Do It Yourself

Do It Yourself

June 23, 2023

SEA OF GREENBy Duncan Cameron, SOW Consulting LLCJune 23, 2023

Growing your own weed is far easier than some of the industry folks and nutrient vendors would have you believe. One of the great things about growing your own stash is you know exactly what's in it. And believe me, there is plenty of dispo weed that you never want to smoke. Pesticides, mold and unsanitary processing & packaging facilities are just a couple of reasons. Plus, growing your own weed is fun! Ever grow a tomato plant? If you have you know your backyard tomato is ten times better than that cardboard, tasteless, made-for-shipping monster you bought at the grocery store.

So if you're up for the challenge, here are a couple of tips on how to get started.

Location, Location, Location -

Choose your real estate wisely. If you are in a legal state the easiest way is to grow outdoors. Wait until June to plant your seeds. You don't have to do anything crazy here. Old school guys have a habit of germinating seeds in a wet paper towel and then transferring them to a pot. DON'T DO THIS! You don't do it for any other seed; marijuana is no different. Put those little babies straight into the soil, moisten it up and walk away. In 5-7 days you should have something like this -

Medium

- I've grown in rockwool, coco, bareroot (aeroponics) and soil. Each has it's benefits and drawbacks but for this exercise I would recommend soil. It's easy to get, cheap and forgiving. Plus if you want to transfer into the ground you'll greatly reduce transplant shock. If you are growing indoors I

would not

use soil. Why you bringing all that dirt in your house? Start with a clean substrate like rockwool. It's totally inert and lightweight. It isn't as forgiving as soil or coco, but in an indoor hydroponic setup you will have more control over the environment and shouldn't have to worry about these issues.

Environment

- You'll want to start off a little warmer and wetter (80-82F, 50% RH) and taper off when they start to flower. It's more important to dry out the air than to lower the temperature but remember these are targets. Cannabis has been growing outside for most of its history. Likke all plants (side note - there are no "houseplants"), it can tolerate environmental swings. Will you get better results with a consistent climate? Absolutely. Do your best here but don't stress too much. Your plants will make it.

Nutrients

- I put this last because I feel there is far too much emphasis placed on this aspect of growing. Yes, your plants need certain amounts of N,P,K and other elements to grow big juicy buds but not nearly the amount the fertilizer vendors tell you is necessary. Also cannabis is not that picky. They call it weed for a reason. A good general purpose fertilizer should do the trick. Start off with something a little heavier in nitrogen in the beginning like a 10-5-7 mix and back it off when flowering begins to 5-10-7. These aren't hard and fast numbers. Different cultivars will respond differently so don't be afraid to play. Find the formula that's right for you.

If you're having issues or want more info on how to setup and grow your own

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Thanks for reading, d