Beginner Guide
Growing cannabis plants can be one of the best experiences and if you want to start this
rewarding journey, this beginner’s guide for growing cannabis indoors at home is ideal for you.
In this article, we will delve into the different stages of growing cannabis indoors for
beginners mainly focusing on Selecting your grow medium, choosing the right grow lights,
watering, and pH levels, maintaining Air Circulation, offering adequate nutrients, and harvesting.
Key Elements for Growing Cannabis Indoors
Selecting the Ideal Indoor Location
Setting up your indoor growing space can be costly as you will need to invest in grow lights, ventilation systems, climate control equipment, and potentially hydroponic systems. Other expenses that will be costly include electricity and water bills. When choosing a space, look for areas where you easily regulate light and the environment. This includes areas such as a spare room, a basement, or even a large closet.​
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Choosing the Correct Growing Medium
Soil is the common medium for growing and it's the best for beginners because its natural components can help sustain the plant. It's best to choose high-quality, nutrient-rich soil that contains components like peat moss, compost, perlite, or vermiculite.
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Understanding Nutrients and pH levels
Every cannabis plant needs proper nutrition for healthy growth. Primary nutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) can significantly impact the development and the quality of your Cannabis yield. When growing indoors ensure to check the pH level of your growing medium and water. For better nutrient absorption aim for a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0.
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Picking the Right Strain
Strain selection is a pivotal step in a successful cannabis cultivation experience. Some strains are more forgiving and easier to grow, which is ideal for beginners. Look for strains that are easier to grow, resistant to common pests and diseases, and aren’t too demanding in terms of nutrients and light. These types of strains are ideal for beginners. The three types of cannabis seeds include.
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Regular Seeds: These seeds can produce either male or female cannabis plants. Therefore, during the flowering stage, remove any male plants and keep only the females because male plants reduce potency and yield.
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Feminized Seeds: These seeds are genetically modified to only produce female plants and maximize potency and yield.
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Auto-flower Seeds: These seeds are great for beginners. Autoflowering cannabis seeds are ideal for beginners because they automatically transition from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage, regardless of the light cycle.
Setting Up Your Lighting
When growing indoors, you are away from sunlight which means proper lighting becomes a critical component for indoor growers. Common Types of Grow Lights include:
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High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights
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Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lights
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Fluorescent Lights
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When positioning your lights, ensure they are placed at the correct distance from the plants. Avoid placing it too close or too far and adjust the height of the lights as your plants grow. When it comes to coverage, ensure the light covers the entire growing space evenly. The larger your grow space, the larger the size and number of lights you’ll need.​​​
Controlling Cannabis Odor for Indoor Growers
As a beginner indoor grower, you will realize that it can be challenging to manage strong scents, particularly during the flowering stage. The best way to effectively control cannabis odor indoors is through Carbon Filters (Carbon Scrubbers), or Odor-Absorbing Gels.​
When to Harvest Cannabis Plants
Indicators of Maturity
The main indicator that shows a plant is ready for harvest is the trichome color. When the trichomes on the buds shift from clear to cloudy white, it’s a sign of complete maturity. Another indicator of maturity is the color of the pistil. When the pistil becomes darkened and curled, the plant is ready for harvest.​
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Harvesting Cannabis Buds
The best way to harvest your cannabis is by cutting the branches individually or cutting the whole plant from the base. Make sure you have harvest tools such as sharp scissors or pruners, gloves, and trays or lines for hanging buds for a great harvesting experience.
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Drying Cannabis Buds
After harvesting, trim off excess leaves and hang the buds or branches in a dark room with good ventilation for about 1-2 weeks. The buds become ready when the stems become easily breakable rather than durable. After drying your buds, begin curing them in airtight containers. When curing, open the containers daily to let moisture out and fresh air in.
Bottom Line
This indoor cultivation guide for beginners is a rewarding journey. As you pass each step you will better understand your plant's essentials. Commitment to your plants is also pivotal to a successful harvest.
Intermediate Guide
If you want to grow cannabis indoors, taking care of your plant throughout its life cycle from
seed to matured plant can be a rewarding process. This intermediate guide will cover the basics
of growing cannabis indoors especially lighting which is an essential aspect of indoor growing.
Advanced Techniques for Maximum Yield Indoors
ScrOG (Screen of Green)
ScrOG is a technique that creates an even canopy of light distribution. It deals with using a mesh screen to train plants to grow horizontally. This method ensures that light touches all parts of the plant, leading to optimal development of the plants.
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SOG (Sea of Green)
SOG maximizes plant count: SOG works well for smaller grow spaces where the objective is to grow many small plants close together. The goal of this method is to achieve a high plant density to maximize yields.
Understanding Light Cycles
Vegetative Stage (Veg)
Cannabis strains will do well when placed under an 18/6 light cycle. This means keeping the plants under 18 hours of light followed by 6 hours of darkness each day. This high period of light is essential for vegetative growth.
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Flowering Stage (Flower)
The best way to trigger the flowering stage and bud development is to switch to a 12/12 light cycle. This means your plants experience 12 hours of light followed by 12 hours of darkness each day.
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Autoflowers
Autoflowering strains are unique since they don’t depend on light cycles to flower. These strains transition naturally into the flowering stage as they reach maturity. You can expose your plants to 20 hours of light and 4 hours of darkness throughout their entire growth.
