Ilovegrowingmarijuana Grow Bible 201806 PDF
Ilovegrowingmarijuana Grow Bible 201806 PDF
Ilovegrowingmarijuana Grow Bible 201806 PDF
MARIJUANA
GROW BIBLE
How To Grow Weed: A Step-by-Step Guide For Beginners
R O B E R T B E R G M A N
M A R IJUA N A G R OW G U I D E
FOR B EG I N N E R S
Congratulations! You’ve just downloaded the Marijuana Grow Bible. This grow
guide will teach you everything you need to know about growing marijuana. Every
aspect of the growing process is explained here, from germinating seeds to drying
and storing your marijuana buds, both indoors and outdoors. Carefully read this
guide to start growing like a professional.
I wrote this guide after receiving many questions and requests from visitors of
ilovegrowingmarijuana.com. Many people requested a collection of the articles on
my website as a PDF to read on-the-go or to print out. I want to help people grow,
and I hope you’ll share your knowledge as well. Feel free to share this guide with
Marijuana
fellow growers. Grow Guide for Beginners
So if you want to grow medical marijuana, marijuana for recreational use, or make
Congratulations! You’ve just downloaded the Marijuana Grow Bible. This grow guide will learn you
some
everything money
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a professional.
up to 18 ounces per 10 ft² with a 600-watt HPS light. Outdoors, you can yield up to
I wrote this guide after receiving many questions and requests from website visitors at
18 ounces per plant. It all depends on the love and care you put into growing your
ilovegrowingmarijuana.com. Many people requested an collection of the articles on my website as pdf
plants.
to read on a screen or to print. I want to help people grow and I hope you share your knowledge as
well. Feel free to share this document with fellow growers.
To learn more about this beautiful plant please visit
www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com.
So if you want to grow medical marijuana, marijuana for
recreational use or make some money with it, this beginner
For regular updates and the latest
grow guide will help you grow the best marijuana.
growing techniques be sure to check
Learn all about marijuana seeds, watering, pruning and
out my accounts on Facebook, Twitter,
harvesting marijuana both indoors and outdoors. If you
Instagram and YouTube.
grow marijuana indoors you can yield up to 18 ounces per
10 ft2 with a 600 watt HPS light. Outdoor yields of up to 18
Happy growing,
ounces per plant are possible. It all depends on the love
Robert
and care Bergman
you put into growing marijuana.
CONTENTS
Preface 5
Types of Marijuana 7
Marijuana Seeds 9
Growing Marijuana 11
Indoor Growing 11
Lights 12
Germination 14
Germination Soil 16
Light Cycle and Distance from Plants 17
Watering 19
Indoor Vegetative Growth 21
Transplanting 21
Vegetative Growth Techniques 23
Water and Lighting 23
Soil Control 25
Nutrients and Feeding 26
Pruning 28
Outdoor Growing 42
Soil 43
Sowing the Seeds 45
Germination 46
Weeding 47
Light 48
Watering 49
Temperature, Weather, and Air 51
Outdoor Flowering 53
Pests, Predators, and Other Problems 54
Companion Planting 55
Natural Predators 57
Other Repellent Methods 58
Some Notes about Outdoor Security 60
Harvesting 62
Post-Harvest Activities 64
Drying 66
Storage 67
Epilogue 69
PR E FAC E
5 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
people from growing it, and there are plenty of ways to ensure that
you maintain a certain amount of security during the process.
6 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
TYPES O F MAR I J UAN A
Marijuana is one of the only annual plants to have two different sexes.
This means that plants can come in both male and female varieties,
and even occasionally hermaphroditic varieties that have both male
and female reproductive organs. There are also three major species of
marijuana:
` Indica: Relatively short and wide, with greener colors and round
leaves that have marble-like patterns. Provides a heavy, body
high.
` Sativa: Can grow taller, but are thinner with more pointed leaves
that don’t have patterns on them. Provides an energetic, cerebral
high.
` Ruderalis: Lesser known than the other two. Small plants, used
primarily for making clothes, rope, etc.
7 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Each of these types of marijuana has its own properties when it comes to actually using it. One of the
largest indicators of potency for a particular plant is its THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) content. This is
essentially the stuff that provides the soothing, medicinal qualities that many people associate with
cannabis. In general, most growers use indica, sativa, or hybrid varieties of the two. Ruderalis generally
gets left out of any cannabis cultivation because it lacks a high amount of THC. In addition, it should
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Low THC
Low THC
In general, the THC in female plants rises when the plant remains
unpollinated. It will produce more flowers, more buds, and more THC
resin, making the eventual smoke much more potent by the time of
harvest. There are also plenty of other natural chemicals on a marijuana
plant that influence the kind of high you receive. These chemicals
are referred to as cannabinoids, and they interact with your cognitive
and physical functions to produce altered states of mind and being.
Growing the plants under ideal conditions will promote high-quality
THC production in your female plants. Indica/Sativa hybrids like Skunk,
Northern Lights, Orange Bud, and Blueberry are very popular. Read
more about different marijuana strains.
8 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
M A R IJ UAN A S E E D S
Another option you have at your disposal is buying seeds from a dealer.
Of course, you’ll need to have an in into the black market, and this
option is really a toss-up when it comes to quality. It’s possible to finish
with some weird but very nice plants, but some of the seeds might be
inert and won’t grow to their full potential, if at all.
Your third option is to go through a seed bank. You can find a lot of
these online, most of which are based out of the Netherlands or Canada
where it’s legal to sell marijuana seeds. Unfortunately, many Dutch
seed banks refuse to ship to the US, and there is a decent possibility of
getting ripped off in the end. There’s minimal risk of being caught by
any authorities because the seeds are packaged discreetly. Of course,
if a postal employee mishandles the package, the seeds might come
to you cracked or otherwise unusable. If you live near the border of
9 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Your third option is to go to a seed bank. You can find a lot of these online, most of which are based out
of the Netherlands or Canada where it’s legal to sell marijuana seeds. Unfortunately, many Dutch seed
banks refuse to ship to the US, and there is a decent possibility of getting ripped off in the end. There’s
very little risk of being caught by any authorities because the seeds are packaged discreetly. Of course,
if a postal employee mishandles the package, the seeds might come to you cracked or otherwise
Canada,
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After receiving your marijuana seeds, make sure to inspect them for
quality. Most mature seeds will have a dark brown color with swirling
or marbling patterns. Mature seeds like these are the ones most likely
to germinate and thrive. Seeds that are a sort of pale green are often
not mature enough and were taken off the plant too early. There’s
no harm in trying to grow these, but you might not have as much
success. Once you have a fully-grown crop you can harvest your own
marijuana seeds and not need to deal with anyone in the future. What
are your favorite marijuana seeds? Leave a comment on my article
about quality marijuana seeds.
