for the first time then you must make use of only half of the recommended amount of fertilizer since most of the nutrient recommendations are too much strong for seedling plants.
However, you will be required to enhance the amount of fertilizer if you notice that your plants are looking lime green or pale, as it likely means that your plants have a requirement for higher levels of nutrients.
