Easy STEPS on How to Grow Marijuana aka Weed Indoors!

Growing your own weed is the dream of many people who understand its benefits. We must remind you that cultivating weed is not permitted in all of the United States. You should do your due diligence and ascertain whether weed growing is allowed or prohibited in your area. Normally, weed-growers do it outside in the sun. However, indoor cultivation of marijuana is slowly increasing. Growing this plant indoors is very easy and it does not require anything out of the ordinary to successfully grow weed plants. This article will educate you with simple steps on how to grow marijuana indoors.

Benefits of growing weed indoors

Like growing any other plant, growing marijuana indoors requires care and love. Weed plants need sufficient amounts of water, light, and nutrients. There are several advantages of growing weed indoors [1] compared to outdoor growing.

High-Quality Marijuana

Growing weed indoors is more labor and resource-intensive than growing it outdoors. However, you get the opportunity to control the growing environment and what you feed your plants with. As a result, you will get better-quality weed that is not contaminated by external factors.

Multiple Harvests

Outdoor weed cultivation is guided and determined by the seasons and the sun. On the flip side, indoor gardening means that you control the factors and grow weed regardless of the season. You can let your weed plants grow as big as you wish. You also have the option of flipping them into flowers, harvesting, and growing another batch immediately. Winter is not an excuse for not growing marijuana indoors.

Adaptability

Growing weed indoors is not limited to people with big houses and backyards. You can grow the plant anywhere, including in apartment blocks or units. The plant does not need plenty of space to grow. In fact, you can grow it in a pot.

Safety from Pests, Bugs, and Animals

Unlike growing weed outdoors, indoor cultivation allows you control over the growing environment. It keeps away animals that may feast on your marijuana plants. Although weed grown indoors can be attacked by pests, bugs, and diseases, the risk is significantly reduced because the environment is controlled. You should have a basic understanding of pest and insect control before growing marijuana indoors.

Security and Privacy

Although it is legal to grow weed at home in some states, you may have nosy and judgmental neighbors. Therefore, you may want to grow weed in private. Privacy will also keep your plants out of thieves’ reach.

Chance to Grow a Specific Chain

One of the biggest challenges facing regular weed users is getting different strains with each purchase. When you grow your own weed indoors, you get the chance to use the strain of weed you love best. If you prefer to use assorted varieties, then you can grow them too.

Designate a cannabis grow room or space

Now that you understand the benefits of growing weed indoors, the first step you should take is deciding the particular area in which you will grow your marijuana plants. The grow room or area should be suitable, and it should be out of reach for pets and children. The space you choose does not necessarily have to be a large room. It can be any place in your home, including a corner in your basement, cabinet, tent, spare room, or even a closet. You can adjust the space as needed to grow your weed.

As you decide on the grow space or room, you should remember to start small and expand your indoor weed garden over time. You will want to start with a small space because it will be cheaper to set up and easier to monitor how your plants are growing. Bear in mind that growing weed indoors does not always guarantee success. Like any other project, you will experience challenges. Pests and diseases, for instance, may attack your plants and cause their decline. Although we recommend that you start small, do not give up your dream of growing more weed plants. You can add more after some time.

The space you choose is not merely a growing area. You should ensure you have adequate space for the number of plants you desire to grow. Consider the amount of natural or artificial light needed, fans, and ducting. Marijuana plants double in size as they start to flower, so you must ensure you have adequate room for each plant, especially the headspace. Let us explore the important considerations to make when choosing the grow room [2] or space.

Cleanliness

The space you choose should be clean and easy to sanitize. All surfaces should be easy to clean. You want to grow your cannabis in a clean and safe environment as this will reduce the likelihood of pest and bug infestation.

Light

Your grow room should be light-tight. If light leaks in during the dark periods, your plants will get confused and produce male flowers. You do not want male flowers!

Convenience

Weed plants need careful monitoring. You should check on them at least once a day, especially if you are a beginner. A growing area that is hard to access will make this difficult.

Temperature and Humidity

If the space you choose is too warm or humid, you will experience trouble regulating the growing environment. Instead, choose a space that is cool, dry, and with access to fresh air.

Stealth

Choose a grow area that hides your plants from nosy neighbors or thieves. Since you will be using fans, ensure the location will not attract attention, especially when the fans are running.

Size

Marijuana plants tend to grow tall. You will need a grow tent at least six and a half feet tall. If the space you choose does not have a ceiling that high, you should get another location. Shorter areas are not ideal.

