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DISCLAIMER! The use, production, cultivation, processing, ingestion and procurement of cannabis and all its  by-products, may not be legal or appropriate in many areas of the world. Before cultivating or consuming any cannabis, in any form, consult your local authorities and laws online or contact your local municipal office.

Easy Is A Relative Term

The 5 strains of cannabis or marijuana (or both) listed are easier than many other strains to grow. Having said that, the plants themselves demand respect and care, the same as any other living thing. When growing, considerations must be made – especially with these plants – because of their susceptibility to temperature change, soil deficiencies, and light exposure. So, are there plants that are hardier or more rugged than others?

Easy Mode On

Easy Bud, as the name so blatantly implies, is quite easy to grow. Strangely, it is a simple, yet greatly underestimated plant of great dispute. The plant is classified as cannabis ruderalis and is believed to be a subspecies of Sativa. It is used in many crossbreeds for its ability to grow quickly and abundantly. The bud has a fragrance of citrus, and it grows to maturity in five to seven weeks. When the clustered buds are gathered, there is a wafting of sharp cheese. An incredibly rugged plant from the Himalayas, Easy Bud is great for rookie growers. 

Photo credit: royalqueenseeds.com

White Widow Isn’t an Arachnid

White widow has been around since the ’90s and has won a slew of awards. Its buds are favored for use in extractors and in making hash because of their density. It’s a Dutch strain that is mold-resistant making it a favorable first-time outdoor strain for new planters and veterans alike. It is also a favorite because it can yield 500-550 grams per plant on average, and it grows in eight to nine weeks. White Widow is also a perfect split of 50% Sativa, 50% Indica and provides a very cerebral high. It is best grown in temperatures between 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Photo credit: Ontario Cannabis Store

That’s Somango

Another wonderfully hearty strain is Somango, particularly the XL strain. Somango XL is a cross of Somango and Critical 47. It is great for growing outdoors and thrives even in cold, rough conditions. It is harvested in late September. It takes approximately eight to nine weeks to mature, but it can grow up to 2 meters in height. Another other reason it is preferred by many new growers is that it can yield between 4-600 grams per plant. It is an Indica heavy strain that leaves a strong cerebral, yet clear-headed, high. The plant has trichomes that look like squiggly veins of orange and greenish-white sprigging off of it.

Photo credit: Soma Seeds

Brilliant And Sparkling Northern Lights

This strain really is beautiful with its twinkling, gleaming, compact bud structure. It’s easy to see why it is a benchmark of cannabis genetics. Northern Lights has been spliced with so many other breeds, and it is in a ton of popular strains today. It is a hearty and earthy smelling plant with a six to eight-week turn around time. The effects of the herb are that of heavy sedation due to its 95 percent Indica background. It also has a surprising tolerance to transplanting. It has a gummy, sticky texture due to its bud structure making it ideal for use in distillates and extractions. It was produced by Sensi Seeds.

Photo credit: Ontario Cannabis Store

Don’t Pinch Yourself, It’s Just A Blue Dream

  Blue Dream is an incredible monster of a plant strain that is one of the easiest to grow. You could drop a seed down a drain in your backyard and have a marijuana privacy fence in 65-70 days. The amazing thing about these 3-4 meter giants is the quality and potency of the 70 percent Sativa strain. This plant needs room and it is recommended that if you do decide to grow it, you do so outdoors. The plant carries an almost fruity smell and is at a potency of 19% THC. The plants yield roughly 2-3 kilograms per plant outdoors. They really look like a magnificent, shaggy green wall when growing in clusters.

Photo credit: weedmaps

Grow Easy On Yourself

Whether you have a green thumb, or you’re just starting out, cultivating a plant is always a challenge. Remember that most problems can be looked up and solved with ease these days. Consult your local laws and if you have the green light, go talk to someone about growing your own green. Plants can be near death and brought back a lot easier than people think and these strains are wonderfully easy to grow even in less than ideal conditions.

Whether it’s a closet, balcony, garage or industrial level greenhouse, you can grow big, bountiful plants easily as long as you remember to seek out the solution to any problems you have instead of guessing how to correct it.

Now you know the best beginner strains, it’s time to learn to grow. Sign up for our free grow guide. Get yours today!

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Adequate light is the most important factor that should be considered when growing marijuana plants. Just like using nutrients made for cannabis, quality light should be well supplied to your plants to enable proper growth. 

To produce more cannabis buds, light is your secret weapon.

Using the correct wavelengths of light also ensures that the cannabis buds will be as potent as possible.

