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Clarice Lispector’s Ghost

Before you get your hands dirty, learn the correct way how to grow cannabis indoors.

With Malta announcing its cannabis reformation laws, people on the Maltese Islands will soon have their own take on growing weed, specifically for their own recreational use. The cannabis plants will have to be grown in a space that is not visible to the public eye and at no point can these homegrown plants be sold to third parties outside of the household.

Growing weeds indoors can be tricky

When growing weed indoors, you will be able to have full control of the environment in which the plant grows and this is, probably, the biggest benefit of growing indoors. Plus, there is incredible satisfaction when growing weed. Growing indoors will you give you opportunities to introduce high levels of CO2 which, in turn, results in growing bigger buds with higher THC concentrations.

However, even though growing weed plants indoors comes with a lot of benefits, there are still potential disadvantages that can happen if you are not paying careful attention to your growing crops. This is why we are here to let you know all that you need to know about growing weed indoors. The First Step is to Set up Your Garden.

Before you plant your first seeds, it is important that you are equipped with the right materials for a proper indoor cannabis garden. Here’s all you will need to grow your garden:

  • You will first need to identify an area specific for growth, for example, a closet, a spare room, or an indoor tent specifically for growth.
  • Then you will need to purchase and set up the grow lights. For beginners, high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights are always recommended.
  • Next, you will need to determine your growing medium such as soil or a hydroponic system.
  • Make sure that you have proper nutrients.
  • Purchase the seeds that interest you the most.

How to Choose the Right Seeds

Choosing the right seeds for you is important when determining the type of weed that you wish to grow indoors. Everything from the colour, quality, height, and aroma of the plant, all depend on your chosen seed.

Our suggestion is to try and steer away from seeds that are damaged, green, soft and/or pale since these seeds will not be mature enough to commence the process of germination which could result in a weak plant or none at all.

You will recognise good seeds by their dark brown colour, and they will be in a hard shell. The most important thing to look out for when choosing seeds, especially if you are a beginner, is to select feminised seeds. Feminised seeds are more expensive, but they are worth the cost since they ensure the plant is going to be 99% female. Why is this important? Because female plants produce larger buds.

Seed Germination

The easiest when to germinate your seeds is to plant them into a growing medium directly. You can also use a seeding plug which is quite common especially if you are growing hydroponically.

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It might be worth practising germination on less expensive seeds

When you are choosing the number of seeds, keep in mind that not every seed that you are going to plant will grow. Around 10 to 20% of the seeds do not make the cut. Normally, seeds will germinate in around 2 to 7 days.

If you are still a beginner, it might be worth practising germination on less expensive seeds as you do not want to risk ruining an expensive batch while you are still learning.

The soaking method is one of the most common and effective ways to germinate weed seeds. All you need to do is fill up a cup with warm water and place in the seeds and look out for the seeds that float. Remove the floaters and cover the cup with a lid. Roots will start to sprout in around 24-48 hours. Once the roots have grown to around a quarter inch, you will need to transfer them to your chosen growing medium. Be careful, as the sprouts will still be very delicate here.

When placing the seeds in your grow medium, place them about two inches deep. It is important to keep the seeds moist but not soaking. If the seeds dry out, the germination process is ruined.

How to Water Your Seedlings

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When it becomes a healthy root system, it will then be able to handle more water

Properly watering your seedlings is crucial when growing weeds indoors. The first time you water your seedlings, 2 cups of water is required. Pour the water in a small circle around the base of the seedling and wait until the top part of the soil is mostly dry before watering again.

When you notice that your seedling is growing, slowly increase the amount of water. On average, seedlings need to be watered every 2 to 3 days until they are no longer seedlings. When it becomes a healthy root system, it will then be able to handle more water. It is crucial to complete the process with as minimal light as possible so that the plants can settle into their new home without activating the photosynthesis cycle.

The Vegetative and the Flowering Stage

During the vegetative stage of growth, your plants will start to produce new stems and leaves without buds. Water the plants regularly in this stage and prevent any excessive heat. Look out for discoloured leaves or any signs of droopiness and make sure that your plants have enough water, nutrients, and light.

The flowering stage happens when your plants have reached half of their final size. The flower that is produced during this stage will be processed to become smokable buds. Set your grow lights on a schedule of 12 hours on and 12 hours off and make sure that the plants are in the darkness during the night.

After a few weeks, your plant should quickly progress, and this period is known as the flowering stretch. You might also get extra growth out of your buds during this period if you provide your plants with CO2 and switch to bloom nutrients. Buds should start to grow within 2 to 3 weeks.

When you start seeing flowering, make sure that they are all female and if you find male plants, often identified by pollen sacs at stem junctions, remove them since they will reduce your flowering period.

Watering and Nutrients

Watering depends on the size of your cannabis plants. However, a general rule to go by is to water your plants day in, and day out as watering every day might prevent roots from receiving proper airflow.

The main nutrients for high-quality cannabis plants are nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. However, micronutrients such as calcium, magnesium, sulphur, and others, are also important. Nitrogen helps stems and leaves to grow and without it, leaves will turn yellow and the plant eventually die. Nitrogen is especially important in the vegetative stage.

Potassium is used to build sugars for your weed. It also helps the growth of the plant. Phosphorous is key during the flowering stage since it helps to grow larger buds.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide has given you all the tools for a successful indoor cannabis garden. Now all you need to do is pay careful attention to your weed garden and watch the plants bloom and flourish.

Happy gardening!

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Clarice Lispector’s Ghost

Storytelling is my jam; whether it's through words, visuals or pottery, passing on an important or educational message through any medium is where it's at for me. When not writing a ToDo list with the never-ending tasks this scatterbrain has to get to, you'll probably find me with a weight in my hand or getting messy with some clay. Downtime is writing time which includes anything from facts to fiction. Find me typing away hidden under a whole lot of greenery with some green in my hand.

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