Whether you're new to cannabis cultivation or looking to improve your existing grow, following this complete guide will help you produce bountiful, high-quality yields right at home. With the right supplies, strategies, and attention, growing weed indoors can be an extremely rewarding and cost-effective endeavor.
Choosing Cannabis Strains
The first step in planning your indoor grow is choosing the right marijuana varieties to cultivate. The three main types of weed plants each have their own characteristics.
Sativas
Known for their invigorating intellectual effects, sativas grow 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 varieties include Sour Diesel, Durban Poison, and Jack Herer.
Indicas
These strains provide relaxing full-body effects and spread short and bushy with wide leaves. Accustomed to colder mountain climates, they flower faster within 8-9 weeks. Popular indica strains include Granddaddy Purple, Northern Lights, and Bubba Kush.
Hybrids
Mixed varieties mix traits from both energizing strains and indicas. They offer combined effects and have medium blooming periods around 9-10 weeks. Well-known hybrids are Blue Dream, OG Kush, and Blue Dream.
Setting Up Your Cultivation Space
Weed plants need the right controlled environment to flourish. Key factors for indoor farms are lighting, airflow, layout, and finding the ideal discreet spot.
Location
Choose an unused space with easy access to irrigation and electrical outlets. An empty extra bedroom, unused closet, corner of the basement, or grow tent locked away in a garage all make great stealthy cultivation room spots.
Lights
Cannabis requires powerful light for all growth stages. LED grow lights are efficient and come in broad spectrum options replicating natural outdoor light. Cover 15-25 watts per sq. ft for the vegetative stage and 400-600 watts per square foot for bloom.
Ventilation
Proper ventilation and exhaust systems maintain ideal temp, moisture, and fresh CO2 levels. Install low-noise 4-6 inch blowers or carbon filters to circulate old air and eliminate odors.
Layout
Maximize your space by arranging plants carefully under the lights and allowing room to reach and work around them. Set up distinct zones for growth, bloom, drying, and cloning.
Cultivation Mediums
Weed can be cultivated in different substrates, each with pros and cons. Pick a proper option for your particular setup and cultivation style.
Soil
The classic medium, soil is cheap and simple for beginners. It provides excellent taste but needs more watering and fertilizing to nourish plants. Enrich soil with vermiculite or coco to improve aeration.
Coconut coir
Made from coir, renewable coco coir retains water but still lets in air to the roots. It's cleaner and more predictable than soil. Use coir-specific fertilizers to avoid calcium buildup.
Water systems
In water systems, plant roots develop right in nutrient water solution. This allows quick development but needs close monitoring of water properties. Deep water culture and irrigation systems are popular techniques.
Germinating Seeds
Sprouting prepares your pot seeds to begin sprouting taproots. This prepares them for transplanting into their cultivation medium.
Paper Towel Method
Put seeds between wet paper towel and keep them moist. Check after 2-7 days for emerging taproots showing sprouting is complete.
Planting directly
Plant seeds directly into pre-moistened growing medium 1⁄4 inch deep. Gently water and wait 7-14 days until seedlings break through the surface.
Rockwool Cubes
Presoak cubic rockwool starters in pH-adjusted water. Place seeds 1⁄4 inch deep into the cubes. Keep cubes moist until seedlings emerge within 1-14 days.
Transplanting Seedlings
Once sprouted, weed seedlings need to be transplanted to avoid overcrowding. Move them into proper sized pots.
Ready Containers
Load large pots with growing medium amended with slow-release nutrients. Allow containers to absorb water overnight before transplanting.
Carefully Transplanting
Gently loosen young roots from sprouting medium using a spoon. Place into prepared container at equal depth as before and gently water in.
Growth Stage
The vegetative stage encourages foliage and plant structure through 18-24 hours of daily light intensity. This stage usually lasts 1-2 months.
Using 18-24 Hours of Light
Use grow lights on a 24 daily schedule or outdoor light to initiate constant growth. Lamp intensity influences size and internodal spacing.
Nutrients
Use grow stage fertilizers higher in N. Make sure pH remains around 6.5 for full nutrient absorption. Fertilize 25-50% concentration after 14 days and strengthen slowly.
Training Techniques
Topping, low stress training, and scrogging direct shoot patterns for even canopies. This boosts yields.
Bloom Stage
The flowering stage grows buds as plants show their sex under a 12 hour light timing. It lasts 2-3 months depending on variety.
Switching to 12/12
Switch lamps to 12 hours on, 12 hours off or place outdoors for outdoor 12 hour cycle. This signals plants to begin blooming.
Stop Fertilizing
Leaching removes nutrient salts to enhance taste. Feed weakly the first period then just use plain water the last 2 weeks.
Flushing
Continue 12 hour photoperiod but flush using neutral pH water only. Return to plain watering if buds aren't yet mature after two weeks.
Reaping
Recognizing when weed is fully ripe delivers maximum cannabinoid content and aroma. Cut down plants at peak ripeness.
Identifying Ripeness
Check fading pistils, swelling calyxes, and 10-15% cloudy trichs. Check buds across the plant as they won't all ripen evenly.
Harvesting plants
Use sterilized, razor-sharp pruning shears to gently slice each plant at the base. Leave 5-10cm of stalk attached.
Drying
Suspend intact plants or branches inverted in a lightless room with average temp and RH around 50-60% for 1-2 weeks.
Curing
Curing keeps desiccating while aging the buds like aged spirits. This technique smooths bitterness and intensifies cannabinoid contents.
Curing containers
Trim dried buds from branches and place into glass jars, packing about 75% capacity. Use a hygrometer to monitor container humidity.
Burping Daily
Unseal containers for a short time daily to gradually reduce moisture. Remoisten buds if humidity goes under 55%.
Final Cure
After 2-3 weeks when moisture levels off around 55-65%, perform a Click Here last manicure and keep long-term in airtight jars.
Troubleshooting
Even seasoned growers run into various weed plant problems. Detect problems soon and address them properly to maintain a strong garden.
Poor feeding
Chlorosis often signify insufficient nitrogen. Purpling stems and leaves show low phosphorus. Test pH and boost fertilizers gradually.
Pests
Spider mites, fungus gnats, thrips, and nematodes are common weed pests. Use organic sprays, predator bugs, and sticky traps for natural control.
Powdery mildew
Excessive moisture encourages powdery mildew and bud rot. Increase circulation and venting while reducing RH under 50% during bloom.
Summary
With this complete indoor marijuana growing guide, you now have the knowledge to grow plentiful potent buds for private grows. Apply these techniques and methods during the seed starting, vegetative, and flowering stages. Invest in good gear and closely check on your plants. In time, you'll be compensated with sticky fragrant buds you grew yourself under the loving care of your green thumbs. Good luck cultivating!