Growing Cannabis: 10 Tips for Success with Growing Your Own Weed

growing cannabis

Growing Cannabis & Where to Start

Ever thought about growing your own cannabis? It’s a great hobby akin to gardening. But, instead of being left with a bunch of tomatoes, you’ll yield a crop that’s a lot more fun.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a green thumb.

Once you learn the proper steps, you’ll realize it’s easier to do than you think. With some patience and THC–sorry, TLC–your pot plants will be thriving in no time.

You’ll find a sense of pride in growing your own pot. Plus, you can cut out the middle man and get high on your own supply.

If any of this piques your interest that you must read these ten tips for growing cannabis. You’ll be sprouting buds in no time.

 

1. The Better the Cannabis Soil, the Better the Cannabis

It’s no accident we listed this tip at the top of our list. Nothing will affect the quality of your cannabis more than the quality of the soil you choose to grow it in.

You feed children nutritious food to help them grow, right? Well, your cannabis child needs nutritious food too.

The best thing for your plant is living soil.

This specialty soil contains all the nutrients, good bacterias, and friendly fungus your cannabis needs. Growing in living soil ensures that your plant meets its full genetic potential.

 

2. Say No to Clones

Once you’ve chosen your soil, you need to figure out what to put in it. You have two options: clone plants or seeds.

A clone is cut from a previously grown plant. It would seem like starting with an already developed plant would be a nice head start.

In fact, a clone can actually set you back.

Not only are they difficult to transplant, but they also come with a lot of baggage. Clones carry weaknesses and diseases from their mother plants. You could be setting yourself up for failure.

Growing from seeds may seem intimidating. But you’ll get a stronger, more fertile plant in the long run.

 

4. It’s All About Location, Location, Location

Soil? Check. Seeds? Check. Now, it’s time to pick an area to put them all.

Cannabis is a very picky plant. Its growing location is paramount to its success. Ideally, you live in a location with eighteen hours of light, slight humidity, and gentle breezes.

If you don’t live in one of those idyllic climates, don’t fret! You can replicate it inside.

The advantage to indoor growing is that you will have complete control of your environment. You’ll need lights, humidifiers, fans, and a closed-off spot in your home.

You can never fully replicate the value of the sun. But, this small, controlled set up is ideal for first-time growers.

 

5. Be Afraid of the Dark

Like all plants, cannabis needs light to survive. Do you remember Photosynthesis from high school bio? This process gives plants the energy it needs to grow by absorbing energy from the sun.

Your indoor grow lamps will be the sun providing energy for your starving cannabis. The best bulbs are high output fluorescents. They should be positioned no more than four inches away from the sprouting plant.

You also need to replicate nighttime by shutting the lamps off for approximately six hours a day. This will give your plants the rest they need to grow big and strong.

 

6. Don’t Over-Water When Growing Cannabis!

After nutrients and light, water completes a plant’s healthy diet. But like all things, moderation is key.

Your plant will tell you if it’s being overwatered. Its leaves curl up away from the pot when they’ve had enough.

Too much water will drown your roots and your plant will stop growing. Since there’s no way to give roots CPR, it’s best to under-water rather than over.

 

8. If You’re Comfortable, Your Cannabis is Comfortable

Your plant is just like you. It prefers a nice temperature of around 74 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re too hot or too cold, then you can be certain your plant is too.

This is very important to be aware of. While you might just feel uncomfortable, your plant could be at risk of death.

To avoid this, place a thermometer in your growing space and checking it regularly.

 

7. Don’t Be Your Plant’s Only Fan

Cannabis plants need airflow to prosper. If you’re growing indoors, you most likely don’t have a moderate breeze flowing through your home.

That’s why you need fans. Stagnant air can cause unwanted mold and bacteria to grow on your cannabis. Fans, used together with exhaust systems, can ensure quality flow.

Both you and your plant will breath better with adequate air circulation.

 

9. Be Prudent With Your Pruning

If all the above conditions are met, your cannabis will be prospering in no time. But, there’s still much work to be done.

To get the biggest growth possible, you need to diligently prune your plant. That means cutting off the plant’s lower nodes. Lower nodes won’t receive enough light. By removing them, you’re saving energy for the rest of your plant.

 

10. Dry and Cure the Buds

Drying and curing your buds is probably the most important part of this whole process. Any moisture left on your buds could result in mold destroying your harvest.

