If you have recently entered the world of growing cannabis, it can feel overwhelming. Luckily, it doesn’t have to feel so complicated. Here are newbie tips for growing cannabis and what you should consider.
Use Proper Lighting & Growing Mediums
As you set up your farm, the tools you need to grow cannabis—such as lighting and growing mediums—are some considerations that can affect your harvest. If you grow cannabis indoors, some lighting options include the following:
- Regular LEDs
- Fluorescent lighting
- Growing LEDs
- Natural sunlight
Growth mediums, on the other hand, provide physical support to plants, hold available water and nutrients, and allow root respiration. If roots have adequate space, aeration, water, and nutrient availability, cannabis can grow steadily and healthily. While soil is a traditional growing medium for cannabis, many growers use hydroponic and coco coir for beautiful, healthy harvests.
Gently Use Fertilizers & Additives
While using fertilizers and nutrient additives can improve cannabis growth, try not to go overboard. Fertilizers have similarities to multivitamins, as they provide a broad spectrum of nutrition to plants. However, too much of a good thing can lead to problems for your cannabis.
Cannabis plants don’t require much fertilizer—just enough to prevent vitamin deficiencies. Too much can result in a nutrient burn, reducing yield amounts. Furthermore, fertilizers can cause a noticeable chemical-like taste and smell, along with reduced THC content.
To avoid this, only provide half a daily recommendation of fertilizer, amping it up if your plants show signs of nutrient deficiency.
Ensure Sufficient Ventilation
Another crucial cannabis growing tip for beginners is to ensure adequate airflow for your plants. Adequate airflow helps prevent mold accumulation and nutrient burn. Otherwise, insufficient airflow can become a festering ground for spider mites, gnats, fungi, and other pests. New growers can quickly resolve many issues they encounter by incorporating proper airflow.
Practice Proper Harvesting, Drying, & Curing
Many new cannabis growers harvest their crops either too soon or too late. Knowing when to harvest cannabis requires patience and a keen eye. One tip to follow is to rely on the buds. Harvesting time is on the horizon if your buds aren’t producing new white hairs. Closely observe hair on the buds of your cannabis. You can begin harvesting them when half of the hairs become dark, indicating the compounds in the buds have reached their highest concentration level.
Once harvested, hang dry the buds upside down in a dark, well-ventilated room. Follow up with curing them in dark, sealed containers, only opening them once a day for a minute to allow dry air in and push moisture out. As long as there’s no mold or condensation and tests look good, you can stop the curing process after three weeks minimum.
