Considerations Before Growing Marijuana
Growers should take the time to develop a thorough plan that can be adjusted as problems occur. However, many people spend too much time focusing on research and preparation before starting to grow. As it happens, many growing issues will pop up anyways and can be fixed on the go. So check out our list of the top 5 things growers need to know, and then get to work!
Security is the no.1 consideration with good reason – growing marijuana is illegal. All legalized states vary in growing cannabis laws; you should already know by now if your state allows the public to grow cannabis. For the rest of you, the word security could also be defined as concealment. Camouflage, if you will. The questions you need to ask yourself are:
Do I mind breaking the law? It’s one thing to purchase a bag from a friend, but growing weed takes you into an entirely new prosecution category. Be sure to talk with a lawyer or local law enforcement to stay updated with your town/city rules on growing cannabis. Take notice that new laws and regulations can take up to two years to be in effect.
Do I have a place to put my garden where it won’t be noticed by less-than-open-minded (usually uninvited) guests? You also want to make sure the spot you pick is out of the reach and/or smell of any service people. Although it seems unrealistic, you just never know when one of those pesky, “I wanted to be a cop”, electricians will come a calling.
2. UNDERSTAND THE BASICS OF CANNABIS
Before starting a cannabis grow, it’s vital you have a solid understanding of the cannabis plant.
While you don’t need to be an expert on everything there is to know about weed plants, make sure you at least understand the basics of the plant’s life cycle, nutrient requirements, and structure.
Here are some must-know facts about cannabis to help you get started. Before you think about germinating your seeds, make sure to get your hands on a good marijuana grow book and continue reading through our backlog of grow articles:
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants which can be either male, female, or hermaphrodite.
Cannabis plants can be grown indoors, outdoor, and in greenhouses.
In nature, male plants pollinate female flowers (or buds) to create new seeds. Most growers, however, will keep their females unpollinated to produce better buds.
There are 3 main varieties of cannabis; indica, sativa, and ruderalis. All 3 vary in morphology and effects.
Indica and sativa cannabis varieties are naturally photoperiod plants, meaning they flower based on how much light they receive. Ruderalis plants, on the other hand, flower automatically based on age, regardless of changes to their light cycles.
There are 3 main phases to the cannabis life cycle; seedling phase, vegetative phase, and flowering phase.
In nature, cannabis plants grow annually, usually beginning their life cycle between spring and the first days of summer. The length of a plant's life cycle can vary greatly (anywhere between 4-10 months).
Outdoor growing is the most natural way to grow, you utilize the sun’s light and in most cases will plant directly into the soil.Growing cannabis outdoors is typically more difficult than growing it indoors, as you will in most cases have to deal with pests and weather conditions which may hamper your growing efforts.
Indoor grows are more controlled and allow for a better environment for growing, with the ability to control things like temperatures and humidity. High humidity can lead to bud rot and powdery mildew forming on the plant, while temperatures that are too cold can stunt the plant growth or in some cases even kill it.One area where indoor growing takes a massive lead over outdoor though, is in the ability to grow multiple harvests a year indoors, as opposed to a single annual harvest outdoors.Cannabis requires 12 hours of darkness a day in order to flower, in nature this occurs with the changing of summer into autumn, meaning you get one flowering season a year.With indoor grows, you can control the light and choose to flower your plants when you want to. Because of this, it’s common for indoor growers to have several harvests a year, as many as 4 when growing fast flowering or auto flowering strains.
The high costs of indoor farming may be recouped through breeding projects, year-round harvests, and potent products that have higher selling points. Furthermore, manufactured indoor environments allow growers to cultivate strains that would otherwise be unsuitable for their local outdoor environment and climate. However, with the rising cost of energy and an increasing demand for more flower in the marketplace, outdoor farming may be able supply the market with quality products at a more reasonable price.
Indoor grows are more controlled and allow for a better environment for growing, with the ability to control things like temperatures and humidity. High humidity can lead to bud rot and powdery mildew forming on the plant, while temperatures that are too cold can stunt the plant growth or in some cases even kill it.One area where indoor growing takes a massive lead over outdoor though, is in the ability to grow multiple harvests a year indoors, as opposed to a single annual harvest outdoors.Cannabis requires 12 hours of darkness a day in order to flower, in nature this occurs with the changing of summer into autumn, meaning you get one flowering season a year.With indoor grows, you can control the light and choose to flower your plants when you want to. Because of this, it’s common for indoor growers to have several harvests a year, as many as 4 when growing fast flowering or auto flowering strains.
The high costs of indoor farming may be recouped through breeding projects, year-round harvests, and potent products that have higher selling points. Furthermore, manufactured indoor environments allow growers to cultivate strains that would otherwise be unsuitable for their local outdoor environment and climate. However, with the rising cost of energy and an increasing demand for more flower in the marketplace, outdoor farming may be able supply the market with quality products at a more reasonable price.
4. UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT GROW METHODS
Cannabis can be grown in many different ways. Before you start your grow, remember to read up on various grow methods and pick one that is best suited to your skill level and budget.
Arguably the most common way to grow weed is in soil. When doing so, growers will add nutrients to the soil which the plant then absorbs via its roots. These nutrients can be provided via store-bought nutrient solutions or natural alternatives like compost.
Alternatively, some advanced growers may opt to grow their plants in mediums other than soil. Methods that use mediums other than soil (such as coco coir, sand, water, or even misted air) are referred to as hydroponic methods.
Deciding on which way to grow weed is completely up to you. However, inexperienced growers are generally advised to start with simpler, soil-based methods.
