Check up on the policy for where you live. Though legalization seems to be the way of the future, plenty of places are lagging behind.
Indicas tend to be shorter and more compact in size; Sativas are longer and leggier. There is also a “ruderalis” or “auto-flowering” strains of cannabis. These strains are hybrids that have been bred to have an ability to start making buds automatically after a few weeks. Auto-flowering strains are usually ready to harvest in about 3 months, and they are available in many popular or famous strains.
Herbies – Located in the United Kingdom they have over 2,500 different seed strains. They deliver worldwide and offer excellent customer service. Sensi Seeds – One of the oldest and most respected seed companies based in Amsterdam. The guys over there have spent millions of dollars on their seed stock production and they always offer amazing quality. They do not always send worldwide but you can usually buy their branded seeds from companies that do, like Herbies Sensi Seeds. Bonza Seeds – They ship worldwide, free discreet shipping, fully tracked delivery no signature required, delivery guarantee. Bonza mate! Gorilla Cannabis Seeds - These guys are UK based and offer great strains like Super Cheese Feminized with historically high 20. 94% THC levels and Jack Herer Feminized by Green House Seeds. Contact is excellent with Gorilla Seeds, they actually have a phone they answer and a price-match guarantee.
Growing weed indoors has many advantages when compared to the risks associated with growing marijuana outdoors makes, what with threats from theft and possibly the law if it is illegal to grow where you live. By growing marijuana indoors you can control the ambient conditions just exactly as you want them and grow a nice healthy cannabis plant. Growing your plant in the wild allows you to avoid any nosy neighbors and avoid being caught red-handed, but it does force you to relinquish an element of control: You can’t control the weather, disease, thieves, or how they grow. However, outside also eliminates the need for an indoor growing room, saving you loads of money initially. Hydroponics is the term for growing plants (any kind) without soil. Believe it or not, they don’t actually need it. While soil is obviously a source for nutrients, they can be had in alternative ways.
Sufficient nutrients. If you pick up a bag and it says “N-P-K = x%-y%-z%,” it’s a keeper. This is indicating the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium within the soil. A pH between 5. 9 and 6. 5. You can change it yourself, of course. Even the organic fertilizers you buy in the store tend to have pHs that are too low. [2] X Research source
Water your plant and keep it warm. When your plant sprouts, keep the soil moist and let it grow until the seedling becomes root bound. The entire pot will be filled with roots and will hold the shape of the cup when removed.
You will hopefully have more than one seed to work with because this is the dicey part. If your plant starts to grow small pods that eventually split and release pollen, you have a male plant – this contains less of the medicinal qualities and is mostly useful only for cooking. When a male appears, quickly separate it from the other (presumably female) plants and harvest it for cooking (simmering the dried plant material in butter is the most effective way).
Cut off all the buds. After they have become “crispy” on the outside, put them into a large plastic bag. On the following day remove the buds and put them in a paper bag for another week or so.
This article in no way condones the illegal sale, cultivation, or use of this plant by anyone except those with a valid medical condition and a state issued license. This is intended as a reference only.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) lights such as High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Metal Halide (MH) lights. These lights produce a lot of heat and are quite powerful, but they use more energy than other types. Fluorescent lighting. This type is great for young plants and doesn’t use very much electricity. However, once your plants get older, you’ll need to get them more light somehow. Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs). These are easy to find and also don’t use much electricity – because of that, you’ll need to stock up. These may be better used as a supplement to a different type of lighting. CFLs should be kept as close as possible to plant leaves without burning them. LED lights. As far as types go, LEDs use less electricity and produce less heat than their competitors. Though when you go about purchasing some, know that certain brands well outrank others in efficacy and durability of product. [3] X Research source The technology behind LEDs is getting more refined and the new trend is in broad-spectrum LED grow lights. They cover the 420 to 730 growing range and use 82% less electricity than the narrow-spectrum devices. They generally keep cool, don’t emit a lot of heat, and last for up to 60,000 hours.