Exchange of Fresh Air

Indoor weed growing areas are heavily dependent on the exchange of clean and fresh air. Marijuana plants need plenty of carbon dioxide levels. Without a regular air exchange, the plants will run out of carbon dioxide, which will cause their decline or stunting. You can ensure the exchange of fresh air by using an extraction fan.

Pick your cannabis grow lights

The amount and quality of light in the grow room or space you choose will influence your weed quality and quantity. It is always recommended that you invest in the best lighting you possibly can. There are different lighting options [3] to choose from.

HID Grow Lights

HID is an acronym for High-Intensity Discharge, and these grow lights are the most commonly used. They have a good output and are efficient and affordable. HID lights typically cost more than incandescent or fluorescent lights, but they release better quality light. However, they are not as efficient as LED lights are.

To set up HID lights, you need ballast and reflectors or hoods for each light. There are two main categories of HID lights.

Metal Halide Lights

These HID lights produce a bluish-white light and are best used using vegetative growth.

High-Pressure Sodium Lights

They produce a red-orange light and are best used during the flowering stage.
If you cannot afford both metal halide and high-pressure sodium bulbs at the same time, invest in the high-pressure sodium ones because they yield more light per watt.

Fluorescent Grow Lights

Fluorescent grow lights are commonly used by small-scale weed growers. Many people prefer them because they are cheaper to set up. A package comes with a reflector, bulb, and ballast, which reduce the installation costs. Besides, these lights do not need a cooling system because they do not generate as much heat as the High-Intensity Discharge lights do. On the flip side, these lights are less efficient, so you need many of them to get the output needed. It is not always possible to install many of them, especially if the space is limited.

LED Grow Lights

LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode, which is a technology that has been used for a long time now. Recently, this technology was adapted to bulbs for indoor growing. LED lights are very efficient, and they last long, but they are expensive to install. They also use less electricity, generate a fuller light spectrum, and generate minimal heat. If you decide to install LED lights, you should be very careful because there are many counterfeits in the market. You should learn more about the best LED grow lights before clicking the order button or dishing out cash.

Induction Grow Lights

Induction Grow Lights are also known as Electrodeless Fluorescent Lamps. These lights last longer and are more efficient than fluorescent bulbs. However, they are not readily available and are pricey.

Give your cannabis plants air

Marijuana plants need plenty of fresh air to thrive. They need plenty of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, so you have to ensure a steady flow of air in your grow room all day long. You can do this using an exhaust fan that should be placed near the top of the room. The fan will remove warm air. The room should also have a filtered air inlet close to the floor of the room on the opposite side of the fan. Your fan’s size should depend on the size of the grow room and the type and number of grow lights installed. HID lights, for example, generate more heat than LED lights, so the fan should be larger for effective cooling.

The goal should be to maintain temperatures between 70-85°F when the lights are on and between 58-70°F when they are off. It is crucial to know the characteristics of the cannabis variety you wish to grow. Some varieties prefer the colder side of the ranges given above for optimal growth. The best thing to do is ensure the grow space or room has a constant light breeze. The breeze will strengthen your plant systems and discourage mold and flying insects, and pests from attacking your space. Never put the fan directly on your weed plants, as it will cause windburn.

If using a fan and grow lights is not feasible for you, you can build a sealed environment. You create this artificial environment using a dehumidifier, air conditioner, and a supplemental carbon dioxide system. Doing this will cost you more and is not recommended for first-time weed growers.

Pick your climate controls and monitors

As you select your grow lights, fans, and other control equipment, ensure you pick those with automated functions. You do not want to spend the entire day trying to adjust the indoor climate manually. Not only will this be exhausting, but you will also forget to adjust some settings and ultimately cause the decline of your plants. Automated climate controls can be quite pricey, but there are cheaper alternatives if you do not want to dent your pockets.

Beginners need a 24-hour timer for the lights and an adjustable thermostat switch for the exhaust fan. The amount of light you give your weed plants is crucial. They require about 18 hours of light each day in the vegetative phase and 12 hours a day in the flowering stage. You should switch the lights on or off at specific times of the day to avoid stressing the plants.

Decide on a cannabis grow medium

Growing cannabis indoors gives you a wider array of growth mediums compared to outdoor growing. Each medium has its pros and cons. Although there are many options, the main types of media are soil and hydroponics.