10 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
GR OWI N G MAR I J UAN A
Obviously, obtaining seeds is only the first in a long line of steps that
you must complete in order to start growing your marijuana plants.
Before you start doing anything, you need to know where the growing
will ultimately take place. Of course, there are two primary options:
indoors or outdoors.
The following sections of this e-book will explore these questions and
much more.
Indoor Growing
For many people, growing marijuana indoors is the only option. Luckily,
cannabis is a relatively versatile plant, and many varieties can be grown
both indoors and out. Even so, you should check with the breeder (if
11 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
at all possible) to see where the plants are best grown. Sometimes
breeders develop seeds specifically for outdoor use. The last thing you
want to do is grow marijuana plants indoors that were really meant for
the great outdoors.
If you grow your plants under the right circumstances, you can yield a lot
of marijuana -- over a pound per square meter. Of course, temperature,
air circulation, humidity, and plant care have to be perfect, but this can
be controlled very well when growing indoors. No weather extremes
or the neighbor’s cat will damage your marijuana.
Lights
Lights often represent the lifeblood of plants that are grown indoors.
Because any sunlight that they might receive is sparse, artificial
light is valuable and necessary. Plants need the light to perform
photosynthesis, which is vital for sugar and tissue production.
Many people who grow for personal use will use a closet space for their
garden. Some can get away with using a guest bedroom that can’t be
seen from the outside and is rarely used otherwise. Regardless, every
grower must assess the viability, both in terms of space and electrical
capacity, of bringing in large amounts of lights.
Most growers limit their choices to one of the following three options:
fluorescents, incandescents, and HID (high-intensity discharge) lamps.
To save yourself some time and money, it’s in your best interest to opt
for HID lamps during the vegetative and flowering stage. These are sold
as Metal Halide (MH) or High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lamps and they
are, without question, the best for your marijuana garden. Although
they have a higher up-front cost than fluorescent or incandescent
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lights, their overall value is much greater in the long run because they
don’t require as much electricity as the other options, plus they are
brighter also last much longer. Even if you’re on a budget and don’t
want to throw away too much money up front, you must still factor in
the cost of the electricity bill and bulb replacements.
So, when it comes down to it, MH and HPS lamps represent a much
better value and product overall. The plants will also need an even
distribution of light so that growth is congruent. A lot of professional
growers hook up a track system that allows the light(s) to be moved.
With this technique, the plants receive an optimal amount of light
without needing extra lights here and there.
For seedlings, an HPS light bulb can be too much, so many growers
use fluorescent lights during germination. They don’t produce a lot of
heat and can be lowered to just four inches above the top leaves.
Reflective material also helps enhance the amount of light that the
plants receive. This can be as simple as lining the walls with aluminum
foil or just painting the walls of the room with bright white paint. While
mirrors undoubtedly look nice as decorations, they don’t actually
reflect as much light as other materials.
13 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Large indoor gardens (and the light they require) place some heavy
burdens on electricity, but personal growers really won’t have any
problems because they might only use a few hundred volts per hour.
This usage would add, at the most, about $10 to the electric bill.
Extensive growers, on the other hand, might be limited by the size
of their circuit. For instance, older homes might only have a 15-amp
circuit that can’t maintain all the excess light that a large garden
needs. Read these articles about HPS and fluorescent lights and let
me know what kind of lights you use.
Germination
Once the lights are up, you can begin the process of germination.
Germination essentially entails planting the marijuana seed and
coercing it to sprout. If you don’t provide it with the right environment,
the seed will just remain a seed for the foreseeable future.
There are several methods that you can use to germinate your
marijuana seeds, and every grower recommends something different.
For the most part, the options are limited to either using soil (or another
growing medium) or a wet paper towel.
Just by looking at these options, soil seems like it would be the most
natural way of germinating a seed and, indeed, that is the case. Simply
place the seed about 3 mm deep into the soil and keep the soil moist
for about 7 days. This usually has around a 75% to 80% success rate in
terms of getting seeds to germinate. This also depends on the seed
quality.
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Germinating process
Still, the easiest method for any beginner is just to use soil. Transplanting
will not be necessary, and it really is the most natural way to get your
seeds to germinate adequately. When transplanting the seedlings at
such an early age, you run the risk of “shocking” the plants. This will
either stunt their growth or kill them altogether, so it makes sense to
just stick with using soil until you get comfortable enough as a grower
to use something else.
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I’ve met many growers over the years, and everybody has their own
way of germinating seeds. Some prefer soil, others rockwool or peat
pots. What is your favorite way of germinating seeds? Read my article
about germinating marijuana seeds and leave a comment.
Germination Soil
This brings up an obvious question: “What kind of soil should I use
for germination?” At many garden centers, you will find soils that are
marketed specifically as “germination soils.” Nothing really separates
these soils from more conventional soils except that they have certain
nutrients and don’t contain any composted material. Look for soils that
have an NPK (Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium) ratio of around 5:1:1 or
8:4:4. Really, any soil with more nitrogen than the other two nutrients
will be adequate for germinating marijuana seeds.
The containers you place the soil in are also relatively important. It’s
common for growers to use buckets that can hold between 2 and 5
gallons because the root system in a marijuana plant can become
quite extensive. Smaller containers will work for the germination and
seedling period, but the plants will need to be transplanted later. Thus,
it makes sense to plant the marijuana seeds and leave the plants in a
single 2- to 5-gallon bucket for the majority of their lives. This gives the
roots adequate room to grow and thrive while also providing a perfect
environment for nutrients and a satisfactory reservoir of water. Also,
leaving them in buckets makes them easily transportable.
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Seed cracks open Leaves come out Ready to grow…
Depending on the intensity of the lights you use, the plants will need
about 25 to 35 watts per square foot. The seeds won’t need light to
germinate right away, but it’s common for growers to turn the lights
on after sowing the seeds to warm the soil and promote germination.
