Whether you're beginning pot production or looking to improve your existing crop, following this complete guide will help you produce big, high-quality yields right at home. With the right gear, techniques, and care, cultivating marijuana indoors can be an extremely satisfying and cost-effective endeavor.
Choosing Cannabis Strains
The first step in planning your indoor harvest is selecting the right weed strains to cultivate. The three main types of pot plants each have their own qualities.
Sativas
Known for their energizing cerebral effects, these strains grow tall and slender with narrow leaves. They thrive in tropical tropical climates and have a longer flowering time between 10-12 weeks indoors. Top energizing strains include Jack Herer, Durban Poison, Super Lemon Haze, and Jack Herer.
Relaxing strains
Indicas provide relaxing body-focused effects and grow short and bushy with broad leaves. Accustomed to cooler mountain climates, they flower faster within 2-2.25 months. Popular indica strains include Northern Lights, Bubba Kush, and Bubba Kush.
Mixed strains
Hybrid varieties blend traits from both sativas and relaxing strains. They offer blended effects and have medium flowering times around 2.25-2.5 months. Well-known mixes are Blue Dream, OG Kush, and Blue Dream.
Setting Up Your Grow Space
Marijuana plants need the right controlled environment to flourish. Key factors for indoor farms are lighting, ventilation, layout, and finding the ideal discreet area.
Location
Choose an empty space with easy access to water and power outlets. An empty spare room, large closet, corner of the basement, or grow tent securely placed in a garage all make great hidden cultivation room spots.
Lighting
Marijuana requires intense light for all vegetative stages. LEDs are energy-efficient and come in broad spectrum options mimicking natural outdoor light. Cover 250-400 watts per sq. ft for the vegetative stage and 400-600 watts per sq. ft. for flowering.
Airflow
Proper ventilation and exhaust systems maintain ideal temp, moisture, and pure CO2 levels. Set up quiet 10-15 cm blowers or carbon filters to refresh old air and eliminate odors.
Layout
Optimize your space by positioning plants strategically under the lamps and allowing room to access and work around them. Set up separate zones for growth, bloom, drying, and cloning.
Growing Mediums
Weed can be cultivated in various mediums, each with pros and cons. Pick a suitable option for your specific setup and growing style.
Soil
The traditional substrate, soil is inexpensive and simple for new growers. It provides excellent taste but requires more watering and fertilizing to nourish plants. Amend soil with perlite or coir to enhance aeration.
Coconut coir
Made from coir, renewable coco coir retains water but still allows air to the roots. It's cleaner and more predictable than soil. Use coco-specific nutrients to avoid calcium buildup.
Hydroponics
In hydro systems, plant roots grow directly in nutrient water solution. This allows rapid growth but needs close monitoring of water chemistry. Deep water culture and drip systems are common techniques.
Germinating Seeds
Germination activates your weed seeds to begin sprouting taproots. This prepares them for planting into their growing medium.
Paper Towel Method
Put seeds between wet paper towel and maintain them damp. Inspect after a week for growing taproots indicating germination is complete.
Direct Planting
Plant seeds directly into wetted cultivation medium 6mm deep. Gently water and wait 7-14 days until seedlings break through the top.
Cubic rockwool
Presoak rockwool cubes in balanced water. Insert seeds 1⁄4 inch deep into the cubes. Keep cubes wet until sprouts appear within a week to 2 weeks.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once sprouted, cannabis young plants need to be repotted to prevent overcrowding. Move them into appropriately sized containers.
Preparing Containers
Load large pots with growing medium amended with slow-release nutrients. Let pots to soak up water overnight before transplanting.
Carefully Transplanting
Carefully loosen seedling roots from germination medium using a spoon. Put into pre-soaked container at same depth as before and gently water in.
Growth Stage
The growth stage promotes leafy growth and plant form through 3/4 to full day of daily light intensity. This stage usually lasts 1-2 months.
Providing 18-24 Hours of Light
Use lamps on a 24 daily cycle or natural sunlight to initiate nonstop photosynthesis. Light output influences height and internodal spacing.
Nutrients
Use grow stage nutrients higher in N. Make sure pH remains around 6.5 for full fertilizer absorption. Feed 25-50% strength after 2 weeks and strengthen gradually.
Training Techniques
Fimming, LST, and scrogging manipulate shoot patterns for even foliage. This increases yields.
Bloom Stage
The flowering stage grows buds as plants show their sex under a 12 hour light schedule. It lasts 2-3 months depending on variety.
Changing Light Schedule
Change grow lights to 12/12 or move outside for natural 12 hour cycle. This triggers plants to start blooming.
Stop Fertilizing
Leaching removes fertilizer residuals to improve flavor. Fertilize weakly the first period then just use plain water the last 2 weeks.
Flushing
Continue 12 hour photoperiod but leach using pH-balanced water only. Return to plain watering if buds aren't ripe after two weeks.
Harvesting
Recognizing when cannabis is fully ripe delivers maximum potency and aroma. Cut down plants at peak ripeness.
Signs of readiness
Look for fading pistils, swelling calyxes, and 10-15% amber trichomes. Inspect buds across the plant as they won't all ripen evenly.
Cutting Plants
Use sterilized, razor-sharp pruning shears to carefully slice each plant at the base. Leave several inches of stalk attached.
Curing
Hang intact plants or colas upside down in a dark room with moderate temperature and RH around 45-65% for 7-14 days.
Curing
Aging keeps drying while aging the buds like aged spirits. This technique smooths harshness and intensifies cannabinoid and terpene profiles.
Curing containers
Manicure dried buds from branches and store into glass jars, filling about 75% capacity. Use a sensor to measure jar moisture.
Opening jars daily
Open jars for a few hours each day to gradually lower humidity. Remoisten buds if RH goes under 55%.
Final Cure
After 2-3 weeks when humidity levels off around 55-60%, do a final trim and store forever in airtight jars.
Troubleshooting
Even experienced growers run into various marijuana plant problems. Detect issues early and fix them correctly to keep a vibrant garden.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Yellowing Contact Us Today leaves often indicate inadequate nitrogen. Anthocyanins and leaves signal low phosphorus. Check pH and increase nutrients gradually.
Pests
Thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, mites, and nematodes are frequent cannabis pests. Use neem oil sprays, ladybugs, and sticky traps for natural control.
Mold
High moisture promotes botrytis and root rot. Increase circulation and venting while reducing RH under 50% during flowering.
Conclusion
With this complete indoor weed cultivation guide, you now have the knowledge to grow bountiful strong buds for private harvests. Follow these steps and methods during the germination, vegetative, and flowering stages. Invest in quality gear and closely check on your plants. In time, you'll be rewarded with frosty fragrant buds you raised yourself under the patient guidance of your green thumbs. Happy growing