The cannabis plants today are completely different from the old cannabis that was grown a long time ago. breeding different kinds of hybrids from all over the world have started to sprout starting in the ‘60 to ‘70s, and these newer kinds of strains have developed different growing habits. Some weed from The European developed weed, for example, prefers a colder climate compared to that strain bred in California which is more suited to warm and sunny climates. The products now are more potent than before and flowers and buds of these new strains are more sensitive to temperature changes, thus growing conditions are entirely more complex nowadays. Mistakes in growing methods are a common thing, especially for newbie growers. However, there too are experienced growers who may make some mistakes along the way. Let’s take a look at some common mistakes made by most marijuana cultivators.
WRONG SEEDS
Funny as it sounds but this does happen. It could be a purchase gone bad, like ordering from a bogus seller or someone giving you some excellent weed to cultivate. The problem lies in not knowing what type of strain you will be growing. Whether it is an indica, Sativa, or even an autoflower. The bottom line is not knowing the growing attributes that should be applying to these seeds. Cannabis seeds have different growing characteristics. Cannabis plant behavior differs per strain and it is important to know what weed you will be growing for you to apply the proper care it will need to thrive and be productive.
IMPROPER GERMINATION
This is called failing even before you get to start! knowing the proper techniques in germinating cannabis seeds must first be studied and practiced before you can perfect it. We would suggest that you don’t immediately splurge your cash on expensive seeds. buy cheap ones which you could practice on and if you feel confident enough to germinate seeds then go ahead and make that purchase! here are a few tips which may be useful for beginners:
- Place your seeds in a damp seeding medium
- place the seeds in a dark and humid place where the humidity level is at 70% to 90%
- make sure temperature ranges between 22C to 25C
- Make sure that the pH level of your seeding medium is neutral (5.5 to 6.5)
- Don’t contaminate seeds by handling them with our bare hands
ALWAYS USE THE RIGHT POTTING MIX
The potting mix you use for your cannabis plant is equally important as this provides a majority of the nutrients needed by the plant as well as keep the roots healthy. The soil mix for cannabis plants should be well-draining, and it should be able to hold enough moisture but not muddy clayish soil. Good cannabis soil must be able to retain water and oxygen for the roots to stay healthy. If the soil is not well-draining, water is retained in the soil depleting the roots of oxygen causing the rotting of the roots. It is also important to never re-use old soil. nutrients in the old soil may already be used up leaving no nutrient for newly repotted plants. Another reason for not using old soil is that they are contaminated with fungus and eggs of pests. our soil must be:
- Airy and light – the addition of perlite or pumice in your soil will promote aeration. This means that there will be spaces in the soil in which oxygen could circulate. This adds more drainage to the soil, protecting your roots from any possible rotting.
- Nutrients – most cannabis soils available in the market already contain nutrients. When using these soil mixes you can top up the nutrients when the plants are well on their way to thriving. By this time, the roots have already spread and the plant has grown, thus the need to supplement with additional macro and micronutrients.
Contents
PROPER HUMIDITY OF SEEDLINGS
Growing your seedlings is the most sensitive stage of marijuana growing. Treat them like babies as they are infant cannabis plants. Unlike seed germination, seedlings require a lower humidity level of 65% to 70%. Too much moisture in the air will cause the seedlings to only invite fungal and mold development, weakening the seedling Once they are infected, they are most likely not to develop properly or may eventually die. Wet soil is a no-no as well, water the seedlings sparingly. Remember, their roots are not yet fully developed so they need less water.