It’s also a good idea to keep the lights on and ready for when the first
sprouts appear out of the soil.
A few other things to take into account are the pH balance and the
actual texture of the soil. You can feasibly use the same soil throughout
the life of the plant if you ensure that water can drain properly (soil
texture) and the soil maintains a good pH balance (between 6.0 and
8.0). The texture is particularly important because soils should neither
be too dry nor too moist. Moist soils that have an almost muddy
consistency reduce the amount of oxygen that can reach the roots.
As long as the roots can “breathe” and still maintain adequate water
uptake, the soil should be fine.
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While the seeds themselves won’t need light initially, they will certainly
need some light when they produce visible sprouts. Light acts as their
sustenance during this period of time, and it can affect the plants
later in life if they are deprived of the valuable light they require. This
assumes, of course, that the soil, nutrient quality, and watering regimen
are all adequate as well.
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make this considerably easier, and some lights actually come installed
with a timer.
As the marijuana plant ages and starts to grow, the lights should still
remain as close to the leaves as possible without damaging them.
The instructions on the lights might tell you to keep them at a certain
distance from the plants, but cannabis requires a lot of light energy to
thrive. In fact, with lower output bulbs, you can place the lights 2 to 4
inches away from the tops of the leaves. For higher output bulbs, you
can place them 4 to 6 inches from the tops of the leaves.
Watering
Every living thing on the planet requires water in some form, but, when
working with marijuana, extra caution should be exercised. During the
germination period, avoid overwhelming the marijuana plant with
moisture. The top layer of soil should be kept moist, but even then it’s
best to only use a few spritzes of water from a spray bottle. When the
plant actually sprouts, keep the area near the stem dry. This is because
moist conditions around the stem are often conducive to stem rot.
At this stage (and, really, any stage) it’s relatively easy to overwater
marijuana plants. Using excessive water can cause significant issues
with the soil and place stress on the plants. As mentioned previously, the
soil should not be too wet. If you make the soil soggy by overwatering
it, the roots will essentially drown due to a lack of oxygen. This is
particularly true when watering small marijuana seedlings in large
pots. These plants won’t need to be watered as much as bigger plants
because they won’t need to take in as much water.
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Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell if you are overwatering your plants
because the symptoms of overwatering and underwatering are exactly
the same (i.e. the leaves will droop). One way to check is by inspecting
the moisture level of the soil. You can do this by merely touching the
soil with your hand. If the soil feels damp, then holding off on watering
your plants is the best course of action. It will still have plenty of water
to draw from in the soil if it is clearly moist. If the soil is dry, then adding
more water is advisable. As the plants grow, they will require more and
more water to quench their thirst.
Keep soil moist Use regular plant sprayer Spray leaves every
now and then
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chloride (a.k.a. salt). This won’t harm the plant but, if used in excess,
the soil could become too saline.
It’s also possible for your water supply to be infected with other minerals,
which is a condition known as hard water. While hard water might
be detrimental to your plumbing over an extended period of time, it
won’t have any negative effects on the plants. In fact, the minerals
in the water actually help promote growth by adding extra nutrients.
It is advisable to stay away from artificial water softeners during the
growing period because they tend to put excessive amounts of sodium
in the water supply, making it unsafe for the soil and the plant. They
also use a lot of other artificial additives that might not be good for
your plant later on.
Transplanting
Marijuana plants that were germinated in small pots will need to be
transplanted to larger ones as soon as the vegetative growth starts
kicking in. If the containers are too small for the plants, they can quickly
become rootbound and begin to lose vigor (or even die). The key is, of
course, to transplant them before that happens.
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Of course, the transplanting process should be treated with a lot of
care because transplant shock is common. You can avoid transplant
shock if you treat the process with extreme caution. Before you do
anything, make sure the soil is moist so that nothing will be jarred
out of place. Then, insert a spade (or even a large spoon) into the soil
about 1 inch away from the plant’s stem. Make sure that you don’t
damage the roots and that you take out a large enough clump to do
the transplant. You should have a previously prepared hole in the new
soil. It should be dug in such a way that the seedling will be at the
same height.
Place the plant into the hole and cover it as best as you can with the
new soil. Then, moisten the soil so that the transplant and the host soil
meld nicely together. If you do this carefully and correctly, you won’t
have to worry about the plants suffering from any transplant shock,
and they will continue to grow like normal.
I transplant my plants when the first root tips grow out the bottom
of the pot. Read more about when and how to transplant marijuana
plants.
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Vegetative Growth Techniques
From this point on, the plants will primarily live out their lives in
vegetative growth. It is important to make sure that you provide them
with all the proper environmental conditions during this stage to
promote growth, higher yields, and potency. One of the benefits of
growing marijuana indoors is that you can manipulate the conditions
exactly as you see fit without having to worry about environmental
factors.
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room and little electricity so that you can move the lights around to
every part of your garden. This way, every plant gets intense amounts
of high-quality light.
Try to keep a sharp eye on the distance between the lights and the top
of the plant canopy; 20 to 30 inches is usually perfect. The accelerated
rate at which the plants tend to grow will cause them to inch closer to
the lights almost on a daily basis. So, be sure to place the lights close
enough so that they provide adequate light energy, but far enough
away that they don’t burn the tips of the leaves.
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photosynthesis, which is vital for tissue production during vegetative
growth. High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps produce the most light
in the red spectrum (and the most light in general) and are often the
best choice during virtually every stage of the growing process.
Using anything that is high in the green spectrum will produce wilted,
unproductive plants in general. This is largely because the plants reflect
green light entirely, which is why they are green in color themselves.
Make sure to visit my website every now and then to get the latest
marijuana growing techniques.
Soil Control
When you have an indoor marijuana garden you have more control
over the soil, so you’ll need to keep an eye on it. Marijuana prefers
to grow in a nutrient-rich soil that has a neutral pH of around 7.0.
Sometimes, however, the pH in the soil can shift quite far out of the
acceptable ranges of 6.0 to 8.0. In such cases, you may need to take
drastic measures to ensure that the soil does not end the life of your
plants.
25 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
too many nutrients. But, sometimes flushing the soil is the only way to
ensure that additives don’t kill your marijuana plants.
