The good news for marijuana lovers is that it’s now easier than ever to get all the high-quality weed they need. Marijuana users in certain states can now order weed online and, in some cases, you can even grow marijuana yourself. While there are numerous approaches to growing, the best for beginners is to learn how to plant cannabis seeds indoors.
You’ll need to be aware of the rules and limitations that come with growing marijuana at home. Each state has rules on who can legally grow and how much you can grow- which is usually limited to a few plants in each home. However, if you’re legally able to grow weed yourself, it’s well worth learning about indoor growing as you can end up with an impressive stash of homegrown weed.
Growing indoors is the best option for beginners as it allows you to control the growing conditions of your plants, which is especially useful for those who live in states where the weather is often unpredictable or unsuitable for growing. It’s also surprisingly easy to grow quality plants, provided you know how to treat your plants. Here’s a guide on how to plant cannabis seeds indoors.
What You Need Before You Start Growing Indoors
Before planting any cannabis seeds, it’s important to ensure that you have everything you need for growing. Of course, you’ll need plant containers and soil. You’ll also need to provide your plants with certain nutrients to ensure they grow as successfully as possible. To plant cannabis seeds indoors, you’ll also need equipment that allows you to control the temperature, light, and humidity your plants are subjected to.
Artificial lights are used for controlling the light your plants get. Growers usually use either LED, HID, or CFL lighting when it comes to growing marijuana plants indoors. LED lighting is recommended for indoor growing, especially as LED lights are energy-efficient and don’t emit excessive heat.
You’ll also need to invest in air conditioning to keep your plants at an appropriate temperature. Although you can use windows or air conditioning units for this, the cheapest option is to use small fans. You can even get clip-on fans to use for your plants. You should also have a dehumidifier to keep your growing space at the ideal relative humidity (RH).
You might want to use nutrient-enriched “super-soil” to ensure your plants get the nutrients they need. Alternatively, you can water your plants using water that’s been infused with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Ideally, you should have an enclosed growing space for your plants. Some users use a grow tent or even a grow box, making it easier to control the temperature and light for small growing operations. Alternatively, you can use a closet, the corner of a room, or even an entire spare room if you have space.
Types Of Cannabis Seeds
Buying cannabis seeds can be confusing for beginners, especially as there are multiple types of seeds. Not only can you find seeds for various strains, but seeds are available in either regular or feminized varieties. You can also get auto-flowering seeds, either regular or feminized. Here’s a breakdown of the types of cannabis seeds.
Regular seeds – When you buy cannabis seeds labeled as “regular seeds,” it means that your plants may be either male or female. It’s important to note that female cannabis plants grow THC-rich marijuana flowers whereas male plants don’t. Male plants can sometimes pollinate female plants and prevent them from growing marijuana, so growers often avoid these.
Feminized seeds – Feminized cannabis seeds are ideal for marijuana growers as they have been genetically enhanced to ensure that 95% of them will produce female plants. This gives growers peace of mind that they’ll end up with THC-rich female cannabis plants and that their growing operation won’t be ruined by too many male plants.
Autoflowering seeds – Autoflowering seeds are enhanced seeds made by crossing indica or sativa cannabis plants with cannabis ruderalis plants. These seeds inherit the fast growth of ruderalis plants along with the effects of the indica or sativa plant used, resulting in seeds that can grow impressive cannabis plants within 8-10 weeks.
You can usually find cannabis seeds in seed banks or cannabis stores. You can also buy cannabis seeds online for convenient home delivery.
How To Germinate Your Cannabis Seeds
To ensure that your plants grow as successfully as possible, you’ll want to germinate your cannabis seeds before planting them. Germinating your seeds causes them to sprout and begin developing before you transfer them to a plant pot or container. Luckily, it’s easy to germinate your seeds with a few household items.
All you’ll need to germinate your seeds is a couple of dishes and some paper towels. Soak two sheets of paper towels and place them on a dish. Place your seeds on top of these paper towels, spreading them out to give them plenty of space. You can then soak two more sheets of paper towels and place them on top. Finally, put another dish over the top to sandwich the seeds.
You can leave the seeds at room temperature and check on them every couple of days to see if they’ve germinated. You’ll know your seeds have germinated when a small root sprouts through the surface. Some seeds will germinate faster than others and you might want to apply extra water when the paper towels become too dry.
Once all of your seeds have germinated, you can transfer them to your plant pots or containers. This involves making holes around a quarter-inch deep into the soil to apply each seed. It’s best to use tweezers for this as germinated seeds are sensitive. Keep these containers in a warm area and spray them with water- within a week you’ll notice a seedling sprouting.
How To Grow Your Cannabis Plants Indoors
After you’ve germinated your seeds and they’ve begun to sprout seedlings, you’ll want to transfer them to your growing area. This usually involves placing them in containers in a grow box, grow tent, closet, or a space in your room where you can control the heat, light, and humidity.