AVOID OVERFEEDING YOUR MARIJUANA PLANTS
This is a common mistake made by new growers. The excitement of wanting to see your plants grow quickly has made you overfeed our plants. Plants can only take so many nutrients and it is up to their roots to absorb more nutrients in the soil if they need more. Excess fertilizer will only turn into nitrogen salts which are very harmful to the plant in general. Leaves usually appear scorched and yellowish to brown. This is what they call fertilizer burn. The best option is to use organic fertilizer which nutrients come from compost and manure. They release nutrients slowly in the soil, thus there is a slim chance of overfeeding. Inorganic fertilizers are the types of fertilizers available in any gardening store. Common inorganic fertilizers are the complete 14-14-14 Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). These are commonly known as macronutrients needed by the plant to grow properly, They are consumed by the plants in large doses but following proper instructions is highly recommended.
NEVER OVERWATER YOUR MARIJUANA PLANTS
This is a common mistake made by most cultivators, especially beginners. Same as overfeeding, overwatering may hurt your plant more. Roots are “choked” which makes them absorb fewer nutrients eventually causing the plant to wither and die. A general rule of thumb is to let the topsoil dry out. Poke your finger to the soil and check if about 1 inch of the topsoil is dry, if so, then it is time to water your cannabis plant. take note of your watering schedule so you will know when it is the best time to water. As they grow, increase the water intake of the plants.
BE AWARE OF YOUR CLIMATE CONDITIONS
The grow area temperature and humidity should always be monitored. Giving them the proper growing conditions will ensure the healthy and productive growth of your marijuana plant. Exposing your plants to too much cold weather may stunt the growth of your plant while growing them in too hot conditions will curl up the leaves of your plant. This is called heat stress. This will weaken your plant and if not immediately aided, they could die.
Cannabis is a very sturdy plant and could take extreme weather changes but not constantly. if it stays too cold or too hot for a long time, their growth is eventually affected. As for relative humidity, this must be kept low as well. Too much water vapor in the air will only promote mold growth which is very harmful to the growth of your plant. Mold decomposes anything they grow on to. High Humidity is good for germination purposes but should be lowered a bit when seedlings start to sprout, when in the vegetative stage, humidity must be further lowered. Around 60% relative humidity is a great way to start the vegetative stage but as it grows older, and starts to flower, keep humidity levels at a constant 40%. This will produce sticky resin-filled buds.
WATER AND SOIL PH LEVEL SHOULD BE NEUTRAL
The measure of acidity or alkalinity in both soil and water is referred to as pH level. If the soil or water. Too acidic or too alkaline will restrict the plants from absorbing the needed nutrients present in both the soil and water. It is ideal to maintain it at a neutral level of 6.0 to 7.0.additives are available for sale to adjust your soil or waters acidity or alkalinity.
NEVER HEAT-STRESS YOUR CANNABIS
Growing problems involving heat stress is never good for your plant. Heat stress refers to the amount of heat penetrating your cannabis and causing it to show signs of burn usually in the edges of the leaves, curled and brown leaves. When growing indoors, heat stress could be caused by having your grow lights too close to the canopy of the plant. place the light farther away from your plants and until you find a perfect distance that does not cause heat stress. For outdoor growing, if your pants show signs of heat stress, it is best to put some sort of shading to cover the plants during the warmest times of the day. If your plants are potted, it would be easier to transfer them to a shaded location during the peak times of heat.
KNOW THE RIGHT TIME TO HARVEST
Understanding when it is the right time to harvest will do wonders for the potency of your harvest. Harvesting too early or harvesting too late will still produce decent products but harvesting them at exactly the right time will assure you that what you are getting are top-quality buds. These tips will guide you in harvesting just when your buds have reached the highest potency level. By simply looking at the color of the trichomes using a loupe or magnifying glass will aid you in knowing if it is time. Trichomes are the tiny growing hair-like structures that cover the buds of your plant.
- When all trichomes are clear, it is still to early to harvest
- When trichomes have started to change color to white or have a cloudy color, you are a few weeks before harvesting
- When all trichomes are now cloudy white and some of them have started to turn into an amber shade, now is the best time to harvest. bud potency is at its peak.
- When all trichomes are displaying reddish/amber colors, then you have missed your chance on getting the best buds this growing season.