For less severe issues, there are other options. If your soil’s pH level
drops below the recommended 6.0 and becomes too acidic, then you
can simply add some lime to the soil the next time you water it. This
should raise the pH back into an acceptable range between 6 and 8.
If the soil is above 8 and, therefore, too alkaline, you might consider
adding a mixture of cottonseed meal, lemon peels, and ground coffee.
Some fertilizers are also made to be highly acidic and can lower your
soil’s alkalinity if applied. In any event, it’s always a good idea to keep
checking the pH balance of your soil; otherwise, you could be in for a
disappointing surprise.
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nutrients, you could wind up making the soil toxic (and then you will
have to flush it out to fix it). Your water should have the proper pH as
well. Professional growers use water with a pH of around 6.
In any event, all plants need nutrients to thrive, and providing them
with those nutrients can ensure that your work pays off in the end. We
have already mentioned “NPK” (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium)
as the three major nutrients for marijuana growers. Other essential
chemicals for the cannabis plant include Calcium (Ca), Magnesium
(Mg), and Sulfur (S). During vegetative growth, the fertilizing solution
should have a concentration of N that is higher than or equal to both
P and K. Again, you can use fertilizer if you want, however, it should be
mixed in with the soil before beginning the growth process.
There are also solutions that can be used for “feeding” the plant instead
of mixing it into the soil; but keep in mind the fact that the plant won’t
need to be fed that frequently. In fact, you only need to feed it about
once every week if everything is going well. Note: you should never
give your plants undiluted nutrients. Marijuana plants “burn” easily
from full-strength nutrients. Instead, dilute the solution to around 50%
so that you don’t have to use a soil flush later.
In general, you might not be able to notice whether or not your plants
are fully absorbing the nutrients. In fact, in most cases, the nutrient
27 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
uptake will be the least of your worries. As long as the soil is good and
you continue to use the same regimen, you should be all right. Many
growers keep several diluted solutions on hand to make growing just
a little bit easier. One of those should be an NPK solution where N has
the most prominent concentration. This should be used for vegetative
growth. Another should be an NPK solution in which the P has the
highest concentration (used for the flowering stage). You can also
keep a couple of bottles of diluted micronutrient solution if your plants
need extra help along the way.
Pruning
Pruning marijuana plants can be both a logistical necessity and
something that helps produce more buds when it comes time to
harvest. Many indoor growers will want to keep their plants ‘in check’ if
they start to grow too high due to a lack of vertical space in their grow
room. For the most part, indoor plants don’t grow as large as outdoor
plants, but they will need to be kept at bay if they start to grow really
tall. Snipping off the top stem will also force the plant to create more
branches and grow broader instead of taller. This way, although you
may lose vertical height, you probably won’t lose any of your yield.
If your goal is to ensure uniform growth, cutting the shoots and leaves
won’t really harm the plant if done in moderation. However, you don’t
want to get too carried away with this because cutting too many shoots
and leaves can make it hard for the plant to regrow. You have to give
28 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
it some time to recuperate before cutting off a significant amount of
leaves or shoots.
For many growers, this might seem like a waste of perfectly adequate
leaves and shoots, but during vegetative growth, the shoots are the
most potent part of the plant. They can produce a high-quality smoke
that will at least get you a little buzzed. The leaves can also be used in
cooking preparations for potent edibles.
The marijuana plants in the picture on the right are being grown with
a method called ScrOG. It’s an advanced growing technique that can
double your yield! Read this article about using the ScrOG method for
marijuana.
29 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
OTHE R E NVIR O N ME N TAL FACTO R S
Air
As with most living things, fresh air is something precious. Opening up
a window or installing a fan system in the room can help provide your
plants with some much-needed fresh air. Of course, if it is particularly
cold outside, it’s probably not a good idea to keep the window open
for too long, even if it’s your only means of refreshing the air. The cold
outside will stunt plant growth and make it difficult for you to help
them recover.
Temperature
The temperature of the plants and the grow room is also something
that needs to be monitored and regulated. The average temperature
for a grow room should be around 75°F. Even so, cannabis is remarkably
adaptive and will produce buds in lower or higher temperatures. If the
temperature drops to extreme lows or rises to extreme highs, then you
30 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
could be in for a surprise when it comes to the quality of your plants.
Although cannabis can survive at temperatures as low as 50 to 55°F, it
will not produce the most potent bud in those conditions. In general,
keeping the room at about 75°F is your best bet.
Too hot, curling leaves Perfect temperature Too cold, small plants
31 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Humidity
You might think of humidity as something that occurs in the Deep
South or tropical environments, but humidity can be found virtually
everywhere – including your grow room. In general, about 40 to 80%
relative humidity (rH) is ideal. Humidity is basically a measurement of
the water in the air. Humidity is controlled through the use of fresh
air (as stated above). Some growers even have an rH meter on hand
to ensure the humidity stays within an ideal range. There are also
expensive dehumidifiers that control humidity levels in a room, but
they can be quite expensive. Unless you’re planning on setting up a
rather substantial operation, you can probably get by with a little fresh
air once in a while.
32 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Flowering
Because you’re growing indoors, when your plants begin to flower is
almost wholly dependent on when you want the plants to flower. Of
course, you want them to flower when the buds are at their highest
potency. It’s feasible to keep a marijuana plant in a vegetative state for
up to 10 years, but those plants certainly won’t be potent by the end
of such a long lifespan. Before you induce flowering, make sure you
know which plants are male and which ones are female.
33 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
by
By contrast, the female plant will enter the pre-flowering stage by
producing white, hairy growths at the nodes and on the top cola (the
head). these
These are called pistils, and they are what attract the male
pollen to the female plant.
there’s
There’s really no surefire way to determine the sex of your plants until
they start exhibiting these telltale signs. You can, however, take a
cutting from one of the plants and plant it in an area separate from
your garden. the
The cutting is basically a clone of its “mother” plant and
will share the exact same genetic structure. You can then force the
clone to flower, causing it to definitively start to show signs of its sex.
then,
Then, you can go back to your garden and label each plant that you
do this for.
34 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
rather than on producing seeds. In fact, you can practically see the
THC resin dripping off their buds.