Wick system: This uses just one pump to keep the solution aerated and a grand total of zero to keep it moving – super easy for beginners to maintain and use successfully. The plant actually takes in just the amount of solution (nutrients) it needs through the wick (a thick acrylic cord works well), giving it only what it needs. Ebb and flow system: This system uses a timed pump and reservoir to give the plants their food about 4 times a day (at least to start). You simply place the plants in pots, then place those pots in a tray that holds about 6" (15 cm) of the nutrient solution you’re using. If you’re using Rockwool, this system is ideal. Top feed growth system: This system is one of the more complex, at least mechanically. Each plant is fed at its base and any run-off is drained back into the reservoir. If you do choose this method, a 15-minute feed 3 or 4 times a day is where you should start.
If you are buying hydroponic nutrients, get the powder kind that mixes with water. It is much cheaper over the long run when you compare it with already mixed solutions.
You may also use Vermiculite, Perlite, or clay pellets (in addition to soil). Beginner growers are usually better off buying a medium from the store, whether that be brands like Pro-Mix or Sunshine. When you become more advanced you will want to save money by creating your own medium and generally they are created using the same bases such as sphagnum, peat moss or coco coir. [5] X Research source That being said, the main advantages of soil are its natural buffering ability in keeping pH constant and it is very forgiving in the event of electrical or mechanical failure when feeding or watering. After the seeds have germinated and the root is about a quarter of an inch long, place the seed, root down, on your grow cube or media in your hydroponic cups.
Start high and lower the light an inch or two daily until you think the height is right and the light emitted is being caught well by the plants. During the first stage of growth, keep the light on 18 to 24 hours a day minimum. The longer it is on, the faster the plants will grow (but the higher your electricity bill will be).
When the plants are at least 6" (15 cm) high and have 4 sets of leaves, you’re in the clear to start the flowering process. For most hydroponic plants, this takes 2-4 weeks, so be patient. When you think your greens are ready to flower, cut the light back to 12 hours a day. If your plant has reached that 6" mark and you start flowering anyway, it’ll keep growing for up to a month. It should then stop, putting all its energy into producing flowers. If you wait for it to mature a bit more, the process should only take around 10 days.
Sea of Green, or SOG, is a way of growing cannabis that forces the plants into the flowering stage when young and small. By starting the flowering phase of your marijuana plants after about two weeks of vegetative growth you can harvest many weeks earlier than you would if you grew your plants to full size. [6] X Research source Screen of Green, or SCROG, is one of the most productive systems for growing weed that there is. Cannabis plants are trained through a horizontal screen placed above them, spreading the tops of the plants along a horizontal plane and encouraging bud formation along the normally neglected branch stems. [7] X Research source
Light that is any stronger could delay flowering. Your plant could become stunted and stay in the vegetative phase, never flowering at all. When you start seeing light white hairs near the buds, your plants have started to flower. This should happen just short of or up to 2 weeks into the flowering light cycle. When your plants hit this stage, remove the male plants. Unless you have all female clones, that is. Once alone, the pistils will become the red or white hairs that turn into beautiful buds.
As the female flowers grow they form heavy “kolas” or cones. You will notice each ovary swell and tiny crystals will be visible around the flowers. The flowers will become sticky to the touch and the aroma will become pungent. As the flowers swell the white pistils begin to darken, growing from white to a reddish brown. Most growers wish to harvest marijuana plants when THC production has reached its maximum. A rough guide is to wait until around 60% of the white pistils have darkened. [8] X Research source During this time, you may notice some of the larger leaves yellowing and wilting. This is not cause for alarm and is perfectly natural. Remove these, if you’d like, to allow more light to the rest of the plant.
During this time, you may notice some of the larger leaves yellowing and wilting. This is not cause for alarm and is perfectly natural. Remove these, if you’d like, to allow more light to the rest of the plant.
Allow your plants around 4 – 7 days to dry completely. Squeeze the buds between your forefinger and thumb – is it dry? When they are, you should seal them in an airtight jar or bag. For the next few days let them breathe for 15 minutes, twice a day. This cures the buds, ensuring all water is removed and makes them better to smoke – they get a smooth, sweet taste and have an even burn.
