Choosing a variety is of major importance.
Yields and quality of plants grown under artificial lights mostly depend on:
1. the seed variety,
2. whether the plants are grown from seeds or clones,
3. after how many days of growing the plants are put into flowering, and
4. the optimization of the climatic conditions of the grow-room.
Apart from "true breeding" varieties, our seed collection consists of
different F-1 hybrids. Crossing two "true breeding" strains
(hybridizing) gives F-1 hybrids that possess the so-called "Hybrid
Vigor". This means that the F-1 generation is a lot more potent than
either parent. F-1 generations also consist of uniform plants.
Growing cannabis indoors has seen a dramatic rise in popularity in
recent years. When done properly it produces excellent quality stash
which is usually much better than that sold on the streets. Growing
cannabis indoors relies on the use of powerful artificial lights to
replicate the effect of the sun. These lights typically take hundreds
of Watts of electrical power to run and are commonly HPS (High Pressure
Sodium) but fluorescent lights, metal halide, LED light and other kinds
have all been used successfully.
Cannabis loves light and the successful indoor grower tries to deliver
as much light as possible. Consider 250 watts/m² only as a minimum
starting point and realistically aim for 2-3 times that level if
possible. More light will mean bigger, denser buds and superior yields.
As well as delivering high light levels the successful indoor grower
keeps the plants as near the light as possible to maximise the light
intensity reaching the leaves and buds. Often the personal medical or
recreational grower will have a growing area of 1-2 m² designed below a
single 400W or 600W high pressure sodium (HPS) lamp.
The
indoor cannabis grower has to be careful that the plant doesn’t grow
too near to the hot light and damage itself. If the light feels cool to
the back of the hand it will be cool for the plant also. For a 400W
lamp, growers may not want to allow plants to grow within 40-50cm of the
bulb. Cannabis plants can be bent over and tied if they get too tall,
some indoor growers deliberately train their plants this way to get as
much of the plant as possible close (but not too close) to the high
intensity light.
Certain strains respond well to having the growing tip of the plant
pinched out (known as ‘topping’, ‘FIM’ or pinching) after the 4th or 5th
leaf pair. The resulting plants are often smaller and bushy without the
dominant main growth stem (or ‘cola’) and are preferred for some
smaller growrooms.
Some indoor growers train the plants underneath a metal
chickenwire-style screen allowing only the buds to grow vertically while
the stem and growing part of the plant grow horizontally. This SCROG
(screen of green) technique allows the indoor grower to keep as much of
the bud growth as possible equidistant to the lamp, maximising the
efficiency and yield.
Specialist suppliers offer ‘air cooled’ lights for the indoor grower
that enclose the light in a glass casing. A fan forces air over the
light and outside the growroom via tubing, keeping the grow room cool
and allowing the plants to grow taller without burning.Grow rooms are
typically kept between 24°C -30°C for optimum results. Higher
temperatures can cause the plants to wilt and cooler temperatures may
slow down growth. The plants will need a gentle breeze from a fan, and a
steady supply of fresh air which can be from your house or from
outside. Stale air from the growroom is normally continually extracted
outdoors by a fan and de-odorised with a carbon filter.
Those indoor growers that do get caught are often betrayed by the
smell of their growroom, so some also invest in ozone generators to
further remove odours from the exhausted grow room air.
Germinating
cannabis seeds can be done in various ways and the internet is full of
cannabis grow forums that document various methods. One simple method
is to simply place seeds about 1cm below the surface of firmly pressed
damp soil. A film of kitchen cellophane over the surface helps keep
conditions moist and after a few days of temperatures around 20-25°C the
seeds should germinate. Growing from cuttings of ‘mother’ plants is an
alternative to growing from seeds.
In the first stages of life the seedlings are happy to start with
lower light intensities often a metre below an HPS light, or closer to
fluorescent lights. The artificial lights are normally ‘on’ for 18-24
hours per day. During this time the seedlings are in a state of
vegetative growth, they will continue to grow roots, leaves and branches
but no bud.
By reducing daily light to ~12 hours the cannabis plant transitions
into the ‘flowering’ phase. This stage normally requires 8-10 weeks
(but more for certain strains) and it is during this time that the
female flowers form. During this stage the plants gain a lot of bulk
and will tolerate more nutrients and very bright light.Some growers
introduce supplemental lighting to ensure the very best yields. At the
end of this process the plant is cut down and the buds (unpollinated
female flowers) are dried. Some growers harvest the plants when they
see the trichomes start to transition from clear to cloudy (this
requires a powerful magnifying glass/scope to see). This often
coincides with the bud producing lots of red/orange pistil hairs. Some
smokers prefer bud harvested early, others prefer late- harvested bud.
When growing- your-own it is you that decides exactly how you like it!
In
general, longer periods of vegetative growth will grow larger plants
and support greater yields during subsequent flowering. Typically 2-6
weeks of vegetative growth are used and during subsequent flowering the
plants may increase to 2 or 3 times their original height. Some growers
use the ‘sea of green’ (SOG) method, this uses just a few days of
vegetative growth before switching to ‘flowering’ conditions. This
technique produces small plants of low/medium yield, but allows for fast
production.
Male plants are nearly always destroyed by the indoor grower as they
don’t yield any buds, and given the chance they will pollinate the
female plants reducing them to seed.
Feminised seeds are popular with the indoor growers as they virtually
eliminate the possibility of male plants. For many indoor growers
feminised seeds from a quality supplier are regarded as the only way to
go. If male flowers appear at the end of a female flowering cycle don’t
panic, simply pinch off the male flowers. The female buds are mature
and unaffected by the appearance of isolated rogue male flowers late in
the flowering cycle.
The indoor growroom allows plants to be grown in soil or any number of
other grow mediums. When growing in soil the cannabis plant benefits
from 25% perlite or coco fibre being included. This allows better
aeration of the soil. One common mistake by inexperienced growers is
the tendency to overwater soil-grown plants. Get to know the weight of
your plant pots and water only when the plants need it. Over watering
soil-grown plants will reduce yield/quality and slow down plant
development.
Growing cannabis indoors will require use and understanding of plant
feeds. This is not complicated, all the plant feed does is deliver
essential nutrients to the roots, it doesn’t matter whether the roots
are growing in clay pebbles, rockwool, coir or a hydroponic system.
Even soil-grown plants will need additional nutrients when the soil has
been depleted. Read the instructions on the nutrient labels and avoid
the beginners temptation to exceed recommended levels. The experienced
gardener can ‘read’ his plants and will learn when to water and feed
plants.
Indoor growing allows the plants to develop under closely supervised
grow conditions without the normal array of outdoor pests. Once the
grower has the right system in place it is a predictable way of growing
great quality cannabis, a lot better than weed sold by street dealers.
The main challenge for many indoor growers is dealing with the
characteristic cannabis smell so that no-one notices it.
Recreational and medical cannabis popularity now extends far outside
the earths warm/tropical climates, so for many growing cannabis indoors
is the only option. Growing cannabis indoors has never been as popular
as it is today, nor has it been as easy to produce superb quality weed.
Professional seed suppliers, equipment providers, advice and
information are all available on the internet.
Of course it all really begins with great quality seeds – get them from a supplier you can trust.
