Growing Cannabis

Growing Cannabis

As the legal cannabis industry grows, many people are gaining interest in growing cannabis. There is a lot to learn about growing this plant, whether your goal is personal use or you want to work in the booming cannabis sector. In this post, we’ll uncover the tips for growing a healthy cannabis plant successfully. Read on!

The Top 7 Essential Tips for Healthy Plant Growth

#1. Choose Quality Seeds

There are over 700 strains of cannabis globally, each with unique characteristics and quality. Thus, it is best to first research the high-quality cannabis seeds that flourish within your location and purchase them from a reputable vendor. Also, ensure they are mature and free from seed dormancy and damage to enhance fast germination.

#2. Germination Time

Store your quality seeds in a wet, dark place for about two days to germinate them. Then, expose them to moisture and light as it stimulates hormones that accelerate the growth process. The seeds will form one root facing downwards (radicle) and a young stem upwards that will push the seed from the soil. After the roots fully develop, the plant will produce its first leaves and is in its seedling stage.

#3. Seedling Stage

The seedling development stage is sensitive, and the plant requires moist soil, 18-24 hours of sunlight, and mild humidity to proliferate. Avoid overwatering the seedling because its roots are very tiny. After the plant grows to a seedling, it will sprout leaves resembling traditional cannabis.

A mature marijuana leaf has about 3-13 fingers. A new sprout’s leaf appears to have one rigged finger. The marijuana leaves develop more fingers with more growth.

You should treat a cannabis plant as a seedling until it produces full fingers. Healthy seedlings are short and have thick vegetation and vibrant green leaves. At this stage, maintain a clean growing environment and avoid excess moisture to prevent the death of the plant.

#4. Vegetative Stage

The plant enters the vegetative stage after establishing seven pointed leaves. Relocate the plant to a larger pot to facilitate soaring. It will thicken and heighten its stem, develop more leaves, nodes, and branches, and strengthen its root system to prepare for flowering.

You can start training and topping the plant at this stage. The spacing between nodes will tell the type of cannabis you are growing.

Increase the water at this stage to promote the plant’s development. As the plant grows bigger and its roots grow outward, try to water farther away to ensure the root tips easily absorb it.

#5. Preflowering

A cannabis plant takes 7-14 days to enter the preflowering stage. Pollination occurs at this phase, where male and female flowers are responsible. Expose the plant to less light daily (about 12 hours) as its growth slows in the flowering stage.

#6. Flowering

Cannabis plants flower when they receive less than 12 hours of sunlight daily. You will identify that the plant is ready for harvesting after the pistils turn from white to red-orange and the trichome heads change from clear to milky to opaque to amber. An intense amber color shows the resin’s high CBD-to-THC ratio.

#7. Harvesting

When your cannabis plant is ready for harvesting, slice it into small pieces for easy drying. Later, tie and hang the pieces upside down in a cool dark room. If growing it commercially, maintain a humidity level of 40 to 50% when drying. Also, leave the plant hanging for about two weeks.

The drying process is essential as it deters the growth of fungi and bacteria. Removing moisture also preserves your cannabis life. An attempt to speed up drying will result in bitter cannabis.

Embrace the Art of Growing Cannabis!
Cannabis is a great plant to grow due to its recreational and medicinal benefits. Fortunately, we’ve discussed tips for growing this plant, from seed selection to harvesting. Embrace the art of growing cannabis today if your state laws permit it!