Of course, you’ll need to take out the male plants early to produce these
types of buds. If you rely on your own garden for seeds for next year’s
harvest, then this probably wouldn’t be a good idea. As mentioned
before, buying seeds from a dealer or even a seed-bank is often a
random grab bag. You don’t know what the seeds will become, and
receiving a full batch of males is not outside the realm of possibility.
Letting your male plants pollinate the female plants will provide you
with plenty of seeds, and you won’t have to pay for them.
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How to Force Flowering
Now that you know how to check for the signs of male and female
plants, the next step is getting them to flower properly. Just remember
that, once you start flowering, it might be difficult to stop the males
from pollinating the females if you haven’t removed them. Even if you
segregate the plants by their sex, the air still might carry some of the
pollen to the female pistils. It’s really a decision between whether you
want hyper-potent buds for this year only or to keep growing your
favorite strain without having to pay for new seeds. (Most personal
growers will want to stick with the latter option because paying for
your own seeds every year can be costly.)
In any event, if you want to force flowering, all you have to do is put the
plants on a 12-12 light regimen. That essentially means that you’ll need
to leave the lights on for only about 12 hours per day and turn them off
for the remaining 12 hours.
The room should be kept as dark as possible during the 12-hour dark
period. Turning off the lights won’t always do the trick, especially if
there are other light sources nearby. In fact, even shining a flashlight
on the plants for a few minutes at a time during the dark period can
keep them in vegetative growth. If you have windows in your grow
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room, do your best to block them out, especially if the sun comes up
before the 12-hour period is over. If your lights came equipped with a
timer, then it’s a good idea to set that so you don’t have to worry about
manually turning the lights on and off every 12 hours.
You’ll notice that the female plants will start to grow larger as the
flowering period progresses. They will grow more branches, buds, and
flowers, and the plant will begin to produce more THC overall. The
plants will take on a sort of cone shape that resembles a Christmas
tree, and you might even start to smell a distinctive fruity or smoky
aroma. Their pistils will change from their whitish color to a darker
shade (generally brown, red, or orange); at that point, they should
be ripe enough for picking. Even if you want to pollinate your female
plants, you might consider removing the male plants post-pollination
so that the females have more room to flourish.
The plants start to flower when the light and dark periods are both 12
hours long because they are genetically programmed to do so. If you
plant outdoors (more on that later), you’ll find that the plants will start
to flower naturally when daylight begins to dwindle in the fall.
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Indoor Problems and Pests
For the most part, indoor growers won’t have to worry about any
diseases or pests plaguing their plants. But that doesn’t mean it’s
entirely impossible. In general, microbial diseases are minimal because
the microbes that affect plants usually don’t exist in Europe or North
America (where many of you are likely growing).
Nutrient issues occur, but those are from the plant receiving too many
or too few nutrients. This can be remedied in a number of ways that
are outlined in the “Indoor Vegetative Growth” section above.
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If you have a houseplant that’s resistant to mites and other pests, it
could already be infested with many of these creatures. You can test
this out by placing a marijuana seedling in the pot with the other
houseplant. If the seedling starts to show signs of drooping or a lack of
vitality, or if the leaves start turning a whitish color, then you probably
already have mites in your house.
Never use the same tools for your houseplants and your marijuana
garden. If you have windows in the grow room, install a nylon mesh or
wire screen to prevent pests from accessing your garden. Also, make
sure that the soil you use is pasteurized and thoroughly sterilized so
that it doesn’t contain any larval eggs.
Pests can be devastating for your marijuana plants. If you suspect any
intruders in your grow room, be sure to act immediately. There is a
section on my website on pest control with pictures of every possible
pest. Read it and learn how to identify any problems.
Eliminating Pests
If you still end up with an infestation of mites or whiteflies (or any
other pests), then there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.
Insecticides will work, of course, but many people don’t want to harm
their plants with the chemicals they contain. If the plants are otherwise
healthy but you can see some significant deterioration of the leaves,
then you might want to begin force flowering right away. If the pests
only infected a few plants or a few leaves, you can simply remove the
infected sections. Plants that are already in the flowering stage will
likely survive any pests without a problem.
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If the problem still persists, you might want to think about using an
insecticide. Sprays that include things like pyrethrum, rotenone, and
malathion are generally considered safe when used correctly. Just
remember that you don’t have to spray an entire canister on your
plants to get the job done. Remove any affected leaves before spraying,
and don’t use any insecticide during flowering. The best part about
these varieties of insecticides is that they degrade into safe chemical
compounds, such as CO2 or water, when they stop working. There are
also natural solutions that you can make, but they aren’t as effective.
The first rule about growing marijuana is to never talk about growing
marijuana. Even if you feel like you’re friendly with your neighbor or
your bank teller or an acquaintance, they might not be friendly with the
practice of growing marijuana. Although it’s natural for any gardener
to want to tell everyone about their efforts, it’s dangerous when the
plant they’re gardening happens to be illegal.
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Keep the fucking police out
Sometimes your marijuana plants will give off a distinct smell that
anyone will recognize as cannabis. It might be a relatively strong
smell wafting out of any open windows. The scent might make
your neighbors suspicious, particularly if they are not proponents of
growing cannabis. In this case, you might need to keep your window
firmly closed and install fans in the grow room (instead of opening the
windows) to circulate the air.
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OUTD O O R G R OWI N G
The main problem with outdoor growing, however, is that the plants
are visible to anyone who happens to have prying eyes. If you live in a
residential neighborhood, you might be able to get away with growing
your plants in your backyard, but you’ll likely need to be somewhat
paranoid about keeping the operation under wraps. Even then, you
could still be caught, and the penalties for that are potentially severe.
If you live in a secluded or wooded area and you own a lot of land, then
it might be a little easier to grow your own smoke on your personal
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property. For instance, if you live on ranchland (or you have access to
a friend’s ranchland), then you might be able to grow outdoors with
minimal interference. This is really the ideal way to go about it because
you can inspect the plants whenever you want without the fear of
being caught. You can also avoid the hassle of having to deal with
thieves looking to score your homemade bud.
Soil
Regardless of where you’re growing outside, good soil is imperative.
But not every kind of dirt will be ideal for growing marijuana. It’s always
a good idea to test the ground soil that you’re planning to grow in
before actually using it. This is to ensure that it won’t be too alkaline
or acidic when the plants start extending their roots even deeper into
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the ground. If the pH balance is too much in either direction then you
might want to consider a new location or infuse the soil with some
nutrients and fertilizers.
