Whether you're new to marijuana production or looking to improve your existing grow, following this complete guide will help you produce large, high-quality yields right at home. With the right gear, strategies, and attention, cultivating pot indoors can be an extremely rewarding and cost-effective endeavor.
Choosing Weed Strains
The first step in planning your indoor crop is choosing the right pot strains to cultivate. The three main types of weed plants each have their own traits.
Energizing strains
Known for their uplifting mental effects, sativas grow tall and slender with narrow leaves. They thrive in warmer equatorial climates and have a longer flowering time between 2.5-3 months indoors. Top energizing varieties include Sour Diesel, Durban Poison, and Jack Herer.
Indicas
Indicas provide relaxing full-body effects and grow short and bushy with broad leaves. Adapted to cooler mountain climates, they flower faster within 8-9 weeks. Popular indica strains include Granddaddy Purple, Northern Lights, and Bubba Kush.
Hybrids
Hybrid strains blend traits from both energizing strains and relaxing strains. They offer blended effects and have medium blooming times around 2.25-2.5 months. Well-known hybrids are OG Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, and Blue Dream.
Setting Up Your Cultivation Space
Marijuana plants need the right controlled environment to thrive. Key factors for indoor grows are lights, airflow, layout, and finding the ideal discreet spot.
Location
Choose an empty space with easy access to water and electrical outlets. An empty spare room, large closet, corner of the basement, or cultivation tent tucked away in a garage all make great stealthy cultivation room spots.
Lights
Weed requires intense light for all vegetative stages. LEDs are energy-efficient and come in broad spectrum options replicating natural sunlight. Provide 15-25 watts per square foot for the growth stage and 400-600 watts per square foot for flowering.
Airflow
Proper airflow and exhaust systems maintain ideal temp, humidity, and fresh CO2 levels. Set up silent 4-6 inch blowers or carbon filters to circulate old air and eliminate smells.
Layout
Maximize your space by arranging plants carefully under the lights and allowing room to reach and work around them. Set up distinct zones for vegetation, bloom, drying, and propagation.
Growing Substrates
Weed can be cultivated in different substrates, each with benefits and cons. Pick a proper option for your particular setup and growing style.
Soil
The traditional medium, soil is cheap and simple for beginners. It provides excellent flavor but needs more watering and nutrients to feed plants. Amend soil with vermiculite or coco to improve aeration.
Coco Coir
Made from coir, renewable coco coir holds water but still lets in air to the roots. It's cleaner and more consistent than soil. Use coco-specific nutrients to prevent calcium buildup.
Hydroponics
In water systems, plant roots grow right in nutrient water solution. This enables rapid growth but needs careful monitoring of water properties. DWC and drip systems are popular methods.
Germinating Seeds
Germination prepares your cannabis seeds to begin growing radicles. This prepares them for planting into their cultivation medium.
Paper Towel Method
Put seeds between wet paper towels and keep them damp. Inspect after 2-7 days for emerging radicles showing germination is complete.
Direct Planting
Insert seeds right into pre-moistened growing medium 6mm deep. Gently water and wait 7-14 days until sprouts push through the surface.
Cubic rockwool
Soak rockwool cubes in pH-adjusted water. Place seeds 1⁄4 inch deep into the cubes. Keep cubes moist until sprouts emerge within 1-14 days.
Transplanting Young plants
Once germinated, cannabis seedlings need to be transplanted to prevent crowding. Move them into proper sized containers.
Preparing Containers
Fill large containers with cultivation medium amended with slow-release nutrients. Allow pots to absorb water overnight before transplanting.
Carefully Transplanting
Carefully loosen Find Out More young roots from sprouting medium using a spoon. Place into prepared container at same depth as before and gently water in.
Growth Stage
The growth stage encourages leafy growth and plant structure through 18-24 hours of daily light intensity. This stage usually lasts 1-2 months.
Using 18-24 Hours of Light
Use grow lights on a 24 hour schedule or outdoor light to initiate nonstop growth. Lamp output influences height and node distance.
Fertilizing
Use vegetative stage nutrients higher in nitrogen. Make sure pH stays around 6.5 for proper nutrient absorption. Feed 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 strength after 2 weeks and strengthen slowly.
LST and topping
Fimming, LST, and trellising direct shoot shapes Request More Info for flat foliage. This boosts yields.
Bloom Stage
The blooming stage develops buds as plants show their sex under a 12 hour cycle schedule. It lasts 8-12 weeks depending on variety.
Switching to 12/12
Change grow lights to 12/12 or place outside for outdoor 12/12 timing. This signals plants to begin blooming.
Stop Fertilizing
Flushing flushes out fertilizer residuals to improve taste. Feed lightly the first weeks then just use plain water the last 2 weeks.
Flushing
Maintain 12/12 light timing but flush using neutral pH water only. Return to plain watering if buds aren't yet ripe after two weeks.
Harvesting
Knowing when pot is completely mature ensures maximum cannabinoid content and aroma. Cut down plants at peak maturity.
Signs of readiness
Check swollen calyxes, faded pistils, and 10-15% cloudy trichs. Check buds across the plant as they won't all ripen evenly.
Cutting Plants
Use sterilized, razor-sharp pruning shears to carefully slice each Contact Us Today plant at the base. Leave 5-10cm of stalk attached.
Drying
Suspend whole plants or branches inverted in a dark room with moderate temp and humidity around 50-60% for 1-2 weeks.
Curing
Aging keeps drying while improving the buds like fine wine. This process mellows harshness and intensifies cannabinoid contents.
Curing containers
Trim cured buds from stems and store into glass jars, filling about 75% capacity. Use a hygrometer to monitor jar moisture.
Burping Daily
Unseal jars for a short time each day to slowly reduce humidity. Rehydrate buds if humidity goes under 55%.
Long term storage
After 2-3 weeks when moisture stabilizes around 55-60%, perform a last trim and keep long-term in airtight jars.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even seasoned growers run into different cannabis plant problems. Detect issues soon and address them correctly to maintain a healthy garden.
Poor feeding
Yellowing leaves often signify inadequate nitrogen. Purpling stems and leaves signal phosphorus deficiency. Test pH and increase fertilizers gradually.
Bugs
Spider mites, fungus gnats, mites, and nematodes are common marijuana pests. Use neem oil sprays, predator bugs, and sticky traps for organic control.
Powdery mildew
High moisture encourages botrytis and bud rot. Increase airflow and venting while lowering RH under 50% during flowering.
Summary
With this complete indoor marijuana growing guide, you now have the knowledge to grow bountiful potent buds for personal grows. Apply these steps and techniques during the germination, vegetative, and flowering stages. Spend in good equipment and carefully monitor your plants. In time, you'll be compensated with sticky aromatic buds you grew yourself under the patient guidance of your green hands. Happy growing