There are several different types of grow medium to consider. The easiest is a potting soil mixture. One of my favorite soil recipes is:
1 bag potting soil
1 bag vermiculite
1 bag perlite
A tablespoon of hydrated lime
A scoop of sterile cow shit
These ingredients are available at most local nurseries; Home Depot caries most gardening supplies as well. I don’t want you to get overwhelmed. Just about any type of soil mix will work for the beginner.
Remember cannabis is a normal plant and grows in most soils. There is no need to go too crazy with the ratios of each component. Follow each bags recommended ratios and everything should be just fine.
Light is very important for gardening and delivers the required energy required by most plants. For growing, a 250w-1000w light is required to promote flowering. Here’s a little equation for you: The larger the garden, the larger the light you’ll need. Not trying to be smart, it is just that simple.
Once you have a better understanding of the cannabis plant, it’s important to realise how much power you’ll need to keep your grow running. This mainly applies to indoor growers.
Remember, cannabis plants need a lot of light (up to 18 hours per day minimum). In order to run a successful grow indoors, you’ll need to power a quality grow light (most growers opt for 400-600W grow lights).
HID (high intensity discharge) lights include both HPS grow lights (high pressure sodium) and MH (metal halide) lights. These lights are great for putting a large amount of light over your grow with an inexpensive upfront cost.
+ Best option growing on a budget
+ Lower upfront costs
+ Higher yield weight per upfront dollar spent
- Light spectrum is not as “dialed in” as LEDs or CMH
- Higher Energy bill than LED or CMH
LED’s (light emitting diode) are cutting edge technology when it comes to plant lighting. LEDs spectrum can be engineered to give plants the exact wavelengths they need. LEDs are a more cost effective solution over their lifetime when you consider the lower monthly energy bills, less cooling, and no required lamp replacement every year.
+ Less wattage can perform equivalent to a HPS or MH
+ Many growers claim to have healthier, higher quality plants
+ Lasts 50,000 hours which is usually about 5-7 years of growing
- LEDs don’t penetrate as far down as HPS or MH
- LEDs will be more expensive than HPS, MH, or CMH
CMH (ceramic metal halide) grow lights are popular due to their efficiency over traditional HPS/MH in light output per watt and their fuller spectrum of light that increases the growth, overall health, and yield. CMH lamps have a higher color rendering index (CRI) that more closely mimics the spectrum of the sun.
+ Higher UV output means plants produce more essential oils
+ Lasts 18 months compared to 9 month HPS/MH lamps
+ The best light for plant growing competitions
- Light spectrum isn’t as precise as LED however penetration is better
- CMH fixtures do not come with air cooling flanges on them, so you cannot directly cool the fixture
6. UNDERSTAND THE COSTS
We’re not going to beat around the bush; growing weed costs money. And, depending on how professional you want to keep your grow op, you’ll likely need to invest in some expensive equipment to get you started.
The exact equipment you’ll need to grow weed indoors will vary depending on your skills as a grower and the size of your grow. Nonetheless, most indoor growers will need at least the following equipment, as well as pots, soil, and other basic grow accessories.
Grow light
Fan
Grow tent
Air filter
Light reflectors
Small ventilator
Timer
pH meter
Buying this equipment and running it will obviously take a toll on your back pocket. However, most of the equipment you’ll need to buy for your grow is reusable, and you’ll usually make your money back after just a few harvests.
Note: The costs of growing weed vary greatly. Some growers can get great results with simple $100 setups, while others will spend upwards of $1000 on a professional grow room.
The exact equipment you’ll need to grow weed indoors will vary depending on your skills as a grower and the size of your grow. Nonetheless, most indoor growers will need at least the following equipment, as well as pots, soil, and other basic grow accessories.
Grow light
Fan
Grow tent
Air filter
Light reflectors
Small ventilator
Timer
pH meter
Buying this equipment and running it will obviously take a toll on your back pocket. However, most of the equipment you’ll need to buy for your grow is reusable, and you’ll usually make your money back after just a few harvests.
Note: The costs of growing weed vary greatly. Some growers can get great results with simple $100 setups, while others will spend upwards of $1000 on a professional grow room.
Plant genetics is actually the second most important consideration. Yes, I probably should’ve listed this as 2 but give me a break. Genetics controls the quality, taste, smell, and most importantly; the high weed gives you- THC content.
If you don’t have any personal connections to get quality seeds from, there are several seed banks online that’ll ship seeds to states where recreational cannabis has been legalized. Canadian seed banks generally have the same stocks as dutch seed banks, and if they don’t, they likely have something similar.
You can also ask your local friends (that is if they enjoy cannabis) if they have any seeds from their last grow. Many people have taken up the hobby of growing cannabis at home and they likely will have some seeds for you from their last grow. Of course, you still will not know the exact strain but this is always the next best option if you cannot purchase any seeds.
If you do not have any friends the next best option would be to ask your buds tender or a local grow shop. Sometimes they have extra seeds ready to be thrown out. They usually do not mind helping a fellow grower and would hate to see the extra seeds go to waste.
Now go ahead and take a minute to absorb these main considerations when starting your own garden.
11. MONITOR YOUR PERFORMANCE
When you’re new to growing cannabis, it's important you keep tabs on all your hard work. Hence, we always recommend you take the time to document the progress of your grow.
How you do so is up to you. A simple option is to take photos of your plants on a weekly basis to document their growth and progress. Alternatively, you may want to keep a grow journal in which you note down specific details about your grow, such as the nutrients you’re using, your light schedule, and any events like pest infestations etc.
Documenting the progress of your grow allows you to keep tabs on all the various factors affecting your plants and how you dealt with them. This is especially important for new growers as it allows them to revisit their work and improve their processes.
One extra remark on this one: If you grow weed in a place where it is illegal it might be a good idea NOT to monitor your performance. When caught by the police you don't want them to find a notebook with all your grows from the last 5 years including the amounts you harvested in that time. They will use it as proof for sure.
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