The legalization of cannabis is spreading like wildfire. Now, you can finally grow Your Cannabis Plant stash of marijuana. Although marijuana plants are pretty tough, how you care for your plants will determine whether or not you have a healthy crop with a bumper yield. Now that you can grow your own marijuana, the last thing you want to happen is for the plant to die. The outcome of the crop is determined by its environment.
Here are some things to keep in mind so that you don’t inadvertently kill your cannabis or non-cannabis plants.
- Light Cycle
Did you know that weed knows when the seasons change? They know this from the light cycle. If you alter their schedule, exposure, or intensity to light, it will put stress on your plant.
Indoor growers must adhere to strict light schedules that change during the different stages of growth. If you leave plants in darkness, they will stop growing and die. Plants make their food with sunlight. Without light, plants won’t have nutrients for growth
- Temperature & Humidity
Marijuana plants will not thrive in an environment where the temperature is either too hot or too cold. The same rings true for the humidity. They do not tolerate excessive levels of humidity. The ideal range of temperature and humidity varies by plant growth.
You can adjust humidity levels with the use of a dehumidifier or a humidifier and control temperatures with an air conditioner or a heating mat. A hygrometer is always nice to have on hand because it measures the level of humidity.
- Water
Be sure to not underwater or overwater your plants. The amount of water needed will be determined by climate and the soil and how fast the soil drains. It’s best to use lukewarm water because cold water will shock the roots. If you overwater the plant, the root system won’t receive the oxygen it needs and the leaves will turn yellow.
- Nutrients
Be sure you don’t provide the plant with too many or too few nutrients. Issues with nutrients will show up in the plant’s leaves and growth. The leaves will become spotted or discolored and the growth will be stunted. The three main nutrients needed by the plant are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The levels of each nutrient needed vary by growth stage.
- Soil
Soil also affects how the crop of plants turns out. Loam soil is best to use. This type of soil is a combo of sand, silt, and clay. Loam soil drains well and provides the best yield.
The pH of the soil must be ideal as well. pH determines how alkaline or acidic the soil is. When the pH levels are off, it prevents the plant’s roots from absorbing the nutrients. The perfect range of pH for cannabis plants is between 6.0 and 6.5.
- Hermaphrodite Plants
You want to make sure you don’t have a hermaphrodite plant in the mix. When cannabis plants have both genders, they can pollinate themselves or other plants nearby. One hermaphrodite plant can ruin the whole crop because it could pollinate the whole room. These pollinated plants will produce buds that aren’t up to par.
- Pests
Pests are a common problem when using soil to grow Your Cannabis Plant. Some bugs that you commonly find on the marijuana leaves are thrips, broad mites, hemp russet mites, fungus gnats, leafhoppers, and spider mites.
If you do find a pest on your plant, try to identify the bug. The next step is to find a treatment. Look for a safe cannabis insecticide that will control the type of pest that is disturbing the plant.
Another thing to keep in mind is the air circulation in the room. An effective air circulation and a gentle breeze will disturb the pests to the point where they won’t want to hang around.
Extremes are the downfall when growing these plants. The key is to constantly monitor your plants for issues so that you can be proactive and try to minimize damage or loss. Not taking proper care of your plants will affect the size of your harvest, the quality of your bud, and affect the taste of the weed.