Plant in green areas Make your own container Corn and marijuana
need the same soil
You can also buy fertilizers. A fertilizer with an NPK ratio of around 5:1:1
(just like before) will be the best option. Any fertilizer that has more
nitrogen than the other two nutrients will be ideal for most of the
plant’s life, up until flowering (when more phosphorus is ideal.)
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just have to go with what you can find, as hiking in your own fertilizer
could make it exceedingly obvious that you’re growing something out
there.
A more effective way to sow your seeds is by using hills or mounds. For
this method, the seeds go on top of the small mounds of soil. With this
technique, you can plant outdoors even when the ground is somewhat
wet. This is because the water is naturally going to drain off of the
mound so the seed (and, later, the plant) won’t be inundated. In either
the hill or row option, try to ensure that the seeds have adequate soil
coverage so that they can stay moist.
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are ordered in perfect rows, or they are all sitting atop a small mound
of some kind, then any passersby (whether on the ground or in the air)
is probably going to take notice of the anomaly. Scattering the seeds
around definitely gives the area a look of complete arbitrariness, the
way nature might have intended. The plants will blend in with all of
the other scattered trees and/or shrubs and won’t be easily noticed by
anyone else.
Unfortunately, broadcast seeding isn’t the best way to ensure that your
plants will germinate. If you place a layer of soil over your seeds and
gently press them down into the soil with your foot, there’s a better
chance that the seeds will germinate. Many seeds, however, will never
germinate or will simply die after becoming seedlings if you try to grow
in this fashion. That’s why using a large amount of seeds for broadcast
seeding is crucial so that you are at least guaranteed some growth by
the time they start germinating.
Germination
Just like with indoor germination, outdoor seeds require moisture to
germinate properly. Adding too much water can be detrimental, but
as long as the seeds are surrounded by at least some moisture they
should start to germinate. Of course, this is easier if you built mounds
or rows for the seeds, as they naturally maintain moisture.
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Outdoor germinating Indoor germinating Germinating in soil
Weeding
As your plants start to germinate, it’s essential to keep the area free
of weeds. Avoid using any weed killers like Round-Up that might also
affect your marijuana plants. Weeds are dangerous because they will
end up taking a lot of the water and nutrients meant for your plants
if you don’t stamp them out quickly. The best way to get rid of weeds
is by merely pulling them out by hand. Trying to kill them with any
chemicals will only be bad for the plants that you are trying to grow to
be big and strong. Naturally, before planting in an area you should pull
out any weeds that happen to be there.
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Light
The benefit of being in the great outdoors is that you don’t really need
to worry about light too much. The sun will provide all the light a plant
could need and much more. There is no way to duplicate the sun’s
intensity, and it’s just a better light source than anything you could
produce artificially.
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Light can also be a problem if something is blocking it from getting to
your plants. If you live in a cloudy area, for instance, the plants might
not be receiving enough direct light from the sun. You may have to
bring the plants indoors at night and put them under some lamps, so
they get a full dose of light for the day.
Some growers utilize the landscape to receive the most light. When
planting on the slope of a mountain, make sure that you plant on the
south side (if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere). This is because the
sun will go from east to west, but it will be in the southern half of the
sky. If the plants are on the southern slope of the mountain, they will
receive the most sunlight possible throughout the day.
Watering
Watering your outdoor plants can be kind of tricky, especially if they
are located in a relatively dry and arid place. If your plants aren’t close
to a hose then you’ll have to devise a plan to get your plants as much
water as possible. Obviously, early on, the plants won’t need a lot in
the way of H2O but, as they enter into vegetative growth and start to
get much larger, they will need more water. Large adult plants can
consume up to a gallon of water per day. This doesn’t mean that you’ll
have to water the plants with a gallon of water every day because the
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soil should retain some of the water from previous waterings (or even
from rain).
If your plants are on private land that you have access to, there is no
shortage of unique techniques that you can use to get water to your
plants. For instance, you can fill buckets up with water and transport
them by truck to the grow site. Try to avoid oversaturating your plants
with water by dumping too much water on a single one.
Of course, you might live in an area where cannabis can grow naturally
without the use of any extra water on your end. This is ideal for guerrilla
farmers who likely won’t be able to check on their plants on a daily basis.
If you are a guerrilla farmer and you live in an area where the weather
is often hot and dry, then you might need to keep a firm watch on the
plants. Hauling in your own water will be challenging on a number of
levels, and it’s better if you can find a nearby lake or stream that can
provide water for you naturally.
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If your plants are underwatered they will likely start wilting, but be
aware that plants will naturally start wilting in the summer as a
response to the heat of the sun. The best way to check if your plants
are getting enough water is to dig about 6 inches into the soil, making
sure not to cut any major roots on the way down. If the soil there is still
cool and moist, the plants should be fine. Many types of soil are adept
at holding water for long periods of time so that there is essentially a
reservoir of water stored within it.
If at all possible, you might want to water your plants with a nutrient
solution about once every couple of weeks. As long as the nutrient
solution has a higher concentration of nitrogen than phosphorus and
potassium, it will be good for vegetative growth. For flowering, use
a solution that is higher in phosphorus than either of the other two
nutrients. This should be done when you water the plants.
Of course, being outdoors leaves your plants open for a large variety
of other weather problems. Wind, rain, and snow (depending on
where you live and when you plant) can all be problems that will hurt
your plants. For the most part, high winds won’t have much effect on
healthy cannabis plants. They generally grow firm stalks that won’t
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need any exterior support to stay standing. Indeed, most high winds
will cause some tiny cracks in the plants’ stalks, but, if they are healthy,
they will heal themselves quite easily.
To do this, simply place a stake about six inches from the base of the
plant, and then tie the plant and the stake together with wire twists
or string.
For guerrilla farmers, it’s a good idea to avoid planting in areas that
are prone to mudslides. But not every slope is going to be an obvious
mudslide area. A good indication that an area won’t be adequate for
your plants is if there aren’t any other small plants growing there. If all
you see is sturdy trees or shrubs, then the slope likely does not support
small vegetation. Not paying attention to these signs could wipe out
your entire crop during one freak summer storm.
