Growing cannabis indoors: how to do it?
If you decide to start growing your own cannabis, indoor growing is a great place to start. You can grow cannabis indoors atany time of the year and you have complete control over the plant. However, if you want to learn how to grow cannabis indoors, there are certain aspects of growing cannabis that you need to keep in mind.
The advantages of growing cannabis indoors
Growing cannabis indoors has many advantages. Some of these include:
Environmental control
When growing indoors, you are responsible for creating theideal temperature, airflow and humidity that cannabis requires. You can determine the exact amount of water, light and nutrients you supply to your cannabis plants.
Adaptability
Unlikegrowing outdoors ,you are not dependent on sunshine, season or weather, so you can grow even in the middle of winter, as long as you have the equipment needed to control the light, temperature and humidity in your grow room. Growing plants under a roof will give you a stable growing environment without the outside elements.
More harvests
Another advantage of growing indoors is that youcan harvest more than one cropper year . You can grow at any time of the year, even in winter or summer, and always get a good, quality yield.
What do you need to grow indoors?
Growing indoors is more equipment-intensive than growing outdoors. To grow indoors you need to provide:
Lights
Proper lighting is essential as it contributes to photosynthesis. Without proper lighting, your plants will not grow properly. Thetypes of lights and their placement are key to the final yield and the final taste of the product. Cannabis plants require different amounts of light during the growing and flowering season. They need at least 16 hours of light during the growing phase . To flower, plants require ashorter day with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.
There are many different types of grow lights and each has its advantages and disadvantages. People who grow cannabis indoors can choose between high intensity discharge (HID)lights , fluorescent lights or LEDsto grow their plants . LED lighting is becoming more common because it is more energy efficient and can be used throughout the growing season. You can choose thelight source that best suits your space and budget.
Airflow
When growing cannabis, you need to keep the space sufficiently aerated. This means that theair in the grow room needs to flow continuously so that warm air can escape and cooler air can flow in. Stagnant air creates hot spots in the room and can also be a source of mould, pests and diseases that can damage your plants and crops. One of the easiest ways to achieve adequate air circulation is to place a fan in the grow room. This will provide a regular breeze that will strengthen the stems of the plants and make them stronger and healthier.
Nutrients
Indoor cannabis plants require large amounts of fertiliser and nutrients throughout theirlifetime . Cannabis plants need three macronutrients for their growth: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. As the cannabis plant develops, its nutrient needs change. In addition to the standard NPK formulas , you should also supply the plant with micronutrients such ascalcium, zinc, manganese, copper and iron. If you're just starting out, make sure you know thefertilisers you're using and their ratios. You still need to make sure the plants are getting enough, but not too much, water and nutrients.
Adequate space
Before buying equipment, you first need to understand the potential limitations of an indoor grow room. It is important to define the space for growing cannabis as well as possible. You can grow in a cupboard, a spare room or even in the basement.
Grow boxes can beused instead of converting a room . You can assemble them in a few minutes and still give your plants an enclosed and clean environment that allows them to grow. Thetemperature, humidity and air circulationin the grow box can be precisely controlled .
Temperature
Maintaining optimum temperature and humidityis essential for plant health . Cannabis plants need lower humidity and higher temperatures to grow . The main source of additional heat in grow rooms tends to be lights. One tried and tested way to avoid high temperatures is to turn on the grow lights in the evening when it is cooler outside and turn off the lights during the day when it is warm outside. Air conditioners and humidifiers are used to control temperature and humidity.
Cannabis generally requires the temperatures listed at each stage of growth:
|
Growth stages |
Temperature |
Humidity |
|
Seedlings |
20-25 C° |
up to 70% |
|
Vegetative phase |
22-28 °C |
up to 50 % |
|
Flowering stage |
20-26 C° |
up to 40 % |
Soil and other growing media
The growing medium chosen is where the root system of the plant will develop.
Soil
Soil is an excellent choice for beginners. The soil you use shouldcontain essential nutrients that will support the growth of the plant throughout its life cycle. Soil contains beneficial microbes and nutrients that help maintain plant health, but beware that soil alsocreates the right conditions for pests, fungi and rot to spread.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a system of growing cannabis without the use of soil. All hydroponic systems involve placing the plants in containers or trays that contain a growing medium other than soil, such asgravel, expanded clay, coir or vermiculite. The roots of the plants are embedded in water which is continuously recirculated. The main advantage of growing cannabis in these systems is the considerable root development, which contributes to better nutrient uptake and plant development. However, this method is more costly, more maintenance intensive and needs to be well studied and learned.
Growing containers
Cannabis growing pots vary in shape and size. The type of pot depends on thegrowing medium used, the system and the size of the plants. Ideally, you should provide enough space for the plants to form a solid root system. If you have a limited growing budget, you can make your own pots from buckets, bins or other similar containers. Some growers choose to invest more money in so-calledsmart pots.
Tips for successful indoor growing
The condition of your grow room depends on the conditions you create and the equipment you choose.
Keep the grow room clean. A dirty grow room is an ideal environment for bacteria, fungi and pests. Clean the room thoroughly before starting the growing process and after each harvest .
Also remember that with practice, dedication and attention to detail, you can have a great growing experience that can fundamentally change the way you look at and handle cannabis.
Now you know everything you need to grow cannabis indoors. Now you just need to put the theory into practice. Get your hands on some indoor cannabis seeds with up to 1% THC and try indoor growing for yourself!
Author.