Properly Grow Your Own Cannabis With These Expert Tips
The cannabis plant is a hardy and resilient organism, but it takes some know-how to grow your own. Cannabis plants can be grown indoors or out and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you're looking for expert tips on how to grow your own cannabis properly, then this article is for you! We have compiled the best advice from growers worldwide into one comprehensive guide that will help ensure success no matter what type of plant you are growing.
Check on the tips below.
Find the Right Growing Conditions
The first step to any successful cannabis growing project is finding the right place. The ideal location has plenty of natural sunlight but not too much direct heat from the sun and an insulated and sealed space without drafts (especially if you are indoors). One of the attributes the best stealth grow box should have is that it should retain some moisture while draining excess water. It should also provide the plant with plenty of room to grow.
If you're indoors, make sure the space is well-lit with natural light from a window. You can also supplement this with artificial lights if need be; remember that too much light will stunt growth, and not enough will cause stretching towards any available source.
Make Sure Your Cannabis Has Enough Light
Indoors, cannabis needs 12-16 hours of light each day. Outdoors, it should get at least eight hours per day in the summer and less as days grow shorter with fall and winter on its way. Remember that you will need to supplement artificial lights during periods when there is no natural sunlight available; you can do this by using a timer to control the hours of artificial light.
When you're indoors, make sure your plant is in an area where it will get as much natural sunlight from a window as possible. If needed, you can also supplement this with artificial lights (just remember, too much light can stunt growth, and not enough can cause stretching towards any available source). It requires the same needs as growing a vegetable garden. Therefore, ensure that all the supplies are available.
You Should also Provide Plenty of Water and Nutrients for the Plant to Grow
Cannabis plants need both water and nutrients to thrive. If the plant gets too much or not enough of either one, it will start showing signs in its leaves (too little water causes leaf edges to turn brown).
Water is a simple solution you can provide by using a sprayer such as an overhead watering system for cannabis plants to mist the leaves. You can also use a container with some water in it so that you don't need to worry about getting too close and damaging delicate plant parts such as buds or flowers.
The nutrients provided by soil are its natural food source. Still, if you're using hydroponics, then supplements like this top-grade cannabis fertilizer will provide the plant with all the necessary nutrients.
Be Careful Not to Overwater or Overfeed the Plant
This is a common mistake even experienced growers make, as cannabis plants can't tell you they need more water or nutrients. As long as the leaves have some space between each other and don't show any signs of wilting, then it should be just fine. Plants will let you know if they're thirsty by drooping their leaves towards the floor.
Keep an eye out for any sign that the plant is hungry, which could include new leaves turning a dark green color or brown spots on older leaves (signs of nutrient deficiency). You can provide food by adding some fertilizer to your soil mix and letting it work its way in so that nutrients are available over time instead of all at once.
When you Have a Healthy Plant, Prune Back any Leaves That are Touching Each Other to Let More Air Circulate
Too many leaves touching each other will lead to a lack of circulation, resulting in the plant getting diseased and going downhill. You'll need to periodically prune your plant back to bring it down to an appropriate size for its space so that it has room enough for all its growth needs.
Some growers believe that you should only prune back the leaves on the bottom of your plant, but doing so will cause too much light to be directed at those topmost buds (which can result in them getting a sunburn). Instead, make sure to prune all over and keep an eye out for any sign of wilting or disease.
Harvest When the Flower Turns Brown and Dry Out Completely
When the flowers on your cannabis plant turn brown and become dry, that's a sign they're ready to be harvested. If you wait too long after this point, then instead of getting the psychoactive effect from THC in its buds (as is desired), all you'll get will be seeded with little or no potency at all.
The best way to harvest is with scissors; cut the buds off as close to the stem as you can. You'll want to cure them by drying or smoking cannabis after it's been harvested, which will cause THC levels in its flowers and leaves to rise.
Store Your Dried Cannabis in an Airtight Container With as Little Oxygen Exposure As Possible
Store your dried cannabis in an airtight container with as little oxygen exposure as possible to keep them from going bad. Put it in a dark, cool place so that the flowers can stay fresh for longer periods of time (although if you're using cannabis flowers for cooking or making oil, then they should be kept out of direct light).
You'll want to store the leaves in a different container, as they're prone to going bad much faster and releasing their oils. There's nothing wrong with using cannabis leaves for edibles or topicals, but you'll want to keep them separate from your buds (which are used only for smoking).
Whether you're a novice grower or an expert, there are plenty of things to keep in mind when it comes to cultivating cannabis. From how much light your plant needs and what nutrients it should have to make sure the leaves on top aren't touching each other or being exposed too long to oxygen- these tips will help ensure that you end up with healthy plants bursting at the seams with potent buds. Have any of these cultivation ideas helped increase your yield?