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In terms of the air quality that your plants will experience, there’s
nothing better than the great outdoors. Your plants will get all the
fresh air they need and plenty of CO2 to stay healthy.
Outdoor Flowering
For the most part, flowering outdoors will require no input from the
grower. Most plants will start adjusting to the changes in the daylight
hours and begin the flowering process on their own. The days will
naturally start to get shorter, which will trigger the plants into flowering
organically.
For some growers, however, this will not be the ideal circumstance.
Sometimes you don’t want the plants to enter flowering, and sometimes
you want them to enter it earlier. For instance, if the weather is still
nice and you want to eke out all the vegetative growth you can in your
plants, you’ll want to delay flowering as long as possible. By that same
token, if you know that the weather will soon become exceptionally
cold or at least too cold for the plants to survive, then try to make sure
that they start flowering sooner than they naturally would.
For growers that have access to their plants, both of these options are
possible. If you want to delay the onset of flowering, it merely takes
a little light during the night. You can accomplish this with a high-
powered flashlight shining on the plants once every couple of hours
or so for about 10 minutes during the night. This will adequately mess
with the plants’ natural inclination to start flowering and they will stay
in vegetative growth for the time being.
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Outdoor Marijuana Flowers
Obviously, if the weather starts to get cold early where you live, try to
ensure that your plants start flowering as soon as possible. But outdoor
plants offer certain challenges to this goal. If the light to darkness period
isn’t yet 12 hours to 12 hours then you’ll need to make that happen on
your own. Using a polyethylene sheet will help block out any sunrise
or sunset light so that you can get the required 12 hours of darkness.
For instance, if you know that your area is going to get exactly 13 hours
of sunlight during the day and that sunset is at 7 PM, then place the
sheet over the plants at 6 PM and remove it at 6 AM when the sun
rises. After doing this for about 1 to 2 weeks, the plants should start to
flower, and you can begin harvesting.
Pests, Predators,
and Other Problems
You might expect outdoor plants to fare much worse than plants
grown indoors when it comes to pests. That’s true, but because the
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ecosystem is often self-regulating, there are many tricks to get rid of
unwelcome visitors. For instance, even if a few bugs start munching
on the leaves of your cannabis plants, it’s likely that they will be held in
check by any of their natural predators. Spider mites, aphids, whiteflies,
and mealybugs are all common pests that many growers have to deal
with both indoors and out. The plants are in the most danger when
they are young and not well-developed. A single meal by a group of
mites during a plant’s seedling stage could cause some irreparable
damage.
Companion Planting
Although the THC that marijuana produces is supposed to act as a
natural repellent, it is sometimes not very helpful for getting rid
of certain insects. Many outdoor growers have taken to planting
companion plants that work to repel pests. In general, you must plant
the companion plants near the actual marijuana plants. The most
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effective repellent plants are those that have strong scents like herbs,
spices, and mint.
Garlic cloves are probably the best repellents because they ensure
that a wide range of pests stay away from your garden. Aphids, spider
mites, potato bugs, many types of beetles, and a wide range of other
pests will be repelled by garlic cloves. Even rabbits and some deer will
be put off by the scent that garlic cloves produce.
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Natural Predators
It’s also possible to purchase the natural predators of these pests and
place them in your garden. Other insects, such as ladybugs, have no
interest in eating a marijuana plant, but they do have quite an appetite
for aphids and insect eggs. Both praying mantises and lacewings also
provide you with a natural way to rid yourself of any unwanted pests.
All of these are sold commercially.
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Other Repellent Methods
Many gardeners employ the use of some ingenious homemade sprays
or other solutions that are remarkably effective. It’s possible to use a
concoction composed of liquid garlic extract and regular soap. You
can also add cayenne peppers, onions, or almost anything else that is
safe for the marijuana plant and also pungent enough to repel many
different kinds of pests.
If you really want a cheap solution, you can literally just stomp on the
bugs or squeeze them to death. It’s best to do this in the early morning
when the bugs are moving much slower in general. If anything, it gives
you something to do before you head off to work or do whatever else
you had planned for the day.
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But insects aren’t the only pests that can cause problems. This
is particularly true if you live in an area that has a large quantity of
omnivorous or herbivorous mammals or birds. Deer, rats, rabbits,
cows, and other mammals are prone to finding ways to get to your
marijuana plants. When the plants are young, it’s common for deer to
come by and virtually decimate the crop. As the plants age, however,
animals aren’t as attracted to them.
For large mammals, the best repellent is an equally large fence, but
many growers don’t have the luxury of being able to build a fence.
Thus, other methods are required to force those mammals away.
Many growers have started purchasing the urine of certain predators.
For instance, if a group of deer constantly messes with your garden,
you might think about purchasing some bear urine and placing a
perimeter of the stuff around the plants. When the deer catch the
scent, they will inherently want to avoid the area from here on out
because they recognize the smell as something predatory. This can
work for smaller mammals as well. As long as you purchase the urine
of one of the mammal’s main predators, they will stay away. A rabbit
might be repelled by the scent of fox or wolf urine. You can find these
repellents at many outdoor shops.
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be encouraged to nest in your garden because they are the natural
predators of other insect pests.
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If you have to make a relatively long hike to a place like a clearing in
the forest, then it’s important to take 3 or 4 different routes. Even an
amateur tracker will start to notice the path you make when walking to
your garden if you only have one entry point. This path will be obvious
to any thieves or other people who know what they’re looking for. You
should always try to leave your garden in a different way than you
came in. For instance, if you are planting in a park with a number of
different trails, it could be prudent to enter the park on one trail, leave
that trail to tend to your garden, and then leave the garden to get on
another trail altogether. Always keep a map of the land handy in the
event that you get lost. If it’s possible, try entering the public land from
inconspicuous places (for instance, areas that don’t have trails).
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It should also be reiterated that you should never talk to anyone about
growing marijuana. Even if your plants are heavily secluded and almost
impossible to find, don’t tell anyone.
Harvesting
Indoor and outdoor harvesting are basically the same thing except
you have to bring your harvest inside if growing outdoors. If the plants
are on private land where you can just pull them out of the ground
and bring them in your house then you shouldn’t have any trouble.