To dry them, you need to place your buds on a rack in a temperature-controlled space with good airflow. Curing is done by storing the dried buds in mason jars.

The more diligent you are with your drying and curing, the better results you’ll have with your cannabis.

 

Growing Cannabis is Easy with These 10 Tips

Growing cannabis takes commitment and patience. But, if you’re willing to learn and put in the effort, anyone can do it.

Interested in trying this hobby out yourself? Then get started on the right foot by providing your plants with the best soil possible. Check out our living soil now and get on your way to growing!

Start growing cannabis the easy way

Quality super soil that yields high results with minimal effort.

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When to Harvest 101

HARVEST….It’s the time you have been waiting for! In preparation for your big day, you will want to be sure to flush your plants with water only for at least 7 days prior to harvest to ensure the removal of any salt build up and remaining nutrients from the soil to reduce
the harsh sensation that may be experienced when smoking finished product. Ideally, by the time of harvest, your plants will be yellowing, further aiding in the reduction of any harsh flavor. Remember, flower will burn to white ash as an indicator that your plants have been
properly flushed. Please note that if you are using living soil as your selected medium, you will not experience any salt build-up and therefore will have no need to flush your plants.

Knowing when to harvest your cannabis does not need to be scary or overwhelming. As a grower, you have just spent the last 90 to 120 days taking care of clones or seedlings to create strong roots, vegging your plants to perfection and finally, flowering your plants for peak performance. So, when is the right time to harvest? There is no definitive answer as everyone has their own metrics and ideal characteristics for determining the best time for harvesting plants. The technique that I have developed through years of experience, is a combination of trial and error and the knowledge that has been bestowed upon me by masters of the craft.

Please utilize the following information as a basic guideline for monitoring your plant’s trichomes as you experiment to find what works best for your desired preference of your end-product. Trichomes (traɪkoʊmz or trɪkoʊmz), from the Greek τρίχωμα (trichōma) meaning “hair”, are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists that are of diverse structure and function. On the cannabis plant, they are the source of the cannabinoids, the molecular chemical compounds such as THC, CBD, CBG, and CBC among others. In the final flowering stage trichomes appear clear like a crystal.

Step 1. Examine the trichomes, using a magnifying glass or scope for an enhanced view, to observe closely enough to allow you to see the full spectrum of color contained within.

Step 2. Through your magnified observations, trichomes should ideally appear as either clear, milky or cloudy in color, indicating that the plant is ripe and is ready to harvest. By contrast, clear color is a sign that trichomes are not yet ripe and are not ready for harvest. An amber color means the trichrome is naturally converting to CBN, which provides for a calming relaxing effect.

Step 3. Everyone has a different ideal trichome ratio, however, I look for at least 75% milky trichomes with roughly 5% to 10% turning amber in color, and the remaining trichomes being clear. Depending on the desired end effect when consumed, you can let the trichome ratio go up or down on the amber scale to give you a more relaxed experience with more amber trichomes versus a less relaxed experienced with fewer amber trichomes.

The white and/or red hairs, known as pistils, on the flowers are another vital indicator to identify when harvesting. These hairs will appear as white throughout most of the flower cycle, turning either yellow, orange and then finally red as the plant begins to mature. Most experienced growers will harvest at the plants’ peak potency when the hairs have turned 70% to 80% red. For new growers who are not sure when to harvest, wait for at least 50% of the hairs to turn red before harvesting. This will give you enough understanding of how to improve your process for the next harvest by adjusting the ratios for your desired results from the effects, taste, and experience.

Harvesting plants can be the most exciting time for a grower. Ensuring you harvest plants at their peak potency can be a calculated process with minimal trial and error. Get to know each strain and the unique characteristics and nuances that make each one unique and learn when the best time is to harvest for peak yield, cannabinoid profile, terpene expression, and overall performance.

Stay tuned for “How to Harvest” and “How to Cure”.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ellis Smith is co-founder and Chief Development Officer of American Cannabis Company (ACC). He has more than 20 years of horticulture experience in the specialty cut flower market, operating indoor gardens which helped him understand complex growing systems. As a cannabis grower, he developed an all natural soil medium known as SoHum Living Soil® which is used by hundreds of commercial cannabis operations. As CDO of ACC, Mr. Smith is also responsible for the design and construction of more than 1 million square feet of cannabis grow space in the U.S. and Canada.