Maximizing Cannabis Production with Light Cycles
For Regular Plants
During the growing phase, switch to an 18/6 light cycle. This means providing 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness each day. During the transition flowering stage, switch to a 12/12 light cycle by providing 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness daily.
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For Auto-Flowering Plants
Here, simplicity is key since these plants don’t need changes in their light schedule. Use a 20/4 light cycle by giving them 20 hours of light and 4 hours of darkness every day, from beginning to end.
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Special Light Techniques
Allow your plants to grow for a timeframe longer with up to 24 hours of light a day to increase
their sizes before they start flowering.
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Some reports note that shorter periods of darkness of around 10-12 hours during flowering might
result in the plant producing more cannabis.
Pest Prevention Tips
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Proper ventilation prevents moisture buildup and stops pests from destroying your plants
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Clean your environment and get rid of dead leaves and debris, which can be hiding spots for pests and diseases
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Make sure your soil is well drained and avoid overwatering since it can lead to root rot.
The Power of Record-Keeping
It's essential to monitor pH, nutrient levels, temperature, humidity, and watering schedule. This will not only lead to optimal growth conditions but also prevent issues in your cannabis plants. Tracking is pivotal in helping you identify patterns, fine-tune your approach, predict, and prevent problems, ultimately leading to a successful harvest.
The Bottom Line
Growing cannabis is a learning process that goes step by step. Each mistake you make should be an opportunity to enhance your growing skills. Always monitor your plants to make the right decisions when adjusting your care techniques as needed. With much dedication and love for your plants, your yields will improve significantly with each grow.​​
Advanced Guide
Say goodbye to the days of basic setups and using basic tools to grow cannabis. Cannabis
cultivation has entered a new era, where cutting-edge technology meets unprecedented growth.
In this advanced guide for indoor growers, we will expose you to the world of the technological
tools empowering cannabis plants.
Advanced Lighting and Greenhouse Management Strategies
“Advanced lighting” and “greenhouse management” may look distinct but they are interrelated terms when it comes to modern agriculture, specifically for cultivating cannabis plants.
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What is Advanced Lighting?
It refers to the use of modern lighting systems in agricultural settings, especially greenhouses or indoor farms. When compared to traditional lighting, advanced lighting systems make use of LED technology that can be programmed to emit specific light spectra and intensities. These systems are built to replicate the natural sunlight and offer optimal light conditions for different stages of plant growth. For example, growers can program certain light wavelengths to facilitate vegetative growth or flowering in cannabis plants, which leads to an increase in production. Advanced lighting may also include controlling the duration of light exposure (photoperiod), which is essential in initiating specific growth phases in plants.
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What is Greenhouse Management?
This is a broad term that covers the overall techniques and practices used in managing a greenhouse environment to optimize plant growth and yield. It deals with controlling internal environmental factors like temperature, humidity, COâ‚‚ levels, and irrigation. Practicing effective greenhouse management ensures that cannabis plants are grown under ideal conditions that can easily be controlled and produce effective results, regardless of external weather
conditions. This practice is essential for producing high-quality cannabis, since cannabis plants grow in their environments, and any deficiencies can negatively affect their cannabinoid content.
Advanced Techniques for Effective Cannabis Cultivation in Controlled Environments
Lighting Considerations
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The Spectrum: Cannabis plants react well to full-spectrum LED lights. These lights replicate the sun’s natural light by providing a balanced range of red, blue, and green wavelengths. Blue light is necessary for vegetative growth while red light aids flowering.
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The Intensity: This is the amount of light, measured in PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density). The intensity of light must be adequate for the growth stage of the plant. The Vegetative stages need lesser amounts of light than the flowering stages.
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Photoperiod: It's necessary to control the light cycle. To induce vegetative growth, use a longer light cycle of
18/6 (18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness). A shorter light period is used to induce the flowering stage, that is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. -
Energy Efficiency: The best energy-efficient lighting is LEDs since they reduce heat output and energy
consumption, making them cost-savvy and environmentally friendly.
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Temperature and Humidity Control
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Temperature: For optimal growth, consider temperatures between 20°C to 30°C. The temperature should be lower during the dark period.
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Humidity: The levels of humidity should vary with the growth stage. During the seedling stage, use higher
humidity levels (60-70%), while during the flowering stage, use lower humidity levels (40-50%) to prevent mold and mildew. -
Carbon dioxide COâ‚‚ Enrichment: Adding carbon dioxide to the greenhouse can significantly enhance growth. COâ‚‚ is essential in photosynthesis. Levels of 800-1500 ppm are often used.
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Water and Nutrient Management
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Irrigation Systems: Use automated drip systems or hydroponic systems to ensure your plants get the right amount of water without over-watering.
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Nutrient Regimen: The level of nutrients you feed your plants will depend on the plant’s growth stage. Plants
require higher nitrogen during the vegetative stage and increased phosphorus and potassium during the flowering stage. -
Data Monitoring and Automation: This involves the use of sensors and automation systems to regularly monitor and adjust environmental conditions. These includes light, temperature, humidity, and nutrient levels.
Implementing sensors and automation systems in a controlled greenhouse environment allows the grower to easily control the growing conditions, leading to healthy plants, greater yields, and the best quality cannabis.
Bottom Line
Advanced grower means you must have passed through the beginner and intermediate phases. These advanced methods can easily be implemented by professional growers. With that in mind, growing in general is a blend of art and science, requiring constant observation and adjustments. Happy growing!