As the legalization of cannabis becomes more widespread throughout different countries and the negative stereotypes that have been previously attached to cannabis are slowly being forgotten, more people start to talk about their cannabis habits. If you are one of those people and you’re ready to venture into the field of growing your own cannabis, then this article is for you.
Here are the things you need to remember – A Guide On How To Grown Cannabis By Sativa Bliss Cannabis.
GROWING CANNABIS 101: 10-STEPS GUIDE FOR BEGINNERS
For most cannabis enthusiasts who are trying to grow their own plants, it can feel so tedious. This is because of the common misinformation that you might have seen or heard from just anyone. Growing cannabis should never be complicated and we are here to stop that.
Remember that your situation may not necessarily be the same but here’s a 10-steps guide for you to start growing your own cannabis indoors:
STEP #1: KNOW YOUR LOCATION
Cannabis reacts differently when grown indoor and outdoor. You must know exactly where you plan to grow your cannabis. Growing cannabis indoors usually takes more investments but because of this, you can also expect to grow your plants faster because you have a lot more compare in comparison to outdoor growing.
STEP #2: PROPER LIGHTING
As mentioned earlier cannabis growing reacts differently to its environment and this includes proper lighting. Knowing what type of lighting and how it affects your specific strain is important. These are some of the lights you can utilize when growing your cannabis:
- The Sun
- Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) & Household LEDs
- Other Fluorescent Lighting (T5 / T8)
- LEC (CMH) grow lights
- LED grow lights
- Metal Halide (MH) & High-Pressure Sodium (HPS)
STEP #3: CHOOSE YOUR GROWING MEDIUM
There are plenty of ways to grow your own cannabis plant. The success of your planting needs to know which route will be the best for you. The most common way of growth mediums for the cannabis plant is through, soils, soilless mix, hydroponics or directly in water, and other hydroponics. Lesser-known hydroponics of growing cannabis includes aeroponics where the roots are suspended in the air and are misted and aquaponics where the plant is grown in a tank with fish.
Make sure that you understand what each growing method is and how they work before choosing one to stick with the base on your unique situation.
STEP #4: NUTRIENT SCHEDULING
Depending on which method you use to grow your cannabis proper nourishment is needed either through the soil or through the water. There are plenty of ways on how you can introduce nutrients to your plant. Remember that without this you will not succeed in growing your own plant.
STEP #4B: IMPORTANCE OF PH LEVELS IN PROPER NOURISHMENT
Alongside proper nutrient scheduling, you also need to consider the pH level of your water. This is another environmental factor that you must consider vitally. When growing through a soil medium you need to maintain a 6.0 – 7.0 pH level. While a 5.5 – 6.5 pH level would be enough for hydroponics methods.
STEP #5: HOW AND WHERE TO ACQUIRE CANNABIS PLATS
Make sure that you acquire your seeds or clones through a valid source. You don’t have to worry because plenty of cannabis dispensaries are selling these as well. Another advantage of knowing where you get your seeds or clones is that you’ll know exactly what strain it is and what it needs to grow optimally.
STEP #6: THE START OF LIFE
You need to germinate your seeds first before anything else. This is where life begins for your cannabis-growing journey. There are plenty of ways to do this, but the most common and efficient way of doing it is using the paper towel method. This uses the cannabis seeds themselves, 2 plates, paper towels, water, and a place to plant sprouted seeds.
Take note that if you are using a rooted clone that you can proceed to the next step.
STEP #7: DEVELOPING AND GROWING YOUR PLANT – THE VEGETATIVE STAGE
Once you see the first leaves grow, they will just grow from there. Usually, it takes around three (3) to five (5) months of growth time before you can properly harvest your plants. This is for an indoor setting. The buds and the flowers aren’t seen in the vegetative stage yet, here you will only focus on developing and strengthening your plant in preparation for the flowering stage.
STEP #8: THE BUDS AND FLOWER ARE HERE – THE FLOWERING STAGE
For first-time cannabis growers, this is usually the most exciting part. Here you will have to make some changes to your routine because the needs of the plant will change. Changes that you need to consider are changing your light schedule to 12-12 and identify the gender of the cannabis plants, and after doing so you need to must remove any males.
To identify the female and male plants you have to carefully study the plants. For females, you are looking at the tops of branch joints because females have wispy white hairs growing in this area. While males don’t instead they start growing balls/pollen sacs.
As exciting as this step is, it is also arguably the most crucial part. Since most plants, if not treated well start to see drastic decay if not nurtured with proper nutrients well.
STEP #9: HARVEST YOUR CANNABIS
It is important to know when it is time to harvest your plant. These are the indicators that will help you known when it’s time. When the buds of your cannabis stop growing new white hairs. This means that the cannabis is already plumped and ready to be harvested. Secondly, make sure that fifty to seventy percent (50% – 70%) of the hairs have darkened. Because it is at this moment when the THC levels are highest. Harvesting when the hairs have darkened at eighty to ninety percent (80% – 90%) is the time when you need more couchlock. This phase is needed to get the anti-anxiety effect that you get once some of the THC has been transformed into the more relaxing CBN.
STEP #10: DRY & CURE YOUR BUDS LIKE A PROFESSIONAL
To get the best results you need to make sure you dry and culture your cannabis well. How to cure your buds? Well, it’s quite simple actually, first, you need to have them sealed tightly in a closed quart-sized jar and store them in a dark place. Make sure that you have roughly three-fourths (3/4) of the jar filled. Curing your buds can last from one to two weeks or even up to a month depending on your preference. Personally, we suggest that you cure your buds in no less than thirty (30) days. During the first two weeks, you’ll have to open the jars for a few seconds just to get fresh air inside the jar and to release some moisture that has been built up inside the curation process.
THREE COMMON MISTAKES TO AVOID
STOP EXPERIMENTING SPONTANEOUSLY! This is a common mistake that first-time grower makes, this can result to the sudden death of your plant.
REMEMBER YOUR SCHEDULE! Nurture your plants well because cannabis growing requires proper focus on adding nutrients to the soil or water to grow your plants the best.
LEARN TO FORM OTHERS’ MISTAKES! Don’t be afraid to ask and learn.
While you are learning the ins and outs of growing your own cannabis, grab your best quality cannabis products from flowers, rolls, concentrates, and more at Sativa Bliss! Check out our website to know more information! Don’t miss out and good luck on your new ventures!
