HOW TO GROW CANNABIS IN YOUR BACKYARD
Actually, no matter what you know about growing cannabis, there might be some factors that you still have to consider. You can play it safe and get the most updated information. At the same time, for your convenience, this article summarizes seven (7) key elements that you need to know to grow cannabis in your backyard.
1. Find The Perfect Spot
Before you go and start growing cannabis in your backyard, one of the first things that you should do is find the perfect spot for the plants. Check the size of your backyard. Oftentimes, a big backyard makes it easy to plant cannabis in plain sight. Small backyards, on the other hand, might be too obvious to your neighbors.
If you think you have everything you need to maintain a particular level of discretion, consider the best time for growing cannabis in your backyard. This is important, most particularly if there are restrictions on growing cannabis in your area.
2. Know What The Plant Needs
Like other plant species, cannabis plants produce female and male flowers on separate plants. Male plants produce thin, little flowers that are not worth smoking. On the other hand, female plants produce fat flower buds that contain psychoactive compounds.
When you plant using cannabis seeds, you usually end up with about one-half female plants. You want to eliminate the male plants before the plants start to flower. This is because male pollens will pollinate the female buds to produce seeds that lower the THC levels in female plants and therefore not that good for smoking.
To determine the best cannabis seeds, search for varieties that are labeled feminized. These are seeds that are bred to produce female plants only and are highly recommended for novice cannabis gardeners. You can also buy clones, which are the rooted cuttings of female cannabis plants. This is like purchasing vegetable seedlings instead of seeds and can help you save germination time and effort.
Source: Gardeningleave.org3. Use Quality Soil
An essential factor to grow cannabis is soil quality. You have a choice. You can directly plant seeds in the ground that you have, or buy soil and plant the seeds in pots. Cannabis plants often thrive in soil that is rich with organic matter and has good drainage. If you want to plant in the ground, you have to ensure the soil composition and amend it accordingly. Basically, soil is made up of 3 basic components in different ratios: clay, silt, and sand.
To lessen your stress and ensure good results, you can try and have your soil tested. This is an inexpensive and easy process that can tell you the pH and makeup of your soil, alert you of soil contaminants, and recommend fertilizers and materials to enrich your soil.
4. Note Growing Conditions
Aside from good drainage, cannabis plants need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight every day. They will do great in the usual raised bed that is used for vegetable gardening. To prevent fungal diseases, good air circulation is important, so you must space the plants at least six (6) feet apart to ensure that they do not resemble a dense hedge when the summer ends.
5. Use Fertilizer
Hand of farmer holding cannabis at farm.
When it comes to cannabis cultivation, cannabis plants need a large number of nutrients as they grow, primarily in the form of potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Depending on your soil’s composition and growing method, you can decide on how to feed the plants with fertilizers. Commercial fertilizers may be used if you know how they work and what your cannabis plants require.
Start with fertilizers that are cheap and readily available. Such materials release nutrients quickly and are used by the plants easily while other types of fertilizers may take weeks or even months to release usable nutrients. Many have tried and experimented by mixing in some fertilizer products with the soil amendments to give enough nutrients to the plants.
6. Feed and Water Accordingly
Your plants should be watered according to their size, the type of soil, and the general environmental conditions such as the sun’s intensity, the weather, and the size of each plant’s container. Warmer environments and bigger plants tend to use more water compared to small plants. In other words, the amount of water needed will change as the plant’s growth progresses.
When your cannabis plants are in the vegetative stage, your plants must be watered thoroughly. When 2.54 cm of the topsoil is dried out, you can water again. This can be done daily or every four (4) days depending on soil and weather conditions, but the time between watering will be shorter as the plants grow their roots. If you note that your container gardens tend to dry faster compared to soil beds, then your plants will have to be watered frequently.
Dry soil and wilting plants are a direct sign that your cannabis plants urgently require water. On the other hand, if the plants show droopy leaves, it can mean that you are overwatering. These are mistakes that can be corrected with practice.
If your backyard is small, the cheapest and easiest way to water plants is by hand-watering. This also helps you become familiar with every cultivar’s requirements so that you can provide each plant the correct amount of water that it requires. If you have many plants, an irrigation system is a good idea when you can’t be in your backyard all the time.
7. Prune Your Plants
Outdoor cannabis plants may grow up to 12 feet. Most marijuana growers prune them so that the plants are much easier to manage and produce more buds. Pruning encourages a bushier form due to the growth of small side shoots, each of which will generate extra buds. Just make sure to stop pruning if it’s in mid-summer so that you avoid interfering with the production of flowers.
Takeaways
Growing cannabis in your backyard can be challenging, particularly if this is your first time to grow marijuana plants. However, if you follow the tips summarized in this article, you can be sure that you will get the results you want. Remember that soil quality and timing are important for success in growing cannabis outdoors. If your first try is not successful, bear in mind that practice makes perfect. You can keep a journal and note your mistakes so that you can achieve better harvests in the future.
