Calling Dr. Greenthumb: Growing Plants Might Be Easier Than You Think

growing plants

Cannabis is legalised in a number of different U.S. states. In states where it is legalised for recreational and medicinal use, it is also legal for people to grow plants in their own homes. Growing your own means that you won’t have to pay expensive premiums and high dispensary prices ever again.

The main reason that many people don’t grow their own Cannabis, however, is because they are worried that they won’t be able to (or that it will be too much work). Actually, though, it can be really easy to grow.

This post will tell you how you can get started.

Cannabis Type

The first thing that you need to think about if you are planning on growing your own Cannabis is the type that you are going to grow so that you can get the right seeds. There are two main chemicals present in the Cannabis plant, CBD and THC. CBD is more therapeutic, while THC is responsible for Cannabis’ high.

People who are growing the plant for medicinal purposes would benefit more from buying CBD Cannabis seeds since high-CBD strains are better for treating health problems. Similarly, people who want to get high would be better off buying THC seeds. Think about what you want before buying any seeds.

Selecting Place

Once you have decided what type of Cannabis you are going to grow, you can start thinking about where you are going to grow it. If you live in a warm climate, then you can grow Cannabis outdoors, preferably inside a greenhouse. If the weather’s cold where you live, however, then it is better to grow it indoors.

Most Cannabis plants cannot grow in cold weather. If you do grow it indoors, then make sure that the room that you choose is large and airy, for reasons that will be explained later. Some types of weed grow better indoors, and others grow better outdoors. Consider this, too.

Feminized Seeds

Female Cannabis plants produce smokable buds. Because of this, you need to make sure that you buy feminized seeds. Unfortunately, there are a lot of websites that sell male seeds. These sites should be avoided because they are a scam. Make sure that you work with a reliable seed bank. The seed bank that you choose should have consistently good reviews. A site’s reviews tell you a lot about it.

Soil Selection

Loam is the type of soil that’s used most often in Cannabis growing because it ensures that plants get the right amount of moisture, but also that air is able to get down to the roots. You can buy loam from most Cannabis growers’ markets.

You can also buy it from certain garden stores. When you are buying a loam, it is a good idea to buy it in bulk. You can save money buying it in bulk. When you buy it as you need it, you could end up having to pay more. Make sure that you store your loam in a safe and dry place.

Watering Plants

Every few days, you need to water your plants. Make sure that you don’t overwater them, though. A strong sign that your plants need to be watered is if the soil in their pots is dry, or if the plants themselves are becoming yellow and droopy. Going back to overwatering, this is a mistake that a lot of amateur growers make.

When you overwater your plants you can actually kill them. The amount of water that you need to use depends on the size of the plants that you are growing. There are various online guides and videos that you can use to learn about watering Cannabis plants.

Buying Fertilizer

Fertilizer is something else that you will need to buy before you start growing Cannabis, ideally at the same time as when you buy your loam. Most people just buy chemical fertilizers to grow their Cannabis, mainly because they are ignorant of the fact that traditional fertilizers contain potentially harmful chemicals.

Such people also tend to use pesticides on their plants. When growing your own Cannabis, try to buy organic fertilizers, and if you are able to, avoid using chemical pesticides. It is harder growing organic plants, but they are better for your body.

Humidity Levels

You need to maintain humidity levels of between 40% and 50% in the room where you grow your Cannabis. You can buy a monitor called a hygrometer which will tell you what the humidity level is in the room where you are growing your Cannabis.

You need to make sure that the room is sealed up so that no outside air can get in. If you live in a very dry area (like the desert) then dry air can get into your growing room and can make it difficult for you to maintain humidity levels.

Temperature Range

You also need to maintain a specific temperature inside your growing room. Most growers use hydroponic lighting to achieve this. The temperature in your grow room should be between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If it drops below 65 then your plants could die. If it exceeds 80, then they could wilt, and then die.

You also need to make sure that if you are growing Cannabis outdoors, it does not exceed 85. Check the weather forecast and familiarise yourself with local temperatures before attempting to put your plants outdoors.

Good Airflow

Finally, inside your growing room,  you need to make sure that there’s good airflow. Most people use fans for this. The room should also be large and airy so that the flow of air does not become restricted.

The reason that good airflow is necessary is so that mould does not form. Mould can contaminate your plants. If mould does grow on your Cannabis plants, then smoking them can actually be very dangerous. There are various studies that show that Cannabis mould can be very bad for people’s health. You should aim to set up around four fans in your growing room.

Growing Cannabis seems like hard work, but it isn’t. As long as you get yourself properly set up, buy high-quality equipment, and have a large room to grow plants in, you shouldn’t experience any problems. Make sure that you also regularly monitor your plants, and that you maintain temperature and humidity in your growing room.

Nicole Middleton
Nicole calls herself a typical millennial girl and thrives on her share of social media, celebrity gossip, and all things viral content. She’s a big fan of pop music and plays the guitar as a hobby.