A good, reliable source of water is mandatory. A site situated by the side of a river or stream is ideal, but remember that flooding is a risk in spring or autumn. Look for high water marks, debris in trees or water marks on rocks. Avoid areas with pine trees – the soil is probably too acidic; go for the grassy knoll. Look at what else is already growing at the site. If there are plenty of grasses, weeds and nettles then chances are the location is already blessed with decent soil and water. Woodland sites may also be worth investigating, but think about how the sunlight will filter through the canopy. When inspecting the site, think about how it’ll change over the course of the next few months. The sun will get higher (making it hotter) in the summer, getting your plants baked before you do. Find a place where your plant can get at least 5 hours of direct sunlight a day. Where will it hit in the morning, the day, and into the evening? How about over the course of the seasons?
Clear away any weeds in the immediate vicinity and dig some decent size holes; they should be at least 2 feet (0. 6 m) deep and two feet wide. It is best to replace the original soil with your own “clean” soil from the garden supply shop which should include compost and fertilizer. The original woodland soil will usually harbor a number of pests and diseases and may not be of the best quality anyway. It is a good idea to add a thick layer of mulch to the top surface of the growing area to help keep moisture in the ground below.
For the southern hemisphere (where spring begins on the 1st of September), watch for a warm spell after that date. Marijuana plants will not tolerate frost so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Plant the seeds, sideways, around 1. 25cm (1/2”) deep into your prepared soil. Make sure that they are well watered and will not dry out if there are some sunny days. In addition, make sure you keep them moist at all times. After approximately 48 hours you should start to see the first signs of the seed cracking open and the first shoots coming out.
Another solution is to devise your own sort of wick system, as discussed previously. Cut a small half pea size hole into the bottom of a 5 or 10 gallon (18. 9 or 37. 9 L) (or more) bucket or plastic container. Place the bucket near the plant and use a cloth or cotton rope to form a wick that funnels the water (or nutrient solution) from the hole in the bucket to the soil near the plant. You have to get the amount of water down pat. Too much and your plants drown (you’ll know when the leaves turn yellow); too little and they just don’t grow. You’ll end up using around 20 to 40 gallons (75. 7 to 151. 4 L) each season. It all depends on the type of soil you use, the strain, and the amount of sun your plants get.
Unlike growing marijuana indoors you have no control over the duration of the vegetative growth stage and over the course of a summer plants can become huge. But hey, at least there’s no marijuana in your house.
Repeat this process again around 3 weeks later. It may be necessary to repeat it again after a further 3 weeks, depending on your site. Most plants, by this time, should be strong enough to make their own space and crowd out weed growth. If the weather has taken an unfortunate turn of events, go check your plants for damage. Heavy winds, rains, and drought can all take their tolls on your efforts. However, don’t jump the gun – these plants can hold their own, so don’t panic if you live in Seattle. [9] X Research source
Towards the end of the summer, as the hours of daylight decrease, changing light levels will trigger your plants to produce flowers. The appearance of pre-flowers at branch junctions is what you are looking for. Male pre-flowers should be clearly visible to the eye, although a magnifying glass will make your job easier. Male flowers form at the junctions of the branches and stem and the pollen sacs form little balls. Remove these. [10] X Research source
As the flowers become ready for harvest the pistils will darken and the seed pods will be swollen and sticky with resin and THC trichomes. Once most of the pistils are dark, you’re ready!
However, guerrilla gardening isn’t always ideal, so keep an eye on the weather forecast. If extreme weather, or worse, an early frost is imminent and your plants are budding, but not fully ripe, it might be worth harvesting early. This is a judgement call and no guide can fully cover all eventualities. Harvest the buds with a clean, sharp knife. The fan leaves are usually discarded although some growers like to use them for cooking.
Some growers use microwaves to dry them out more quickly but this is detrimental to both the quality and the taste of the smoke. Don’t do it. [11] X Research source
