Must-Try Tips for Growing Medical Cannabis at Home
3 min readMedical cannabis is a complex topic that elicits debate at its mention. Nonetheless, it’s used to treat multiple health conditions, and you can acquire different products from accredited marijuana dispensaries. You can also grow your cannabis at home- only if licensed to do so.
The thought of growing marijuana at home can be overwhelming for many. But, it’s something worth trying; it’s fun to see your plants flower and create those big buds. Are you seeking to grow medical cannabis at home and don’t know how to start? Here are great tips to try out:
- Be picky on the strains
All cannabis plants are different, and your strains determine the yields. Some strains produce bigger buds and mature faster. Others will take longer and produce smaller buds and yields. Examples of the highest yielding strains include; Blue dream, white widow, Green gelato, Cheese quake, and more.
- Be keen on the growing medium.
It’s critical to use the right growing medium for your weed plants. Marijuana thrives well when planted in soil that doesn’t retain a lot of moisture. For instance, sandy soil will offer better yields than clay which retains too much moisture after watering. Opt for pot mix; it’s designed for cannabis plants and contains the right mix of nutrients. For more information, refer to the growing huge cannabis buds article by ILGM.
- Less light- Better buds!
Light is a critical aspect of going cannabis plants. You’ll likely make mistakes as a beginner, and this will mostly have to do with lighting. When growing weed indoors, your plants need about 18-22 hours of light daily during the vegetative stage. This way, they will grow well and flourish.
However, your plants need lower light amounts during the flowering stage. Lower the light to 12 hours daily. During this stage, darkness triggers more growth, and your plants will stay longer in the vegetative stage if you expose them to lots of light.
- Limit the nutrients
Contrary to common belief, your plans don’t need lots of nutrients during the growth stage. Marijuana needs minimal nutrients to thrive. Your plants need just enough to avoid vitamin deficiency. So, limit fertilizers to avoid nutrient burn. It’s a condition that starts at the tip of the leaves before spreading to other parts. Plants with nutrient buns will store less energy and produce lower yields. That’s not all, though! Plants with lots of nutrients may have a noticeable chemical taste and smell.
- Boost the potency- Use the drought stress method
Insufficient moisture allows your plant’s leaves to wilt and curl at the ends. You’ll then need to water them to revive the leaves. This is called drought stress and helps improve the potency of your cannabis plants. This is because the compounds will be more concentrated in the buds if you do this during the flowering stage.
The bottom line
Growing medical cannabis is easy when you understand how to go about the process. Choose the right strains and buy your seeds from leading manufacturers. This way, you can be sure of healthy plants and better yields.