For the first four to six weeks of growing your plants, you’ll want to give them around 18 hours of light a day. It’s best to do this with artificial LED or HID lighting. You can either use timers for your lights or manually turn them off after 18 hours. You should water your plants when the soil becomes dry- check this by placing your finger around 2 inches into the soil.
You’ll also want to measure the temperature of your growing area and keep it at around 70-75°F. Humidity levels should start at around 60-70%, but you can lower the humidity by around 5% each week. Using air conditioning fans and a dehumidifier can help you control these conditions.
When your plants start to flower, you’ll need to lower the levels of light, heat, and humidity. Give them around 12 hours of light each day and keep the temperature at around 65-70°F. You’ll also want to lower the humidity to around 40-50%. You can lower the temperature and humidity further around 1-2 weeks before harvest.
It can take around 2-3 months until your plants are ready to harvest. How long they’ll take largely depends on the strain, the type of seed used (autoflowering seeds will grow quicker), and the conditions they’re exposed to.
When To Harvest Your Plants
It’s important to regularly check your plants so you know when they’re ready to harvest. Although it can take a few months for your plants to fully mature, you can check how close they are to being ready by examining the bulbous trichomes and pistils (hairs) on the flowers of your plant.
After your plants have begun to flower, you’ll want to regularly examine the flowers using a magnifying glass to get a closer look at the trichomes and pistils. At first, the trichomes will look cloudy and translucent. This indicates that they haven’t developed many cannabinoids and need more time to develop.
As the trichomes develop, they start to become cloudy. At this point, your cannabis buds will be rich in cannabinoids and will produce a smooth and stimulating high. It’s a good idea to harvest your plants when the trichomes have become cloudy and around 60-70% of the hairs on your cannabis flowers have darkened.
Some growers prefer to wait longer. When the trichomes start to turn amber, they’ll be at the peak of their THC production. This is also a great time to harvest. Just make sure not to leave it for too long or you’ll lose some of the THC.
It’s also important not to harvest your buds too early as this gives less time for the cannabinoids and terpenes to develop and will leave you with weak and unsatisfying buds.
Harvesting Your Plants
Once your plants are ready to harvest, you’ll need to trim the plants until you’re left with just the THC-rich cannabis buds. You’ll then need to dry them and cure them before using them. Drying them will ensure that they’re ready to smoke or vape whereas curing helps bring out the full potential of your buds.
Start by trimming the stems of your plants away until you’re left with just the buds. It’s best to use small trimmers or even scissors for this, and wear gloves to avoid contaminating the plants. Once you have your cannabis buds, you’ll need to dry them either by placing them on a dry rack or hanging them on a line.
It’s best to leave your buds in a dedicated drying area or room where you can control the humidity and temperature. Keep the area at around 70°F with a humidity level of 45-55%. Give them a week or two to dry out. You’ll know they’re ready when the buds become slightly paler and the stems are brittle enough to snap with your fingers.
After drying your buds, you might want to cure them for a few weeks. This will enhance their potency and flavor. Start by filling airtight glass jars with your dried cannabis buds until they’re nearly full. Leave the containers in a cool, dry place and “burp” the containers around once a day for 30 minutes to release excess oxygen. After a couple of weeks, you’ll only need to burp the containers every few days.
Curing your buds for around 2-4 weeks is usually enough to give you satisfying results. However, some users like to cure their buds for a few extra weeks or even months to make them even more potent and flavorful. You may want to take out a small amount of weed when you need it and leave the rest to continue curing.
Is Growing Cannabis Seeds Indoors Better Than Outdoors?
When it comes to growing cannabis seeds, growers can choose between growing indoors or outdoors. Growing outdoors requires less effort and might even seem better for some users, but indoor growing is generally recommended for most growers.
Outdoor growing is suitable for certain strains, especially if you live somewhere with a good climate. However, in many cases, you’ll have to compete with unpredictable weather conditions as well as the possibility of pests or other outside forces ruining your plants.
In contrast, indoor growing allows you to control the exact conditions your plants are exposed to. Not only will this prevent various hazards from ruining your plants, but you can also make your plants grow faster this way.
Although you’ll need to invest in some growing equipment, indoor growing is easy and efficient once you get the hang of it. After your first grow, you’ll want to buy more cannabis seeds to continue growing satisfying cannabis plants.
Conclusion
Growing cannabis indoors is a great idea for anyone who wants to enjoy homegrown weed. You’ll need to invest in some growing equipment and buy cannabis seeds, but you can grow a satisfying stash of weed in the comfort of your home.
Of course, growing cannabis isn’t the best idea for everyone, especially as it can take a few months. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever to get all the high-quality cannabis you need at affordable prices. Check out Purple Penthouse for convenient weed delivery in the NY and DC areas.
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