Cannabis is very light-sensitive, there is a need to adjust the light intensity, color, and frequency for each of its growth stages. This emulates the natural conditions found in nature.

This is the reason indoor growers tend to buy a full-color spectrum of lights for their plants to maximize their budding and growing abilities.

In this article, we will answer the question of how does the light color spectrum impact growing cannabis. Let’s get started already, shall we?

The Light Color Spectrum

When we see a rainbow we are amazed at the beauty of all the colors. Rainbows are formed when white light is dispersed through water vapor. This refracted light breaks up into the individual colors that make up white light. Each one of these colors in the rainbow has a wavelength.

These different wavelengths of visible light are what make up the colors we see. The visual spectrum of light contains wavelengths that range from 700nm at the red end down to 400nm at the violent edge. “nm” stands for nanometers.

The reason things have color is that an object will absorb some wavelengths of light while reflecting others.  

So for example, a green leaf will absorb all colors of light except for green. The green wavelength is reflected and we see that as color.

Black and white are not considered colors, they refer to shade and brightness. Black objects absorb all of the visible light spectra while white objects reflect it. This is why dark objects get hot faster on a sunny day, they absorb more light energy and give it off as heat.

I hope you’re still following me here. Light and color are two really interesting science topics. I encourage you to learn more about them if sciency stuff is your thing. This is a fairly basic explanation, but understanding how light and color work will help you make more informed choices when it comes to growing lights.

This chart shows what wavelengths of light chlorophyll A and B absorb from the light spectrum.

Chlorophyll A is the primary pigment used for photosynthesis. A will absorb violet-blue and orange-red light energy.

Chlorophyll B works as an accessory pigment that increases the amount of the light spectrum the plant can use as energy. It absorbs more blue light energy.

This chart shows an example of the different intensities of wavelength of the visible spectrum of daylight. Of course this will change on any given day and depend on the time of the season.

When the sun is lower in the horizon for longer periods (late summer and fall), plants receive more of the red and orange wavelengths. These colors naturally trigger a plants ability to flower and produce fruit in an attempt to propagate before the cold winter months.

How Light Color Affects the Growth of Cannabis Plants?

There are lots of grow lights on the market and each has its pros and cons. If you have taken the time to pay keen attention, you will discover that many of these lights will offer different colors of light. This can sometimes be referred to as light temperature.

Natural sunlight provides the entire light spectrum. As the year moves along and seasons change the amount of wavelength energy changes. In the summer sunlight is heavy with green and blue wavelengths, while in the fall because of the shorter days and the sun being lower in the sky, it will give off more red light. 

This change in wavelength intensity and duration is what tells plants and animals to prepare for seasonal changes. Cannabis plants are no exception.

Three Types of Common Grow Lights

Cool White CFL Bulb

A great light for young cuttings and seedlings. The cool white varieties provide lots of blue spectrum light that promote new growth. These lights put out about 50 watts of energy which is inadequate for large scale cannabis growing but great for starting plants in smaller home grows.

Blue Red LED

These common LED light arrays usually range in power output from 100 watts to 1000. They provide lots of light energy at a smaller energy footprint than more traditional grow lights. Many come with a switch that will turn on more red light LED to help promote flowering.

HPS (High Pressure Sodium)

These lights gives off plenty of red, orange, and yellow light energy. This makes them perfect to use during the flowering phase when these wavelengths help with flowering.

When growing indoors you’re trying your best to emulate the perfect outdoor conditions. Each phase of a plant’s growth (from vegetative to flowering stage) is being exposed to various wavelengths of light to maintain the process of photosynthesis and bud formation. Understanding the natural changes in sunlight and how plants react can help you improve your growing skills.

For better clarity, let’s look at the various colors along the light spectrum, their corresponding wavelengths and how they impact marijuana plants. They include:

Ultraviolet Spectrum

Ultraviolet or UV light has a wavelength that ranges from 10nm to 400nm; this type of light energy is known to be harmful to human skin when they are exposed to it. Our bodies react by developing a tan in an attempt to block light from further damaging skin cells. 

UV light in large amounts can also damage plants.

Two types of UV rays exist; UV-A (315-400nm) and UV-B (280-315nm). 

UV-A is considered harmful to marijuana plants. Regardless of its harmfulness (not just to cannabis but other plants as well), plants have evolved a natural defense mechanism against UV lights by secreting of enzymes, antioxidants, and chemicals to prevent more damage. However, at greater concentration, it’s still damaging to the plant.

