Planting Containers

Planting any type of plant there are dos and don’ts, and this is also true when planting marijuana plants. The roots of these plants need oxygen and this is why the soil needs to be prepared with a mixture of sand and either pearlite or sponge rock. The containers also need to be sterilized and the correct size to allow the roots to get the oxygen and nutrients the plants need. As a rule of thumb when planting in the pots the cannabis will mature in the larger the pot the more growing room the plant has, meaning it will be able to grow larger in a larger pot.

The pot that the marijuana plants are placed in must have holes in the bottom for drainage, otherwise the roots can become too wet and then bacteria can form that can either slow the growth of the plant or kill it.

One of the hints that experienced growers and gardeners know is that these are not the type of plants that should be planted in red clay pots. This is because the terra cotta is known for soaking up the water and rapidly drying out the soil.

Testing Soil pH

When growing cannabis indoors one of the things that will need to be done often is to test the pH level of the soil, this is because the plants will not grow well in soil that has either to high of a pH level or too low of one. The perfect level for the soil that the marijuana plants are growing in is a pH 7 and there are ways to make certain the level stays at this optimum level, like water that is to alkaline can be neutralized by using certain things. The use of sulfuric acid, vinegar or even vitamin C can neutralize water with too much alkaline and these should be used with caution. Adding to much of any of these things can result in burned leaves on the ganja plant.

Cutting Seedlings

Many marijuana growers will cut the seedlings when they have their third set of leaves, when done properly it will enable the plants to increase the yield. This is done by cutting the leaves at the top of the plant when it has at least four leaves. When the cuttings are done you can be repeated, however, the plants must have enough time to heal before it is done by the grower again, or this can stunt the growth of the marijuana plant.

Growing Pot With Fluorescent Lighting

Growing a marijuana crop indoors with the use of fluorescent lighting it is possible to have a healthy mature crop that has a high yield and is potent when smoked. What the grower is attempting to do is to emulate the outdoor conditions without the threats the crop can suffer, such as weather events, drought and hot or cold temperatures. Growing indoors means that the pot plants are in a stable climate environment and with the use of fluorescent lighting the outdoor light can be imitated.

When using this type of lighting for the indoor crop there are several things about their use the grower should know, the first is while these lights can be found in most hardware or home improvement stores, they can also be found in lengths from one foot to four feet. This gives the grower the option to have the right amount of lighting. Then there is the fact that this lighting is easy to raise and lower depending on the height of the plants, because there are times when it should be between 2 and 4 inches from the plants, which the plants use as powerful direct sunlight.

When the grower has newly germinated and planted seedlings the light will need to be on 24 hours a day for optimum growth and the lighting should be approximately 2 inches from the tops of the seedlings.

The plants will be ready to transplant into the larger pots at about three weeks, and within four weeks it should be possible to about 14 hours of light and 10 hours of dark. Some growers during this time will even go with twelve hours of light and twelve hours of darkness. This will be when it might be possible to tell the sex of the plants depending on the strain, for some marijuana plants distinguishing the sex might be later. This can also depend on how well they adapt to the fluorescent lighting.

Hidden Cannabis Crops

There are some people that want to grow a crop of cannabis, and just do not have a room, basement or attic they can devote as a growing area, so instead a closet or an old refrigerator can be adapted for growing their marijuana plants.

Growing in a closet or refrigerator will not have as large a yield as devoting a room where a larger crop can be grown. It is possible to grow a quality crop in these smaller areas that will provide the grower with as many as six or seven crops a year, when using strains that are fast growing. Another benefit is either one of these areas can be divided so that seedlings can have the amount of light they need while older plants will have the amount of light and darkness they require.

Lighting is done with either a 200 or 400 watt metal halide light or fluorescent lighting, and using a refrigerator the use of CO2 will need to be incorporated.
For the person that is going to grow in a closet, it can be either one that is built into the room or it can be movable type of closet. One of the first things that will need to be done, is to divide the closet into two light proof sections for growing marijuana. Then there will be the need for a 4 foot florescent ballast and also a 252 400 watt metal halide bulb and ballast.

One of the other things will be needed when growing weed in a closet will be a small fan, this will keep the temperature correct for the plants and it will supply fresh CO2. The same can be set on exhaust in order to pull the humid air out of the closet and then be set to gently blow on the plants to bring in fresh CO2.

The marijuana seeds after being germinated can be planted in peat pots and will grow in these pots until it is time for them to be planted in the pots they will mature. At this time the seedlings should have 24-hour light which is approximately 2 inches from them and can be fertilized after their first set of leaves appear. The fertilizer should be a 20-20-20 mix that is made into a weak solution before feeding it to the plants; this is because at normal strength he could burn the leaves of the tender seedling. The fertilizer that is recommended to be used on these seedlings is an organic type of fertilizer.

When the ganja plants are about three weeks old they can then be transplanted into soil or a hydroponic set up and will need 12 hours of lighting from the metal halide lighting. It is also important for the grower to care for their plants including watering during the hours of light. During the hours of darkness the cannabis plants should not be disturbed as this can interrupt the flowering process and it will delay flowering. This is also when it may become apparent which plants are males and they should be removed from the growing closet prior pollination.
As the plants grow the females will become bushy producing light pistils and if they should grow too tall for the closet it is important not to prune the female marijuana plants. Rather than prune the plants bend them without breaking the stem.

When it is time to harvest the cannabis plants that have been growing closet, it is possible to save one of the select females to be a mother plant. This can be done by leaving the bottom branches and few flowers on the plants rather than pulling it up by the roots from the soil for harvest. Then the marijuana plant can be placed under 24-hour light and after several weeks shoots will appear that can be taken for cuttings to start a new crop of marijuana. The cuttings should be approximately 3 inches in length and will root in about three weeks under 24-hour light and then be can be given light for 12 hours in darkness for 12 hours.

When planting a crop of cannabis in a location like a closet, whether a standard closet or a movable one, and even a refrigerator, one of the things that should be considered is how fast the chosen seeds will mature. The faster the plants mature and can be harvested, the faster a new crop can be started and that means for this type of growing it is possible to have as many as 6 to 8 harvested marijuana crops per year.