Ten Tips for Growing Marijuana at Home (If Your State Allows It)

Many states and countries are coming to terms with the need for medical and recreational marijuana in society and allowing growing use for certain age groups. Growing is still controlled though with most US states only allowing you to grow six plants so if you are going to enjoy a high yield from that few plants, you have to choose the best strain and grow it in the best environment. Acquiring the best seeds and setting up the best conditions to grow your plants is not cheap so you want to get everything right from the beginning. You need to remember that your seeds need to be sprouted before you pot them and ensure that you have a sufficient supply of air and lighting. Here are the top tips to help you get it right.

Start small

Growing any plants indoors is an intense process and mistakes are bound to happen. Since you can’t get it all right in one day, it is better to make sure these mistakes are not costly which is why fewer plants are a smart way to start. Sprout three to four plants at first and set them up in the space you have and if you can manage the lighting, CO2, humidity and temperature perfectly, then you can consider adding more plants. There is no hurry when growing indoors because you are in charge of the conditions so you can always sprout more seeds and add them to the pots next to what is already established.

Get the best lighting your money can buy

Cannabis plants need 12 to 18 hours of light every day until they start flowering, so if you are growing them indoors, it is why to deal with light first because they are the elephant in the room. The best light for the plants is an LED growing light which can be expensive but they are great because they don’t become too hot when they are on for long hours and also don’t need to be replaced when plants are flowering. If you only have one plant to grow or don’t have the money for LEDs, then you can use fluorescent bulbs.

Evaluate the room before choosing your strain

Don’t fall for the lie that you only need enough room for your plants to grow. You will have to come in and water the plants, check the medium and change the pots and also set up the fans, sometimes a dehumidifier as well as the lights. All these setups need enough room to work perfectly. It is therefore important to choose a decent room, preferably, one that you are comfortable standing in. Controlling the conditions in a room only can also become tough sometimes which is why you should think about buying a growing tent instead.

Your growing medium

There are many mediums for growing cannabis but soil remains the cheapest and most readily available medium that you can find anywhere. However, coco coir often delivers better yields because it allows the roots to reach deeper and access nutrients. Coco also offers better aeration for roots. You can still use soil as long as you will nourish it properly and make sure you sterilize it before you put it in the plants. You can also mix your soil with perlite or coco coir to make it easy for roots to reach nutrients and also reduce the chances of over-watering.

Use fibre pots whenever possible

You will of course need saucers or pans to hold overflowing water but they make better potting mediums than clay and plastic pots. Fibre has better aeration and also retains only as much water as the plant needs reducing the chances of damping. You can also use the overflow from fabric to test the Ph and nutrition of your medium which is essential at every stage of growth.

Choosing the best seeds for you

There are thousands of complicated hybrid seeds on the market nowadays and some people assume that the more expensive they are the better they will be. However, the most important thing to remember is that Indica bending hybrids mature faster and are hardier so they can tolerate a novice more than Sativa bending hybrids. If you trust your growing conditions, you can take your chances with a Sativa strain though because they grow taller and give bigger yields. If you are a starter, you can choose seeds that tolerate most mistakes and not necessarily yield-focused. Feminized seeds are the surest way to get a yield and they will help you save time and space.

Keep the room dry and clean

If an infection sneaks into your growing room, there is a high chance you will lose all of your plants. The main source of infection is unsterilized soil or manure when added to the medium. Stagnant water in the growing room may also lead to the spread of bacteria and other pathogens. It is important to clean the room effectively and ensure that there is minimal traffic in and out of the room to reduce the risks of infection.

Fresh air is a must

Many people wonder whether they should just keep their plants in the room or tent and open the window or whether a fan is a must. The answer is that as long as you have more than three plants, you need two fans and not one. It is important to keep your fans rolling and place them strategically until you notice that all your plants swaying as they would in an open field. You need an intake fan which should be located on the lowest opening of your growing room, preferable at the same level as the pots. An outlet fan should be mounted above the plants and also near an opening to expel the hot air that usually floats above the fresh air. When giving your plants additional CO2, you should turn the fans off for a few minutes.

Be thorough with the watering

Some people say that you should water when you notice signs of wilting on your leaves but if you are smart, you will never let that happen. You need to keep your plants sufficiently watered by ensuring that every gallon of soil you have has a minimum of ½ litre of water every time. Using a fibre-based pot allows you to keep the water levels at the optimum when you water twice or thrice a week without becoming waterlogged.

Invest in a reliable control system

You need to test the soil pH, humidity, temperature and CO2 concentration in your growing room on a daily basis. Remembering to turn the lights on and off after 16 to 18 hours in the vegetative stage and every 12 hours in the flowering stage is not easy. If you can get a timer and connect it to your lighting, it will be more effective. The same goes for a thermostat to turn on your exhaust fan as soon as the temperature goes above 82 degrees to ensure proper CO2 levels as well as temperature management.

Are you allowed to grow Marijuana at home? If so, did any of these tips help? Or do you have better tips? If so why not let us know in the comments below.