Soil

We all know that soil is the traditional medium for growing plants, both indoors and outdoors. Most people grow their first marijuana plants in soil because it is easier and more forgiving to use. You can choose any high-quality potting soil you prefer. However, it should not have artificial slow-release fertilizers as they are not suitable for growing weed. You should always check the label keenly.

If potting soil is not your thing, you can use organic pre-fertilized soil, also called super soil. If you use this option, you will not need to add other nutrients because it is specifically created to support cannabis growth to maturity. You can make your own super soil by combining good quality soil with worm castings, bat guano, and other organic components. Remember that for your plants to thrive, the soil should have a healthy population of soil bacteria and other organisms to convert the organic matter into nutrients. The third soil option is using a regular soil mix. This may not have all the essential nutrients, so you should supplement your weed plants with liquid nutrient solutions.

Hydroponics

In recent times, more people are embracing hydroponics or soilless growing medium for their indoor plants, including marijuana. In a hydroponic system, you feed the plants with concentrated solutions containing mineral salts. These minerals are absorbed directly by the plant via osmosis. Since there is faster nutrient absorption, the marijuana crops grow faster and have better yields. However, this is not guaranteed as it is dependent on precision when it comes to the solutions. Your plants will react very quickly to under or over-feeding that can cause their decline.

In hydroponic systems, different materials can be used to support the plants. These include perlite, clay pebbles, vermiculite, Rockwool, coco coir, and others. Sometimes, these materials are combined for functional reasons and aesthetics. Hydroponic systems cost more than soil mixes, so it is important to do some research and invest in the best hydroponic weed systems.

Pick a container

The type, shape, and size of the container you choose for your weed plant will depend on the system, growing medium, and size of the plant. If you are using a tray-style or flood and drain hydroponic system, small nets filled with clay pebbles are appropriate. If you are using soil and the plants are large, you may require a few 10-gallon nursery pots. The containers you choose should have good drainage because cannabis roots are susceptible to rot from water-logging. All containers should have drainage slots or holes at the bottom.

If you love recycling and reusing containers in your house, you can use plastic bags or cloth bags to grow your weed. The containers you choose should enhance airflow. They should also have good drainage.

Cannabis plants nutrients

The human body requires nutrients from food to thrive, right? As do marijuana plants. If you want high-quality marijuana, you must provide the necessary nutrients, usually in higher amounts than other common crops. The primary nutrients that cannabis plants need are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Others that are needed in smaller amounts are copper, iron, magnesium, and calcium. For beginners, it is advisable to use a pre-fertilized organic soil mix. If you are not using this, you should feed the plants at least once a week using a suitable nutrient solution.

Nutrient solutions for weed are sold in the form of concentrated powders or liquids. They are normally designed for the flowering or vegetative stages of growth because the nutrient demands change depending on the stage of growth. They require more potassium and phosphorus in the budding stage and more nitrogen during the vegetative growth stage. After purchasing the nutrient solutions for weed, ensure you strictly follow the instructions on the packing. Always start with half-strength because these plants are susceptible to burning, and overfeeding them will cause more damage than underfeeding. Besides the nutrients, the plants need a neutral pH of between six and seven in soil and between 5.5 and 6.5 in hydroponic media. Test the pH of your soil before planting marijuana.

Cannabis plants hydration

Do you need special water for your weed plants? Well, watering your weed plants is not different from watering other indoor plants. The same clean water you drink in your household is the same you should use to water your weed plants. The most important thing to remember is not to overwater. If you give your marijuana plants too much water, they will have fungal root rot, which will cause their decline. The frequency of watering your plants should be based on the growing medium used, ambient temperature, and plants’ size.

Although the water you drink in your house is generally safe for watering your weed plants, it is important to have a basic understanding of the kind of water you have in your taps. In some areas, the water contains high amounts of dissolved minerals. These can buildup in the root area of your plants and inhibit nutrient absorption from the growing medium. The water could also contain pathogens that can cause root disease. If you know or suspect the water in your area has high amounts of dissolved minerals, you should filter it before watering your weed plants.

Summary

Learning how to grow marijuana indoors is the dream of some frequent weed users. Before growing it indoors, confirm that your state laws are on the same page. If you are allowed to do it, follow the above steps and tips for successfully growing your own weed. As you grow your plants, remember that they will be a labor of love, so ensure you give them the attention they need to thrive and enjoy the process.

Citations

Auto Amazon Links: No products found.