UV-B on the other hand, when compared to UV-A, is far less harmful to cannabis plants. UV-B light seems to have a positive effect on cannabis plant growth. More research needs to be done to determine what the exact benefits are, but numerous growers swear that feeding plants UV-B light improves growth, flavor, and potency.

There are grow lights now which offer a full spectrum of visible light; that also includes infrared light and UV-B.

Violet Spectrum

Violet light is on the bottom end of the visual light spectrum. Its wavelength ranges from 380nm to 450nm. This range of light is considered to improve color, potency, and taste of flowers. Violet light isn’t a major growth factor compared to blue and red spectrum light.

“Blurples” 

Many LED grow lamps will give off light that looks purple. These types of lamps are fondly known as blurples. You would be wrong to think this was light from only the violet wavelength. Each LED bulb is designed to shine a specific wavelength of light. To maximize efficiency the entire lamp is made up of specific wavelengths LEDs that are connected to plant growth. Blue and red are the most predominant but sometimes other wavelengths like UVB and white light are added in smaller numbers. When you combine red and blue light our eyes see the color purple. Blurple LED lights give off very little of the violet wavelength.

Blue Spectrum

The blue spectrum of light is very important for cannabis plant growth. This wavelength lies between 450nm and 495nm. This color of light is best used at the sprout and vegetative stage of growth as it promotes rapid growth and development of the plant. 

Outdoors during spring blue light energy is abundant. This is a natural trigger for new growth. It also keeps marijuana plants stable by helping them grow a strong stem and aids in the process of photosynthesis. Plants that are blue light deficient often turn out pale or yellow and are often weak flopping over under their weight.

Blue light can easily and quickly be supplemented by using cool white fluorescent bulbs, but most LED and alternative grow lights will provide blue light as well.

This graph shows the available light spectrum on a Mars Hydro LED (Mars Reflector 192). As you can see it gives off a lot of blue and orange-red light. Fantastic for both veg and flower.

This graph shows the available light spectrum on the newer Mars Hydro LEDs that provide a more complete light spectrum (TSW 2000). As you can see it gives off much more green and yellow light.

Green Spectrum

This spectrum of light plays a role (albeit minor) in the growth of marijuana plants at various stages. Its wavelength ranges from 495nm to 570nm. 

Cannabis plants absorb very little green light energy, but there are reports that small amounts can affect growth.

For most growers, green light isn’t necessary for a successful grow. But, If you feel like growing cannabis with lights that have a more complete spectrum of color then a little bit of green energy is a big yes.

One thing that’s great about green light and cannabis is that it doesn’t trigger flowering. Cannabis is very sensitive to light and dark cycles. A small amount of light during the night period could trick your plants in thinking it’s time to flower. Cannabis doesn’t “see” green light making it the perfect color of light to use if you want to work on your plants during the night period.

Yellow Spectrum

Yellow light energy has a wavelength that ranges from 570nm to 590nm. It is of little importance during photosynthesis but yellow/red light is essential for the flowering stage of the plant’s growth as it promotes budding. 

Besides its usefulness in budding and flowering, it’s of very little use to the plant during the vegetative growth stage. Yellow light energy on its own is a minor contributor to photosynthesis.

Red Spectrum

The final color on the visible light spectrum is red. It has a wavelength that ranges from 620nm to 750nm. This light is necessary during the flowering stage of marijuana plants. Adding red light induces budding and flowering. Many cannabis growers will switch to a stronger red light source once their plant gets to the flowering stage. Red light mixed with blue gets the best response from cannabis plants.

What’s The Difference Between Cool and Warm Light?

You may hear people refer to light as either “cool” or “warm”. This describes the colors of the spectrum going from violet to red. Cool colors are on the lower end of the light spectrum (violet, blue, green), while warm colors are on the higher end (yellow, orange, red).  

What’s the best color light to use for cannabis seedlings

A seedling will respond best to blue light. Sprouts will stretch and grow tall if there’s not enough blue light available. Not much light power is needed at this stage since the plants are so small. Many growers will use 50 watt cool white CFL bulbs specifically for their seedlings and cuttings.

What’s the best color light to use for growing cannabis

During the vegetative stage of cannabis growth, plants react well to lots of blue light. It’s important to also provide some red light too. The combination of blue and red light is the recipe for growth.

What’s the best color light to use for flowering cannabis

Switching your plants over to light that is heavier in the orange/red part of the light spectrum will help induce flowering as well as improve it. Don’t drop the blue light altogether, it’s still required but in slightly smaller amounts than red and orange light.

