The Ultimate Guide to Home Cannabis Cultivation: 6 Tips for Success
Growing your own weed at home has never been easier. You don't need a secret basement with a hydroponic setup to get high on your own supply—all it takes is patience and a little bit of know-how. So here are my tips on home-growing, so you can be a proud plant parent.
1. Finding the right seeds
While you can just plant any old cannabis seeds you find and hope for the best, choosing your seeds carefully before planting will help ensure you get high-yield plants with the right properties for your situation. First, it is important to understand the different types of seeds, as the terms can sound a little complicated. While you could just use a seed you find with your weed and grow it, there's no guarantee it'll be the right gender. When growing cannabis for the weed, you want to make sure you have a female plant because the male plants will produce much smaller, less potent buds.
To make sure you have female plants, you will want to buy your seeds either from your local dispensary (many will sell seeds and seedlings even if they're not specifically listed online) or you can purchase a "souvenir seed" from a Dutch website. It is fully legal to have it shipped to your doorstep. When looking at seeds beyond the strain you want, you'll be looking at two key differences: auto-flowering and manual photoperiod. Autoflowering is exactly what it sounds like—plant the seed, water regularly, and watch your buds bloom. Manual photoperiod is a little more complicated but will often provide a higher yield because it's more natural. These seeds will need their natural light cycles to bloom effectively, so you'll have to regulate the amount of light they get to ensure good bud bloom. For beginners, I would recommend autoflowering seeds.
2. Indoor vs Outdoor
Once your seeds are secured, you'll want to figure out where you'll be growing. If you have enough space indoors or live somewhere that isn't terribly 420-friendly, you'll probably want to grow indoors. This is simple enough, and you really only need a few things: a small tent to maintain humidity and a grow light with a timer so you can emulate the power of the sun indoors. If, like me, you live in a legal state with lots of sunlight, you can simply grow outdoors and show off your beautiful plant to the world. If you have an autoflowering plant, you basically just water it and let the sunlight do the rest. But if not, you'll have to monitor the stage of growth and regulate the light it gets to ensure it flowers. An easy trick is to start your plant indoors in the spring and bring it outside in the summer. As fall starts, the sunlight and needs of the plant should naturally line up.
3. Less is More
The most common mistake made with any houseplant is overwatering. As much as you may want to spoil your weed, it is best to have restraint. The easiest trick to see if your plant needs water is to stick your finger about an inch into the soil. If it's damp, leave it alone. If it is dry, it's time for some water. If you choose to use any fertilizers to help your yield, the same rule applies. Use just a few drops and be sure to dilute them with water. It's very easy to kill your plant with too much liquid fertilizer.
4. Use your plant as an Ashtray
Okay, not literally. You should keep any burning embers away from your plant. But once it's cool, the ash from your joints, blunts, and bowls can actually help your plant. The carbon will enrich the soil and provide some nutrients.
5. Pruning
This part can be fun and a little scary, but if you want to maximize your bud yield, you have to occasionally prune your plant. As your plant grows, it'll split its energy towards various things—leaves, branches, and of course, flowers. You want to get as much energy as possible towards the flowers, so every so often, you'll want to clip off any tiny little branches or stray leaves to make sure they aren't redirecting nutrients from an important section. You have to be careful here because you still need plenty of big leaves for photosynthesis, but the tiny ones that won't have time to develop can be carefully snipped with a pair of scissors.
6. Don't Forget to Admire Your Plant
Growing weed is all about having fun. One of my favorite things, when I have an active plant, is just admiring all the little buds with their intricate little pieces covered in pollen. Don't forget to enjoy the aroma!
Note: Please be aware that laws regarding cannabis cultivation vary from country to country and even within different regions. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the legal regulations and restrictions in your area before embarking on growing your own cannabis.