Tips for an Effective Indoor Weed Grow

Start With The Right Genetic Material

This is arguably one of the most important steps in the growing process. A plant with good genes will set a solid foundation for everything else. No amount of efforts can help a plant with bad genes grow better, so do your research and make a proper choice.

Don`t grow from a clone and start with a seed. A clone is much more likely to develop diseases, get pest infection or just be inherently weaker. Look for strains that are known for their thick buds and potent qualities

Prepare The Growing Space

Growing cannabis successfully is all about planning. Decide how big you want your operation to be beforehand otherwise you might end up having too many plants growing in an insufficient space.

Also, make sure that there is proper ventilation and room for any additional equipment such as grow lights, containers and miscellaneous materials. Ideally the room should be sealed and prevent any smell or light from escaping.

• Adequate space for growth. The bigger the plant can grow, the larger your yields will be. Generally, you'll need more height than width, to keep the lights off the plants. Space gets tight quickly.
• Sterilization. Dirty closets won't suffice-you must be able to keep the space clean and contained from the outside environment. You'll also need to be able to drain the plants properly and keep them out of standing water.
• Ventilation. Plants need fresh air. A continual exchange of air is necessary to keep them healthy and vibrant. Depending on where you live, you may need an AC unit or heater to regulate the climate.

Lighting Requirements for Growing Marijuana

Each phase of the grow cycle has unique lighting requirements. Seedlings just starting to sprout do best in total darkness until they have reached a height of about two to three centimeters. At this point they can be transferred to a grow medium (if not already) in preparation for the vegetative stage which requires ample light each day - between 13 and 24 hours, in fact.

It is during the vegetative stage that the plant gains the bulk of its mass and will grow more rapidly the more light it receives, though many argue that the plant gains strength during darkness and therefore insist on a 16/8 light cycle during this time.

Once the plants have grown to a sufficient size (which should be about half its final size), it's time to switch to the flower light cycle: 12 hours of light and 12 hours of complete darkness. When growing outdoors, this happens naturally beginning in late September as the days get shorter, but must be artificially created indoors for any non-auto-flowering cannabis plants.

The light cycle is not the only facet to consider when planning lighting for your cannabis grow. Different grow lights offer different spectrums, intensities and, of course, price tags. Check out our guide for finding the best grow lights for your budget to decide which lighting option is best for you.

Keep The Area Clean

Keeping the grow area clean is another essential thing to keep in mind. While it may sound self-explanatory it`s still worth mentioning due to the susceptibility of cannabis to disease. Naturally, you want to keep the plant from developing any diseases. The best way to do that is to wash your hands and clean your tools every tie before handling the plants.

Train Your Plants

With a limited space, you can also train your cannabis plants to increase yields. Some effective methods include:

• Scrogging (screen of green)
• Low-stress training (LST)
• High-stress training (HST)

Scrogging is probably your best bet for getting a high return with minimal space. This process involves weaving the stalks and branches of a plant through a screen-mesh sizes usually range from 3-6 inches square-before switching to a flowering light cycle.

This spreads out the plant's branches, allowing all nodes to receive more light and also opening up the plant so that middle and lower branches can receive more light. This will give you a level canopy that will fill out with big colas.

Everything below the canopy can be pruned to save energy and keep the space clean and free of pests while the buds have direct exposure to light, increasing your yield.

Low-stress training involves tying down parts of the plant to create offshoots that will lead to additional cola sites.

A more aggressive method, high-stress training increases cola sites through topping or super cropping to promote an even canopy and increased cola sites.

Maintaining an Ideal Environment

Lighting is an important part of a successful grow, but can become quite the nuisance when it comes to heat output. Cannabis plants require precise living conditions if they are to produce high-quality cannabis with minimal seeds and excessive temperatures (among other things) can compromise this outcome.

Marijuana plants should be kept between 66 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit, which may fluctuate greatly depending on the location of the grow; plants grown in a basement or garage may experience a more drastic drop in temperature at night when the lights go off so plan your location carefully. Conversely, plants kept under hot lights for long periods may burn or become stressed and produce seeds, making temperature control a pretty big deal.

Though there are some lights you can use to cut down on heat, you'll often end up reducing the final harvest yield as well. This is one reason ventilation is so important for indoor grows. An easy ventilation system can be installed by pumping heat out of the top of the grow box while replacing it with cool air near the bottom. This will also help control carbon dioxide levels as well as humidity which should be kept between 40 and 70 percent - any less and your plants could dry up and die, any more and they risk developing mildew. A hygrometer can help track the humidity of your grow room.

Nutrients are another important part of a healthy cannabis grow. Like us, marijuana requires a balanced diet to grow to its fullest potential which differs depending on the stage of growth. Plants in a vegetative stage, for example, should receive more nitrogen than phosphorus or potassium because the nitrogen helps promote stem and leaf growth. After switching to the flower cycle, the plants will require more phosphorus to help buds swell, and less nitrogen to discourage long, stringy buds from forming.

Finally, indoor grow areas will need to be kept sanitary to avoid pest infestation. As mentioned earlier, one easy way to do this is to avoid introducing clones (which could be contaminated either from another grow or from the environment during transportation) by starting with seeds instead. You should also clean the grow area thoroughly with a bleach and water solution prior to beginning a grow and always wash hands and remove excess clothing before to entering the area.

If pests do move into your cannabis grow tent, you should be able to get rid of them with organic sprays on the underside of the foliage (in the case of an aphid infestation, for example) or by modifying the grow conditions (like letting the top few inches of soil dry out to deter fungus gnats).

There are many resources available to help teach you what you need to know to grow dank weed, but perhaps the best teacher is good ol' fashioned experience. So read up, plan your supplies and dig in. Your adventure in cannabis cultivation is just beginning.

Pinch, Pluck, Prune And Be Patient

These are the so called Four P`s of growing cannabis indoor. It is a method for growing bushier plants and achieving bigger and thicker buds.

Pinch off the middle growth point on the top of the plant for to stimulate a bushy expansion, but only if the plant is not less than 2 weeks away from budding. Then pluck away any leaves that are blocking the light from penetrating any growth points, but be moderate and don`t go overboard. Also, don`t forget to prune as the process creates a controlled and beneficial stress on the plant. Lastly, patience is a key. Don`t rush the steps and monitor the process as the plant develops.

Harvesting At The Right Time

Make sure that you don`t harvest too early or late. The buds have reached maturity when the white hairs have changed their color to rusty red or even brownish. It`s also common practice to harvest a few buds on separate stages in order to determine exactly which one yields the best results. As the THC in the plant matures the effects get "stonier" so to say.