The Bottom Line About Light and Cannabis

Nothing beats natural sunlight. Cannabis plants can grow huge outdoors in the right sunny conditions. Growlights only give off a fraction of the light energy the sun provides. Using limited spectrum lights are adequate for indoor growing. Blue light and red light will successfully grow a cannabis plant without any problems. Using grow lights that provide a fuller spectrum of visual light will have an affect on the plant and usually results in a bigger yield. Your decision on using different types of light will depend on your unique situation. If you’re thinking of upgrading your lights, try going for something that better emulates the sun like full spectrum lights made for growing plants.

Thanks For Reading

The importance of cannabis to humans cannot be underestimated. It not only slows down cancer cells from spreading, prevents Alzheimer’s disease, treats glaucoma, relieves arthritis but solves a whole lot of other medical issues. Even the act of growing cannabis can bring a great sense of well being.

It takes a lot of different factors to grow good weed and light is a biggie. I hope this article helped you understand how light and cannabis work together. Feel free to ask any questions below. 

Light is just one key factor for successful cannabis growing. Learn even more secrets to success with our free 40+ page guide full of images. Get your today!

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In 2015, marijuana was the most widely used illegal drug in the US. The substance continues to grow in popularity due to the recreational and soothing effect it has on those who use it, not to mention the wonderful health benefits.

There are lots of perfectly good, logical reasons why we love marijuana:

it boosts our immunity system

provides pain and anxiety relief

excellent in treating various diseases and disorders (MS, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s…the list goes on)

irreplaceable in treating seizures

it’s safer than tobacco

helps treat addiction

legalization has created new jobs

Once it becomes fully legal, that will enable more research and we’re bound to find even more interesting properties. Overall, cannabis is known to improve the quality of life on so many levels.

However, it is not all rainbows and roses when it comes to how marijuana affects people who use it.

Not everybody reacts to cannabis in the same way. Here are some of the common side effects a person may expect (short-term):

frequent and sudden changes in mood

challenges in performing simple tasks and difficulty to focus

rapid heart rates

increased agitation and fear

irregularities in the senses of the body

and some long-term adverse effects:

Child development problems during or after the pregnancy if the mother used marijuana while pregnant.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome. Harsh nausea, vomiting, and dehydration are common symptoms of the syndrome.

it can cause mental issues in some people

severe breathing problems can be triggered by smoking marijuana because the smoke irritates the lungs

  Therefore, it’s important to use cannabis responsibly! As you will see from the pros and cons of weed infographic below, there are plenty of valid reasons to enjoy its healing properties, and though we love the plant, it’s far from perfect.

The post The Pros and Cons of Consuming Cannabis (INFOGRAPHIC) appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Plant training is an often overlooked aspect of cannabis growing by new growers. Yet, it’s one of the best ways to improve plant yields besides using crafted cannabis nutrients. The difference between a plant left to grow on its own and one trained to grow efficiently is like night and day. So, how exactly does one “train” a Cannabis plant?

Training cannabis refers to methods that manipulate the shape and growth patterns of your plant.

Cannabis naturally wants to grow one large bud at the end of each branch, this is called the cola. The main stem always grows the largest cola of the plant.

Smaller branches along the main stalk will grow upward towards a light source. If left to grow outdoors without training the plant develops a bushy shape. Plants grown indoors will grow pointy like a Christmas tree since their only light source is stationary and directly above.

Auxin is the chemical responsible for the growth of buds, with the majority of it being created where the light hits the node. The main cola naturally contains a high quantity of auxin, as it is at the top. By adjusting parts of the plant to get more light, you can force auxin to be produced in higher quantities in areas that wouldn’t normally get as much.

There are quite a few techniques available to manipulate these mechanisms and can be divided into two major categories. Low stress and high stress.

Now that’s a cola!

Large main cola bud site with many smaller lower colas.

Low Stress Training

Low Stress Training (LST) is about guiding your plant, gently and without damage, into a better shape. This can be achieved by patiently securing branches so they grow outwards from the main stem.

Bending & Tying

As the main stem grows upwards towards a light source you can gently tie it down so that it points horizontally or towards the ground. This allows more direct light to get to the main stalk and lower branches. More light means bigger bud sites and colas. 

By bending the main stem a little every week, you can slowly force a plant to grow horizontally.

Branches off the main stem can also start to compete for light, so it may be necessary to tie them down as well.

