It appears a new day has dawned in the United States as far as the country’s stance on marijuana goes. Bud is still illegal at the federal level, but with so many states legalizing it over the past decade, it begs the question, how much time before the U.S. federal government caves on the issue?
Even though there are growers and dispensaries throughout the nation, one of the best things about weed is that it’s a relatively easy herb to grow yourself. If you’re a heavy smoker, it might be a good idea to start growing your own buds as a way to save money and ensure you always have a stash. If you’re a beginner at growing your own pot, this short guide will help you get started.
Choose a place to grow your marijuana plants.
The most important decision you’ll make as a grower is where to plant your pot. Beginners should grow their plants indoors, in a grow room, where you’ll have more control over the yield and quality of your seedlings.
If you choose to grow your cannabis plants outdoors, you have to contend with pests and the elements, while having a grow room or greenhouse allows growers to control the variables. If you’re a beginner and don’t know how to grow weed, you should start with a small operation in a grow room, and then you can work your way up to a greenhouse.
Another one of the benefits of growing your plants indoors is that you can get multiple harvests in a year. When you grow outdoors, depending on what part of the country you live in, you only have the spring and summer months in which to grow your cannabis plants. In a climate-controlled environment like a greenhouse or grow room, you can get up to three crop yields per year.
Choose your grow lights.
If you decide to grow your cannabis plants indoors, your next big decision is what type of lights to use, which depends on your goals as a grower. Most large-scale growers use either HID lights or LED grow lights. LED lights are the more ideal option because they give off much less heat and use less energy than HID grow lights, but LED lights are also significantly more expensive.
If you’re a beginner and you’re starting with a small operation, you should probably choose fluorescent lights. One of the downsides to fluorescent lights is that they’re not energy efficient, but they’re much more affordable than LEDs and safer than HIDs. However, if you want to maximize your crop yields, full-spectrum lights are the way to go.
Choose between soil and a hydroponic system.
Choosing your grow medium is one of the more exciting steps of the setup process. The main grow mediums are hydroponic systems and regular soil. Most grow pros use a hydroponic system, as they can get bigger yields and higher quality buds than with soil. It’s also a quicker process than growing in soil.
One common mistake that cultivators make with hydroponic systems is over feeding their plants, which is why soil is recommended for beginners. If you’re a beginner and only growing for personal use, growing your plants in soil is much simpler and more affordable.
Feed your plants.
If you choose to grow hydroponics, you’ll have to supply your cannabis plants with the nutrients they’d otherwise get from the soil. The nutrients you need for your hydroponics are separated into macronutrients and micronutrients. The macronutrients, which are the most important ones, are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium. Magnesium, iron, calcium, and copper make up the micronutrients.
You’ll naturally make some mistakes your first time growing your own cannabis plants, but if you stick with it, you’ll find your groove as well as your own way of doing things. The main thing to remember is to be attentive to seedlings to ensure they become healthy plants.