Tips and tricks to growing cannabis at home

Before you even begin to start growing cannabis, be sure that it is legal in your state. Always check local laws to make sure you are within the legal limits in terms of the number of plants and use of the final product.

It will take months to grow your cannabis into a beautiful and healthy plant. Then there is an additional four weeks to harvest and dry your buds.

With the right items and tips, you can create a healthy growing environment and begin to produce quality plants. Growing inside is more expensive because you need more items to start, but you have full control over the growing environment and the ability to make changes as needed.

Tips & Tricks

Grow Tents are not a necessary item, but helpful for beginners to optimize the growing environment. They are easy to purchase online.

Soil is extremely important.

Check the dryness of the soil by sticking a finger two inches into the dirt. If it feels dry, add water. PHOTO BY MYSTERYSHOT / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Store-bought soil needs added nutrients to promote growth. Read the directions and make sure not to use too much. One major side effect of using too many nutrients will be a chemical taste. The buds will also have a lower THC content.

Check the dryness of the soil by sticking a finger two inches into the dirt. If it feels dry, add water. If it’s wet, avoid watering.

PH levels for cannabis grown at home are at six to seven. Buy a pen to test the soil and have bottles of pH Up and Down on hand to adjust as needed.

Light sources are where you should invest your budget. If you can’t get direct sunlight, LED grow lights are a great source of lighting and a key factor in growing a healthy plant.

When the plant is in a vegetative state, it needs between 18 and 20 hours of light. This is when the majority of the growth takes place. Plants should only be exposed to 12 hours of light in the flowering stage.

Pots come in a variety of sizes. As the plants start growing, you may need to move them into larger pots or containers, so keep a different size pot handy. Start with small ones for young plants and move up in size as they become larger.

You can choose to grow Sativa or Indica plants or a hybrid. PHOTO BY ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Cannabis seeds are about personal preference. You can choose to grow Sativa or Indica plants or a hybrid. Sativa growers can use Green Crack as a starter plant. It is strong and has a great citrus odor. For fans of Indica strains, check out Northern Lights, a fast-growing plant that will offer a strong buzz. For hybrid selections, Blue Dream is a great choice, and it is one of the common choices among beginner growers.

Fans or air circulators promote strong and healthy plants. Air needs to be well-circulated to deliver the right amount of oxygen. Multiple fans are required if you use multiple lighting sources to reduce the temperature on the leaves and stems.

Harvesting depends on the color and hairs on the bud. Look at the hairs on buds and when 90 per cent become a darker color, begin harvesting. The change means the compounds have attained the highest concentration level. After harvesting, dry buds in a dark, ventilated space by hanging them upside down for roughly three to four weeks.

Now you are prepared to start growing! As you become more familiar with cultivating cannabis, you can tweak the list and add tips of your own.