The goal of bending or tying your branches down is to develop an even canopy. The canopy is the uppermost area of your plant where the light hits it. If all the colas are at the same hight then they’re getting equal levels of light energy. Very efficient.

A bushy plant benefits from having its lower branches tied down and away from the main stem. Now the future bud sites can receive a little more light energy.

Screen of Green Method

Otherwise known as SCROG. This method operates under similar principles as simple bending and tying but is slightly easier and supports the plant better.

Suspend some netting over your plant and weave each branch through its own hole. The netting will spread out the branches so they aren’t competing for light. This will allow for an incredibly efficient light spread across the cannabis canopy.

The netting should have holes that are 4 to 6 inches big.

A very even canopy on a plant grown with a SCROG net.

High Stress Training

These methods differ from the previous in that they damage the plant in very specific ways. There is more risk involved with these training techniques, but when done correctly they can greatly increase the final yield. Stressing your plants will slow their growth since the plant will need time to recover.

Topping & FIM

Topping is probably the simplest method available to increase a plant’s yield. Simply cut off the top new growth of your plant before it begins to flower. Over time the stalk will then split off into two directions, creating two branches with main colas. 

The reason this occurs is that auxin hormones in the new growth are removed. More of these hormones will be sent towards the cutting and trick the plant into growing two or more branches at that site.

The best time to top your plants is early in the vegetative phase of growth. The 4th or 5th node is usually the most common one to clip off.

This plant was recently topped. The newest growth was clipped off with a clean pair of scissors.

You can find a more detailed article on topping cannabis here.

The same plant developed 3 main stems instead of just one. Topping usually causes two main branches to form. If you leave a small amount of the node you may end up with 3 or 4 main branches. This technique is called FIM (F$#% I Missed).

Defoliation

This is another simple technique that is done near the end of the vegetative stage of growth.

Removing leaves allows more light and air to travel through the plant. Defoliation also helps focus plant energy on the larger bud sites. By removing a few handfuls of leaves that aren’t getting much light, you shock the plant into focusing energy on the bud sites that are receiving direct light.

This technique may cause a fair amount of shock to the plant. Removing too many leaves at once can greatly stunt growth. It will depend on the size of your plant, but you can start by removing the lower 20% of the leaves and seeing how the plant reacts.

You shouldn’t be defoliating your plant while it’s in the flowering stage. Cannabis is temperamental during flower and doing so could drastically stunt the growth of your plant

Defoliation isn’t necessary for outdoor grows because they get light from all angles. The leaves also act as protection from the elements and outdoor pests.

This bushy plant needed many leaves to be removed to allow better airflow and make it easier to manage. The branches will be tied down as well. Cats are very attracted to cannabis plants and sometimes enjoy snacking on the leaves. This is fairly harmless for the cat but it might be a good idea to keep the plant off-limits to your furry friends.

Training Autoflowering Cannabis

Autoflower cannabis strains have a very specific timeline. They will usually go from seed to harvest in 2 to 3 months. Stressing autoflowering strains can greatly reduce their yield. High stress will slow growth and the auto plant will have less time to catch up.

New growers should stick to low stress training techniques when it comes to autos.

Remember, training your plant is optional. If you don’t feel confident in your skills, then there’s no reason to risk the health of your cannabis. Please take the time to share this article with anyone who may find it useful.

If you have a question feel free to contact us or leave a comment below.

These are just a few ways to improve yields, download our guide for even more growing tips. Get yours today!

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The technical term for yellowing leaves is chlorosis and is caused by a lack of chlorophyll in the leaves. There are quite a few reasons why this may happen. Sometimes it’s natural and other times it’s your plant trying to tell you it’s not happy. Cannabis plants don’t speak English, but if you pay close attention you can figure out what they’re trying to tell you. Yellow leaves are one way they can tell you there’s a problem. Let’s figure out what’s causing chlorosis in your plants.

Diagnosing Yellow Leaves

The location of the yellow leaves on the plant is a very good clue to what might be wrong.

When the lower fan leaves are turning yellow, it’s a good indicator your plant isn’t getting enough nitrogen. The reason we know this is because nitrogen is considered a “mobile” nutrient. This means that when the plant is deficient the nitrogen in the lower leaves will mobilize to help new growth.

Cannabis roots can only absorb nitrogen when the conditions are right. Incorrect soil pH and soil that is too dry or wet can slow or completely stop the plants’ ability to metabolize nitrogen.

