A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Marijuana

Now that marijuana is legal for recreational or medical use in many states, many people have started wondering how to grow marijuana. Cannabis cultivation laws differ from state to state, and many states have now legalized home growing for either medical or recreational use. For those who use marijuana for medical purposes, at-home marijuana cultivation can save you time and money. Here’s what you need to know about growing your own marijuana at home, as well as marijuana growing tips. 

Where is it legal to grow marijuana? 

Before you starting growing marijuana outdoors or even in your own home, you need to be aware of your state’s cultivation laws. Not every state allows marijuana cultivation, and some states have very harsh punishments if you are caught growing it at home. Right now, there are 18 states that have approved home growing for marijuana, as well as Washington, D.C. There are many other states that have approved medical marijuana sales, but prohibit at-home growth. 

Even in states that allow marijuana cultivation, there are limits on how much marijuana you can grow or possess at one time. For example, both Alaska and Colorado limit you to growing six plants at one time at home. Before you start growing your own marijuana, make sure to familiarize yourself with the regulations in your area. 

Indoor vs. Outdoor Marijuana Growing

When growing at home, you’ll need to decide if you want to grow your marijuana indoors or outdoors. There are advantages and disadvantages to both approaches, so you’ll need to determine which option best suits your circumstances. 

How to Grow Marijuana Outdoors

While indoor grow setups give you more control over your plants, they also can be expensive. If cost is a concern for you, you may want to learn how to grow a weed plant outdoors instead. Here are some key outdoor weed growing tips. 

To do this, you’ll need a private yard, terrace, or balcony. When growing outside, you’ll need to make sure you find a strain that works well in your climate. You’ll also need to make sure your plants get several hours of direct sunlight every day, as well as a regular breeze. You’ll also need to make sure you have the best soil for cannabis growth.

How To Grow Marijuana Indoors

For most people, the first step in the cultivation process is learning how to grow a marijuana plant indoors. Although it’s a more complex process than growing marijuana outdoors, it also gives you more control over the final product. You can control your entire growing environment to make sure you get the high-quality plants you need, and you’ll also have more privacy. 

You don’t need much space to start growing marijuana, but you will need a dedicated area for your plants. A spare room or even a large closet can work, but you will need to invest in grow lamps as well as climate control solutions. Fluorescent grow lights are very popular for home growing, but you can also use HID or LED grow lights. The climate control solutions you need will depend on where you live, but you’ll typically need to set up your space so that the air flow is ideal for growth. 

Before you set up your indoor growing area, you’ll want to decide on a strain to grow and research its ideal climate. Since different strains require different growing climates, this will determine your overall setup. 

Best Soil For Cannabis

Some soil types are better for growing cannabis than others. Loam is a mix of clay, silt, and sand soils and is generally considered to be the best soil for marijuana. This is because it combines the positive qualities of all three soil types. However, silt soils also work well for growing most strains of marijuana. You’ll also want to make sure you’re adding organic fertilizers to your soil. There are many organic fertilizer brands on the market that have been designed specifically for cannabis products. 

Best Strain To Grow For Beginners

There are many cannabis strains that are appropriate for beginner growers. Blue Dream is arguably the best strain to grow indoors for beginners, because it is resistant to many forms of mildew and rot. It’s also quite potent and popular among medical users. Other popular strains to grow at home include Northern Lights, White Widow, and GMO Cookies. The best strains for growing outdoors for beginners include LSD, Durban Poison, and Special Queen 1. 

How Long Does It Take To Grow Marijuana? 

How long does it take to grow weed? The time it takes to grow marijuana plants will vary depending on what strain you use. From the time it takes to plant the seed, it can take anywhere from three to eight months for the plant to grow. Growing your marijuana indoors can speed up the process, because you have a bit more control over the environment. 

How To Harvest Marijuana Plants

After you’ve got your setup in place, you’ll need to learn when to harvest marijuana. You’ll need to keep a close eye on your plants to make sure you catch them when they are ready to harvest. When marijuana plants are ready to harvest, the leaves will start changing from green to yellow and will begin to curl. You’ll also notice that the trichromes, which are small resin glands on the flower, have changed from clear to a milky color or an amber color. 

Depending on what type of plant you have, you can harvest it by chopping it down all at once or by chopping it down in sections. You can opt to trim your plants right after harvesting them or during the drying process. 

Other Marijuana Growing Tips

One of the first things you’ll need to learn is how to germinate weed seeds. One of the easiest ways to do this is with a wet paper towel and a small container. Put your seeds on a paper towel and spray with room temperature water, then continue to spray every few hours until your seed opens and is ready for planting. 

Home growers will also need to learn how to dry marijuana. To dry, you’ll need to hang your plants upside down in an ideal drying climate. The space should be temperate and dark with moderate air flow. The drying process usually takes about a week. Learning how to dry cannabis can take some trial and error, especially if you are experimenting with different strains. 

Common Growing Mistakes

Growing marijuana for beginners can be tricky, and it’s normal to make mistakes along the way. One of the most common mistakes people make when learning how to grow weed outdoors is choosing strains that aren’t appropriate for the climate. It’s important to make sure you choose a strain that can handle the weather in your area. 

Another common mistake is over-watering your plants or giving them too many nutrients. While it’s important to make sure your plants are taken care of, too much of a good thing can actually smother them. Finally, you’ll need to make sure the setup you’re using is safe, especially if you’re indoors. Having heat lamps in a small space could potentially be a fire hazard if they aren’t set up correctly. 

If your use cannabis regularly, growing your own can save you money and give you more control over the cannabis you are using. Looking to get your medical card? Elevate Holistics provides online consultations with licensed medical marijuana doctors and can help you find the cannabis products you need.