Do you love to spend time growing cannabis as I do? Cannabis is one of the most amazing God’s creations’ that teaches us a lot about the way nature works and the plant’s structure as well.
The final cannabis product is something every cannabis enthusiast appreciates with their heart. However, the high cannabis prices across the dispensaries have made several enthusiasts turn into growers. I have started growing cannabis a few years back, and the journey has been exciting and rewarding ever since then.
However, in my experience, growing cannabis isn’t a child’s play at all, and simply buying a few pieces of equipment with some hazy knowledge isn’t going to make you grow successfully. I know that as a beginner, you can find the information available on the Internet quite overwhelming, but guidance to the basic steps to start the journey is all you need right now!
Trust me, you will get to understand things better, and for in-depth insight, I got your back!
The U.S. cannabis industry is now estimated to be worth USD 100 billion by 2030. This means the supply of cannabis will also increase. So, if they can produce cannabis in such bulk quantity, why can’t you? I know they’re experts, but so can be you! So, refill the confidence level, buckle up and follow my lead!
Let’s dive in!
Basic Things To Know Before You Start
The very first thing that you may already be having is an insatiable passion. You need to have a burning desire to succeed against the odds. You need to be ready to work tirelessly to establish a legacy in commercial weed production.
Done? Now let’s move ahead!
Let me be your guide throughout this article and help you with every aspect and step involved in the journey to grow cannabis.
Before you start, you should know some basic things your cannabis plants need to grow, survive and stay healthy. These are:
- Light
- Air
- Water
- Growing Medium
- Nutrients
- Temperature
- pH Level
- Humidity
I insist you be prepared with all these factors before you start to grow your cannabis plants.
Step 1: Choosing The Location For Growing Your Cannabis
I have always been comfortable with the indoor location to grow my cannabis. However, it’s totally up to you where you want to grow cannabis – outdoors or indoors. I have shared some insights on both to make you choose between them easily.
Indoor Cannabis Cultivation
If growing indoors, you will need a spot with available fresh airflow and water. With a good temperature, any place around the house is right for growing cannabis. I have listed some examples where you can grow your cannabis plants indoors:
- A Spare Room
- Closet
- Grow Tent
- Plastic Barrel
- Homemade Grow Box
Outdoor Cannabis Cultivation
For outdoor cannabis cultivation, I suggest choosing a spot with a warm and sunny climate. Also, don’t forget to choose the right cannabis strain for outdoor cultivation.
- You can grow cannabis outdoor wither in your garden or private area for easy control.
- You can also start guerilla growing for peaceful cultivation.
Step 2: Determining The Growing Medium That You Wanna Use
I have experience growing cannabis in multiple mediums, the soil being the most common of them. I have prepared a list of growing mediums for you:
- Soil
- Soilless mix like coco coir
- Aeroponics
- Hydroponics
- Aquaponics
If you’re a new grower, I suggest you start with simple soil or soilless mix. Try mediums like hydroponics once you grow cannabis for 2-3 seasons.
Step 3: Choosing The Ideal Grow Lights That Suits You
Lighting has become one of the most crucial aspects of successful cannabis growth—the better the quality of lights, the greater the yield and better the bud quality.
You may ask what exactly I meant by good lights and what kind of lights to use? Well, depending on your budget, there can be several lighting options to choose from:
- HPS (High-Pressure Sodium) light
- LEC (Light Emitting Ceramic) or CMH (Ceramic Metal Halide) lights
- Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (mostly known as CFL’s) and household LED’s
- LED lights
If you’re an outdoor grower, you have the natural greatest light source for your cannabis plants- the Sun!
Step 4: Buying Some High-Quality Cannabis Seeds/Clones
With everything being set up, you can fetch yourself with a few gifts of Mother Nature! Depending on your living location, I recommend placing an order for your seeds/clones on the Internet.
Always order your cannabis seeds from a well-reputed seed bank like the Homegrown Cannabis Co, as they assure the seed quality and its gender. In my opinion, ordering seeds online is the most convenient way to get high-quality seeds for your cannabis cultivation.
Step 5: Growing Nutrients And The Right pH Level
I always advise my grower friends to maximize their cannabis productivity with the help of optimal cannabis nutrients. The overall health and potency of the buds mainly depend on their nutrient feeding. Here are some tips:
- In the growing stage, the plants mainly need two of these nutrients: nitrogen and magnesium.
- You can use bloom nutrients like bloom stimulators and nutrient boosters for rich, dense, and heavy buds with high potency in the flowering stage.
Also, I strongly recommend you maintain the right pH levels for your cannabis plants. If the pH level’s too high or too low, your cannabis plants will undergo significant issues with the absorption of water and nutrients that can turn catastrophic for your plant’s overall health.
You can use a pH meter or a testing kit to know the pH level. Always try to maintain the pH level on the soil between 6.0 and 7.0, and keep a pH range of 5.5-6.5 when growing on hydroponics.
Step 6: Start Germinating Your Seeds Now!
Before planting, you have to go through the germination phase. If you want to germinate your seeds easily, here are some suggestions to help!
Fold your seeds over a moist piece of paper and keep them in a cool and dark place for a few days. Remember to keep the paper moist until you find the seeds popping as the root emerges.
Take a pot with a water-holding capacity of one-gallon water, which can also drain off excess water. Now, add the preferred growing medium to the pot, and plant your seeds. You must cover the seeds on the pot and water them appropriately.
Step 7: Vegetative Stage Of Your Cannabis Plants
Now comes the vegetative stage of your cannabis growth. So far, so simple, right? Well, if you keep following the tips and steps, nothing will be daunting.
In this phase, the cannabis plants consist of few leaves and are kept under 18 hours of light exposure and the remaining hours of darkness for the best results from photosynthesis.
If growing indoors, you will enjoy access and control over the lighting timing. You can also control the humidity, temperature, and CO2 level. Try to keep the temperature between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, put pest control measures and do close monitoring of your plants at this phase.
Step 8: Flowering Stage Of Your Cannabis Plants
In this stage, your cannabis plants start to develop buds. Isn’t it all you waited for so long? Well, it’s finally happening! This stage lasts for about 7-9 weeks and is often referred to as the stretch phase. You will find some strain to double up their height in this stage.
This rapid growth at the flowering stage raises the importance of feeding them nutrients adequately and efficiently. The cannabis plants will need considerable amounts of nutrients like potassium and phosphorus, nitrogen, magnesium, etc.
Try to keep the room temperature around 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 9: Get Started With Harvesting And Dry Your Buds
Do you think that your cannabis plants are still ripe for harvesting? Stop feeding them nutrients! This process is referred to as flushing. You can check your buds o see if they’re ready for harvest or not. If the trichomes have a half-clear color, your cannabis plants are ready to harvest.
Take some tools like shears or gardening scissors to cut and remove the buds gently and efficiently. After trimming the buds, you can dry them by placing them upside down at average room temperature on a hanger.
Step 10: Time For Curing Your Hard-Earned Nugs!
The final step comes down to curing. Here, the buds are kept in an airtight Mason jar or container and stored in a cool and dark storage room or location. You must open the jar once a day to let the moisture come out of the jar. After three weeks, your buds will be ready to smoke and use.
I hope this guide has given all the valuable insight that you need to start the journey as a cannabis grower. Happy growing! Go Green!