When the uppermost sets of leaves are beginning to yellow the first thing is to check for light burn. Tips of leaves will turn yellow when they are getting to much heat from a light. Place your hand just above the upper most leaves, if it gets uncomfortably warm or hot then your lights are too close.

If you can rule out light burn then it might be a lack of nutrients like iron. Unlike nitrogen, iron is an immobile nutrient. Once iron is absorbed by the plant, it stays where it is. New growth will lack iron and turn yellow as a result.

Improper Watering Habits

When you over-water your plants you prevent the roots from getting oxygen. This will prevent your plants from metabolizing nutrients and cause yellow leaves. The leaves of an over watered plant will look droopy because they are full of water.

Under watering your plants will cause the leaves to wilt and turn yellow over time.

The solution is simple: adjust your watering habits. If you see over-watering symptoms, water your plants less frequently and vice-versa.

The rule of thumb is to water your cannabis plants once the top inch of soil is dry. Cannabis plants like soil that dries out a little between watering. Finding the right balance will depend on the size of the plant, the size of the planter, and temperature.

“Water your cannabis plants once the top inch of soil is dry.”

pH is Too High or Low

Another common issue is pH imbalance. If the pH of the water you feed your plants is off, they will have a hard time absorbing nutrients through their roots. pH is the measurement of acidity or alkalinity of a liquid, it’s determined by the concentration of hydrogen ions in the water. If you want to get into the science of what pH is, here’s a great link.

In most cases, your tap water will have a pH around 7.0, but this will vary from location to location. Adding nutrients to your water can change the pH. Keep an eye on the pH of the water you use to feed your plants. You will get the best results from your cannabis grown in soil by maintaining a pH around 5.8 or 6. It makes sense when you realize the pH of rainwater is slightly acidic with a pH of around 6.0. For hydroponics solutions you will want a slightly more acidic pH of around 5.5

By using a pH level measuring pen or kit you can monitor the acidity of what your feeding your plants. If your levels aren’t in the optimal range, add a base (pH up) or acid (pH down) to either raise or lower the pH.

Incorrect pH is the usual culprit for most cannabis related growing problems.

Light Burn

Are the tops of your plants turning yellow, crispy, and starting to curl? One reason could be light burn.

The leaves closet to the light source will be showing the most severe symptoms. The heat from your lights is frying these leaves damaging them. Typically, the more powerful, high-intensity lights will result in light burn. LEDs usually give off the least amount of heat.

You will need to raise the lights a few inches to fix the problem. The optimal range is usually one or two feet away.

If your hand is uncomfortably hot where the light hits the leaves, then your leaves are also feeling the burn. The temperature at the canopy (uppermost leaves) shouldn’t go over 30°C (86°F).

Cold Shock or Heat Stress

Next on the list is temperature. Normally, heat is going to be the enemy here, either from the lights or poor air circulation. If you’re growing outside or in your basement, a quick cold spell in the night could harm your plants as well.

For heat stress, the leaves will turn yellow and dry. At the other end, cold shocks, the plant will droop and turn yellow. Either extreme could kill your plants very quickly.

Keep a thermometer (or two) near your plants to check the temp. The ideal range is between 18°C and 28°C. Proper air circulation will keep the temperature balanced throughout the room and help the exchange of CO2 and oxygen.

Deficient Nutrients

If the pH is spot on and the plant is being watered correctly, then the most likely problem is nutrients (or the lack thereof). For chlorosis, the usual culprits are iron, nitrogen, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, or zinc.

Take note of where the yellowing occurs on the plant and the leaves. These are your clues to finding out what nutrients are deficient.

Using a fertilizer designed for cannabis is a good first start. Finding one that contains all the essential macro and micro nutrients cannabis needs is the easiest way to avoid deficiencies. Nutritional needs may vary from strain to strain, but having those base line nutrients will save you a lot of trouble.

This is a reason why many growers love organic living soil. Soil contains all sorts of nutrients that are broken down by roots and microbes within the soil itself. With nutrient rich living soil you may even need to use less fertilizer.

The plant in the photo is showing signs of an iron deficiency (and a few others as well). It was caused by a pH that was too high which locked out several nutrients.

Using too much fertilizer can also cause problems that would result in yellow leaves with burnt looking tips. Fixing over fertilized cannabis plants is simple. Flushing the soil with water will remove the build up of nutrients in the soil.

When Are Yellow Leaves Natural

The cotyledons are the first set of leaves on a seedling. They are flat, broad, rounded, and don’t look like typical cannabis leaves. In most cases, these leaves will turn yellow and fall of a few weeks later.

