Whether you're new to marijuana production or looking to improve your existing grow, following this complete guide will help you produce large, high-quality yields right at home. With the right gear, methods, and attention, cultivating cannabis indoors can be an extremely rewarding and cost-effective endeavor.
Choosing Weed Varieties
The first step in planning your indoor harvest is choosing the right cannabis strains to cultivate. The three main types of weed plants each have their own traits.
Energizing strains
Known for their uplifting mental effects, these strains spread tall and slender with narrow leaves. They thrive in warmer equatorial climates and have a longer flowering time between 10-12 weeks indoors. Top sativa strains include Sour Diesel, Durban Poison, and Jack Herer.
Relaxing strains
These strains provide calming body-focused effects and spread short and bushy with wide leaves. Accustomed to colder mountain climates, they bloom faster within 2-2.25 months. Popular relaxing varieties include Granddaddy Purple, Northern Lights, and Bubba Kush.
Hybrids
Hybrid strains mix traits from both energizing strains and relaxing strains. They offer blended effects and have medium blooming times around 2.25-2.5 months. Popular mixes are Blue Dream, OG Kush, and Blue Dream.
Setting Up Your Cultivation Space
Marijuana plants need the right controlled environment to thrive. Key factors for indoor grows are lights, airflow, layout, and finding the ideal discreet spot.
Location
Choose an unused space with easy access to irrigation and power outlets. An empty spare room, large closet, basement corner, or grow tent securely placed in a garage all make great hidden grow room spots.
Lights
Marijuana requires strong light for all growth stages. LEDs are efficient and come in full spectrum options mimicking real sunlight. Cover 250-400 watts per square foot for the vegetative stage and 400-600 watts per square foot for flowering.
Airflow
Proper airflow and exhaust systems maintain ideal temp, humidity, and pure CO2 levels. Set up silent 10-15 cm fans or carbon filters to circulate stale air and eliminate smells.
Layout
Maximize your space by positioning plants carefully under the lights and allowing room to access and work around them. Set up separate zones for growth, flowering, curing, and cloning.
Cultivation Mediums
Marijuana can be grown in various mediums, each with benefits and cons. Pick a proper option for your particular setup and growing style.
Soil
The traditional medium, soil is cheap and simple for beginners. It provides excellent flavor but requires more irrigation and fertilizing to feed plants. Enrich soil with perlite or coir to improve drainage.
Coconut coir
Made from coconut husks, renewable coco coir holds water but still allows air to the roots. It's cleaner and more consistent than soil. Use coco-specific nutrients to prevent calcium buildup.
Hydroponics
In water systems, plant roots grow directly in fertilizer water solution. This allows quick growth but needs close observation of solution chemistry. DWC and drip systems are popular methods.
Germinating Seeds
Germination prepares your cannabis seeds to begin growing taproots. This prepares them for transplanting into their cultivation medium.
Paper Towel Method
Put seeds between wet paper towels and keep them damp. Check after 2-7 days for growing radicles indicating germination is complete.
Planting directly
Plant seeds directly into wetted cultivation medium 1⁄4 inch deep. Gently water and wait 7-14 days until seedlings push through the surface.
Cubic rockwool
Soak rockwool cubes in balanced water. Place seeds 6mm deep into the cubes. Keep cubes wet until seedlings emerge within a week to 2 weeks.
Repotting Young plants
Once sprouted, marijuana young plants need to be transplanted to prevent crowding. Move them into proper sized containers.
Preparing Containers
Fill large containers with cultivation medium amended with slow-release nutrients. Allow pots to soak up water for 8-12 hours before transplanting.
Carefully Transplanting
Gently separate young roots from sprouting medium using a spade. Put into prepared pot at equal depth Request More Info as before and gently water in.
Growth Stage
The vegetative stage promotes leafy growth and plant structure through 18-24 hours of continual lighting intensity. This stage usually lasts 1-2 months.
Using 18-24 Hours of Light
Use grow lights on a 24 hour cycle or natural sunlight to trigger constant growth. Lamp output influences height and node distance.
Fertilizing
Use vegetative stage nutrients higher in nitrogen. Make sure pH stays around 6.5 for proper fertilizer uptake. Fertilize 25-50% concentration after 14 days and strengthen slowly.
LST and topping
Fimming, LST, and trellising direct shoot shapes for flat foliage. This boosts yields.
Flowering Stage
The blooming stage grows buds as plants show their sex under a 12/12 light timing. It lasts 2-3 months depending on strain.
Changing Light Schedule
Change lamps to 12 hours on, 12 hours off or move outside Watch Now for outdoor 12 hour cycle. This signals plants to start flowering.
Flushing
Leaching removes nutrient salts to enhance flavor. Fertilize weakly the first weeks then just use pH'd water the last 2 weeks.
Flushing
Continue 12/12 light timing but leach using neutral pH water only. Resume clean watering if buds aren't yet mature after two weeks.
Harvesting
Recognizing when marijuana is fully ripe delivers peak cannabinoid content and aroma. Harvest plants at optimal maturity.
Identifying Ripeness
Check fading pistils, swelling calyxes, and 10-15% cloudy trichs. Inspect buds across the plant as they won't all mature evenly.
Harvesting plants
Use clean, sharp pruning shears to gently cut each plant at the base. Keep 5-10cm of stem attached.
Curing
Hang whole plants or colas upside down in a lightless room with moderate temperature and RH around 50-60% for 7-14 days.
Aging
Curing keeps drying while aging the buds like aged spirits. This process mellows harshness and further develops terpene and terpene profiles.
Curing containers
Manicure dried buds from stems and store into glass jars, packing about 3⁄4 full. Use a sensor to monitor jar moisture.
Burping Daily
Unseal jars for a short time daily to gradually lower moisture. Rehydrate buds if humidity goes under 55%.
Final Cure
After 14-21 days when humidity levels off around 55-65%, do a final manicure and store forever in airtight jars.
Common Problems and Solutions
Even seasoned growers run into different cannabis plant problems. Detect issues soon and Watch Now address them correctly to maintain a strong garden.
Nutrient Deficiencies
Chlorosis often indicate inadequate nitrogen. Purpling stems and leaves signal phosphorus deficiency. Check pH and boost nutrients slowly.
Pests
Thrips, aphids, fungus gnats, thrips, and nematodes are common marijuana pests. Use neem oil sprays, predator bugs, and yellow traps for organic control.
Mold
High moisture encourages botrytis and bud rot. Improve circulation and circulation while reducing RH below 50% during bloom.
Conclusion
With this complete indoor marijuana growing guide, you now have the knowledge to grow bountiful strong buds for private harvests. Follow these steps and methods during the seed starting, vegetative, and flowering stages. Spend in good gear and carefully check on your plants. In time, you'll be compensated with sticky aromatic buds you grew yourself under the loving care of your green thumbs. Good luck cultivating!