Prepare for Cannabis Growing: What You Do & Where You Start?

What to Prepare Before Growing Cannabis, Where to Start

They say that success happens when opportunity meets preparation. This rule applies to cannabis cultivation. Succeeding with your cannabis cultivation requires you to prepare some basic things. You must plan for all the stages cannabis will undergo, from planting to harvest.

Early preparation lets you spot all the possible challenges you might face along the way and counter them on time. Preparing adequately and on time saves you many avoidable losses that could wipe out your entire crop. This post delves into the details of preparing for successful cannabis cultivation. Read on to learn more.

Choose Your Cannabis Seeds

Your growing journey starts with seeds. The market supplies different types of weed seeds you can choose from. These seeds can be Sativa, Indica, or Ruderalis, although the last choice is popular with breeders. You may also opt for a hybrid stain that suits your specific cultivation goals based on taste, aroma, and effects.

All the other factors will be of little value if you don’t get high-quality raw materials. So, get the correct seeds from a reputable supplier to guarantee good yields.

Grab the Basics

Next, understand the basics of weed’s growing life cycle and core requirements. Getting the right seeds is good, but failing to grab these essential realities will deny them the right growing environment. Eventually, you won’t achieve your growing goals because your seeds will lack a context to flourish in. Below are the essentials to consider.

Growing medium

You should choose the proper growing medium in which you will grow your cannabis. First, you have nature’s best choice—soil. If you have high-quality soil around your farm, you can use it, and if you don’t, commercial soil would still do. Alternatively, you may choose other nutrient-dependent mediums like rock wool, coconut coir, vermiculite, and perlite. Lastly, you may use hydroponics or deep-water culture.

Nutrients

It would be best to prepare for your plants’ nutritional needs in advance. Nutrition is the energy and food plants need to grow well. A rich soil mix might contain the necessary minerals, vitamins, living organisms, and compost for healthy plant growth.

If you intend to use hydroponics or other neutral mediums discussed in the previous paragraph, sellers package them with all the necessary nutrients. Mostly, they customize these nutrients for cannabis growing.

Humidity

Pay attention to humidity if you wish to grow your cannabis indoors. This factor is critical during your crop’s entire life cycle. Mastering how to balance humidity guarantees healthy plants free from mold and pests. Growing outdoor cannabis doesn’t require you to worry about humidity that much because nature does its job.

Lighting

Marijuana needs correct lighting to grow well. Your plants require over 18 hours of light daily to remain healthy. When grown indoors, you can control this factor using timers. Thus, you may delay outdoor germination until you expose plants to over 12 hours of daylight daily.

Airflow

Airflow is another factor to consider and prepare for if you wish to grow cannabis indoors. Planning for your crop’s airflow ensures cannabis gets fresh, moving air for correct gas exchange and strength. You should set fans and other exhaust appliances to clean up stale air. Otherwise, you will expose your crops to weak and stunted growth, pests, and mold. Outdoor cultivation doesn’t need this consideration because nature sorts out everything.

Water

Plan for water before growing cannabis indoors or outdoors. Water is your crop’s lifeline enabling cannabis to thrive and perform all biological functions. If you are privileged to live in a region with sufficient and regular rainfall, you won’t need to plan for water because nature supplies it. However, when growing cannabis indoors, water your plants from germination to harvest. You must also ensure the irrigation water has the correct pH levels.

Temperature

Like other plants, cannabis needs the correct temperature to grow well. Cannabis is naturally hardy enough to survive hot and cold environments. Yet, when exposed to weather extremes, it reacts by stopping to grow and remaining in survival mode. Indoor growing is easy in terms of temperature regulation, as you can use air conditioning units, fans, plus heating and cooling mats. You should also prepare to remove the additional heat lighting produces.

Planning to Irrigate Guerrilla Plants

Sometimes, you may want to grow cannabis away from your neighbors and family. This option lets you do so in a secluded spot in the wild. The gorilla alternative can expose you to water shortages unless you live in an area with steady rainfall. In such circumstances, select a growing site near a water source like a river, pond, or spring. A nearby water body helps you with automated or manual irrigation.

Collecting and storing rainwater is a better option if you don’t find a close water source. Irrigate your crops if the rains don’t fall within ten days. However, don’t overwater your plants’ roots.

Setting Up and Repairing Your Greenhouse

Sometimes, you might have an old greenhouse you used. In this case, prepare for the next planting season by repairing and setting it up. You must fix its room, remove indoor dirt, and clean it before growing cannabis.

If you must build a new greenhouse, do it early enough. You will have to select your building materials carefully. The market has different alternatives, such as glass, transparent plastic, and rigid plastic sheets. Depending on your preferences and budget, you can follow the manufacturer’s manual to assemble a greenhouse if you have excellent DIY skills.

Protect Your Cannabis from the Wind

When planning to grow cannabis outdoors, protecting them from the wind is a factor to consider and prepare for. You can place wooden or plastic slats to protect your plants against the wind. If you don’t want to expose your plantation to the public, consider planting cannabis in an area with natural protection. For instance, you may position your garden next to a large shrub or hedge. If you have palm trees close by, they can form a strong wind barrier to protect your plantation.

Protection Against Wild Animals

Outdoor growing also exposes your plants to wild animals. This threat applies whether you grow cannabis in the soil or pots. Young plants are tender and delicate, making them vulnerable to small animals and birds. You may use the chicken net and tie it to sticks to protect cannabis.

However, don’t forget to keep moving the mesh as your cannabis matures lest you restrict its growth. Take time to study your region to know the most likely animals that might endanger your cannabis plantation.

Pest Prevention

Lastly, plan for pest protection because you can’t avoid pests. This preparation applies to indoor and outdoor cultivation. Prepare to handle pests and diseases using natural and industrial means. If you want to maximize nature’s input, consider planting cannabis where pest devourers like ladybugs eat common pests like aphids and cochineals. Parasitic wasps are also beneficial for fighting pests.

Conclusion

Timely and adequate preparation is one of the keys to successful marijuana farming. It helps you know what you need and supply it on time. Preparation also lets you spot potential threats and challenges for timely intervention or prevention. We discussed some of the top preparations to make before growing cannabis. Go ahead and use this information to improve your cultivation.

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