Leaves that aren’t getting enough light might begin to yellow too. If you can’t find a way to manipulate the light or the plant to penetrate to these leaves simply remove them.

Isolated yellow leaves can show up during the growing process. These are usually caused by the grower accidentally snapping a leaf the week earlier.

During the last few weeks of flower, some leaves will naturally turn yellow as the plants reach their final stage of life. Like leaves changing in the fall, the plant is now focused on reproduction and putting nutrient resources into seeds or flowers. As long as you have an unpollinated female cannabis plant you will only get flowers.

Stop yellow leaves from happening again! Our free 40+ page illustrated grow guide full covers all sorts of challenges for the newbie grower. Get yours today!

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Selecting Seeds Identify and Correct Problems Maximize Yield Much More…

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Want to learn even more about growing cannabis? Download our free 40+ page fully illustrated guide full of images. Sign up now!

This guide will answer many questions about growing cannabis, like the following…

Selecting Seeds Identify and Correct Problems Maximize Yield Much More…

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Comment

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Growing Cannabis takes more than a green thumb and a passion for the process. Cannabis is an extremely particular plant, that takes some research, insight, patience, and a lot of TLC to grow effectively. Even if you are a natural with plants, it is still possible for Cannabis to give you trouble if the right conditions are not met.

Here are six big beginner mistakes when growing Cannabis that can be easily avoided with a little preparation and respect for the life you are cultivating:

1. Using Unknown Seeds

Regardless of your growing skill level, using unknown seeds can lead to failure before the first sprout emerges from its natural casing. Beginners in the world of growing Cannabis likely do not know the difference in the quality throughout different Cannabis seeds. However, people who have grown before might want to experiment with new, virtually unknown seeds for fun.

For more experienced growers, as long as you know you are taking a gamble, you do you. For people who are only beginners, though, it is important to know there is a much higher rate of success in buying seeds from a reputable source.

If you are just starting out, hopefully, your reasoning is not because you have some bagseed and want to give it a whirl. Bagseed is the seed you find at the bottom of a bag of weed. While yes, it is possible for that seed to be prosperous but it is unlikely. More often than not, the reason bagseed is available is that the seeds are duds, males, or hermaphrodites. In any of these cases, the seed will not mature. Even if the seed is free, the proper setup for cultivating healthy Cannabis plants is not free. Thus, it can be an extremely expensive and time-consuming mistake, trying to nurture seeds that will never grow.

Where do you find your seeds? Do you have a company you would like to recommend? Leave a comment below ?

2. Not Maintaining the Correct PH

Another major mistake that new growers make is that they do not maintain the right PH for the plant’s ideal environment. What people tend not to realize is that all soil and water is not created equal. There are varying levels of PH in the soil and water, throughout the country. No matter where you are growing your Cannabis, though, it is important to create and maintain the right PH level for Cannabis.

The PH level of the soil is going to need to be maintained between a 6 to a 7. The PH cannot be too basic nor too acidic, or the plant will get sick.

Check out this article on how to calibrate a PH Pen to ensure you are getting an accurate, consistent reading.

3. Denying Your Cannabis the Right Amount of Light

The sun is the best source of light for your Cannabis plants. However, giving your budding darlings direct sunlight is not always possible. That is why it is important to supplement the lack of light with sun lamps.

Window sunlight is not enough! Cannabis plants love having light, so it is important to have it available for their absorption at all times.

4. Using the Wrong Fertilizer

Fertilizer, like soil, can be a key element in keeping your plants alive and healthy. That is why using the right fertilizer is essential to producing a successful harvest. Throughout the lifecycle of a Cannabis plant, different ratios of organic and inorganic nutrients are needed. For that reason, it is best to use a fertilizer that is made for growing Cannabis.

Grow and Bloom Fertilizer is specifically designed to make Cannabis plants grow strong and luscious!

5. Do Not Over Prune

Of course, Cannabis plants need to be pruned to keep them healthy. Pruning is also a good opportunity for the grower to inspect and admire their plants. Although, a big mistake new growers make is pruning the plants too much. Do not get out of hand with pruning. Only prune portions of the plant that are lower on the plant and do not receive a lot of sunlight.

At least once a week you should prune your plants by removing any dead or yellow leaves. Dead leaves can attract mold and pest so it’s best to remove them right away. You can also remove leaves that don’t receive any light. They might be blocked by higher branches and leaves. Pruning too many living leaves can shock your plant, so only remove a few at a time. Many growers will remove all lower leaves and small branches right at the beginning of the flower period. This forces the plant to focus its energy on the largest bud sites.