Guerrilla farmers, however, will probably have to hike in to retrieve their
plants and then hike back out unnoticed. Of course, this is generally
not that easy to do and may require the help of a friend, depending on
the size of the plants and the overall size of the crop. If at all possible,
try doing this during the night or in the early morning to avoid any
chance of people seeing you. Even if you conceal the plants in bags,
any onlookers will reach some obvious conclusions.
In any event, taking a few leaves and shoots before the actual harvest
time is one of the more prudent decisions you can make. This essentially
ensures that you’ll at least get something for all your efforts if your
plants get stolen or noticed by law enforcement. For indoor growers,
it’s always good to sample a little bit of the smoke beforehand. The
leaves and shoots during vegetative growth will actually be rather
potent and will already provide you with a good smoke.
The right time to harvest the plants won’t always be apparent. You
don’t want to harvest too early, and you certainly don’t want to harvest
too late. In either case, the THC and other cannabinoids on the plant
won’t be nearly as concentrated as you might like. Obviously, if you
want sinsemilla buds, the male plants must be harvested early so they
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don’t pollinate the female flowers. If you remove male flowers early,
you won’t really be losing that much in terms of potency or yield. For
the most part, male plants don’t produce the highest quality smoke
anyway. Still, if you want to avoid pollination, you should get them out
as soon as you determine the sex.
Not ready, white pistils Be careful during transport Ready, many red pistils
If you do want to pollinate your female seeds, then you should just
leave the males in the soil so that they can flower and produce pollen.
This will keep you from having to pluck out the males prematurely, and
it will also ensure that you will have seeds for next year’s crop. When it
comes to pollinated female plants, you won’t want to pull them before
the seeds have had enough time to mature. Many growers start to
notice the telltale signs of high THC production and increased flower
and bud growth, and they might think it’s a good idea to pull out their
female plants. But, if you pull the plants out too early, the seeds might
just be inactive and won’t germinate next season. You can investigate
the seeds by opening up their sheaths or bracts and seeing if they
have achieved the marbling brown color associated with maturity.
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be sort of a boon to your overall yield, but you should wait until there
is a noticeable decline in flower production. This will generally happen
in the fourth or fifth week of blooming. When you notice the decline,
don’t start to harvest immediately. Wait about a week after the decline
starts before you start harvesting sinsemilla plants. This is when the
THC will be at its highest, and the smoke will be the most potent. If
you allow the plants to grow more after this point, they might slowly
get a bit larger and produce a few extra buds, but the THC won’t be as
potent because it will have started to degrade.
To harvest the plants, all you’ll have to do is gently pull them up out
of the soil. To facilitate this process, you might want to wet the soil
beforehand. Avoid bending or cracking the plants as you pull them up,
as it makes them harder to deal with. If your plants are in pots you can
simply pull them out or even dump the pot and all the soil out.
Post-Harvest Activities
When you finally harvest, the first thing you should do is strip the fan
leaves off of the plant. This is because they are less potent than the
colas and they often don’t cure as well as the other parts of the plant.
That doesn’t mean that they can’t be used, however. In fact, fan leaves
are known to have a somewhat high concentration of THC, especially
after they have just been pulled.
Once you’ve done that, you can start grading and manicuring the
plants. Grading simply involves separating the plants by their particular
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sex, strain, and anatomical part. For instance, you might place all
sativa-dominant, female, top colas in the same area. Most growers
like to hang their plants upside down from a wire, if only because it’s
considerably easier than doing anything else. Manicuring involves
taking any excess leaves from around the colas so that the plants will
dry quite easily.
After all the plants are graded and manicured neatly, you can start
curing them. Curing is a process that is meant to bring out the best
flavors and tones, but sometimes it can actually decrease the amount
of THC substantially if you do it wrong. Sinsemilla buds often don’t
require curing because they are potent enough as is.
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this, you might want to introduce a heater of some kind to keep the
temperature as high as it can go.
Drying
At this point, you should start drying your plants. Drying is a necessary
activity, particularly if you want to store your bud for later use. It
eliminates the risk of incurring mold and also ensures that it lasts a
long time. Most growers use a slow drying method that simply involves
hanging the plants upside down and letting them air dry naturally.
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This usually takes about two weeks to complete. Of course, they will
also start to cure a little bit during this process which may limit the
potency somewhat.
Fast drying techniques include using the oven, microwaving, and even
using a skillet. Most people will want to test out their smoke relatively
quickly, and, even though these methods might produce a harsher
taste overall, they will still give you the ability to smoke some bud soon
after harvesting. It should be noted that you don’t want to dry your
entire harvest using one of these fast-drying methods. In fact, it might
be more prudent to dry the plants using a heater to facilitate the slower
drying process. In any event, it’s important not to leave marijuana in
the oven or skillet for too long. Keep it in the oven for about 10 minutes
at a temperature of 150 to 200°F. Don’t be careless or you could end up
charring your bud entirely.
Storage
Storing your bud is the best way to ensure that it lasts you until at least
the next harvest. Many growers simply place their dried bud in a dark
(usually glass) container and then put that container in the refrigerator
or freezer. Light and heat are two of the major things that will degrade
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THC, so if you keep the storage area dark and cold, you will still be able
to enjoy your smoke well into the future.
It should also be noted that storing your entire crop in one space is a
recipe for disaster. Although it might be more convenient to do it that
way, you still run the risk of incurring mold. If even just one portion
of one plant stayed moist, you could end up ruining the entire crop
with mold. That’s why it’s important to portion your harvest so that
you don’t run into a disaster like that.
After that, you can always get ready for next year’s crop by tilling some
soil or inspecting your seeds. Of course, you could also just sit back,
relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor for a while. Hopefully, this Grow
Bible helped you through the process of growing your marijuana crop,
and it will continue to support you as you keep growing for years to
come.
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E PI LO G UE
Thank you very much for reading this grow guide. I hope this
informationwas useful and helps you grow higher quality marijuana
and increaseyour yield. As you know, there are hundreds of
marijuana growing-related articles on my website. You will also find
an active marijuana grow support forum, moderated by expert
marijuana growers.
I’m always looking for growers who can help build the website by
writing articles, leaving comments, becoming a moderator on the
forum, or telling their friends about us. So don't be shy and leave me
a message if you want to contribute.
Happy growing,
Robert Bergman
69 Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
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