6. Over or Under Watering

All living things need water to survive, Cannabis plants included! Although a common issue with new growers is that they either over or under-water their plants. The reason the watering regimen for Cannabis can be difficult to pin down is that the environment in which the plant is growing plays a large role in the plant’s need for water. Some plants enjoy denser soil that holds water around the plant for a longer period of time.

Cannabis is not one of those plants.

Rather, Cannabis plants respond well to dark, rich soil that also has good drainage, so the plant is not sitting in a pool stagnant water.

A good way to figure out how much water to give your Cannabis plant is to make sure the water drains within a minute or two after saturating it. After a day or so, stick your finger into the top 1 inch layer of soil. If the soil is dry, it is time to water. However, also keep in mind that Cannabis usually reacts well to being watered less often but more thoroughly.

Additionally, if your plants’ leaves start to wilt or turn to a yellow or brown color, do not panic. It is possible that the plant simply needs more water. Keep an eye on it after watering it, for a day or two before making any drastic salvation attempts.

Ultimately, if a new grower takes pride in what they are doing and makes sure they are only taking advice from reputable sources, they should be successful. Growing Cannabis is not a passive process but it can be extremely rewarding, in a multitude of ways.

Want to learn even more about growing cannabis? Download our free 40+ page fully illustrated grow guide. 

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Cannabis flushing is an important step in the process of growing and harvesting cannabis, but new or inexperienced growers may not be familiar with the term. As you feed the plant nutrients while it is growing, the plant absorbs some of the excess nutrients and stores them – much like the way a human stores fat. Humans go on diets to force their bodies to burn stored fat, and growers get rid of their cannabis plants’ excess nutrients in a similar way: by removing all of the nutrients in the plant’s soil and giving it nothing but pure water, forcing the plant to get rid of stored nutrients. Simple enough!

But wait – nutrients are beneficial to the plant, right? Why would you want to remove them? If your cannabis hasn’t been flushed, the remaining nutrients can negatively alter the taste and smell, and can make the plant much harsher on the throat and lungs. Fortunately, flushing your cannabis plants is easy, and doesn’t require any equipment that you won’t already have.

When to Begin

The best time to start flushing your cannabis is at the early end of the harvest window. If you miss it by a day or two, though, don’t worry – cannabis’ ideal harvest window lasts for several weeks, so there’s a little bit of room for error here. The most important thing to avoid is starting the flush too early and taking away nutrients that your plant still needs. To avoid this, wait until you’re sure that your plant has entered the harvest window.

The best time to start flushing your cannabis is at the early end of the harvest window. If you miss it by a day or two, though, don’t worry – cannabis’ ideal harvest window lasts for several weeks, so there’s a little bit of room for error here. The most important thing to avoid is starting the flush too early and taking away nutrients that your plant still needs. To avoid this, wait until you’re sure that your plant has entered the harvest window.

How to Flush Cannabis

To flush your cannabis, you’ll begin by flooding the soil with pure water, waiting a few minutes, and then draining it and repeating the process one more time to remove the excess nutrients from the soil. Each time you do this, you should use three times as much water as you have soil. If there’s one gallon of soil in the pot, use three gallons of water, making sure not to overflow the pot. After that, all you need to do is stop providing your plant with nutrients and continue to water it at the same rate as usual. Tap water should work just fine, since it is usually within the healthy pH range for cannabis, but it never hurts to check the pH level and adjust if necessary.

When & How Much Water?

Once the soil is dry, flush your plants with 3L of water for every 1L of soil.  

During the flush, keep a close eye on your plant to make sure that it doesn’t yellow too much. A little bit of yellowing is normal, but you’ll want to harvest before the sugar leaves have yellowed. This will help the cannabis keep longer and deteriorate more slowly in storage.

The ideal length of a flush depends on what the plant is growing in. If it’s growing in soil, the flush should last up to two weeks. If it’s growing in coco coir, the flush should be about a week. If it’s in any sort of hydroponic setup, the flush should only last a few days. If you’re growing in amended soil, you shouldn’t flush at all.

Flushing a cannabis plant before harvesting improves the flavor and smell, and also results in bud that is much smoother when smoked. There aren’t any hard and fast rules about when to start flushing your plant, or how long the flush should last – only guidelines. The rest of it comes down to skill and practice, and you’ll get better at it over time. Happy growing!

If you want to learn even more about growing cannabis, we offer a free 40+ page guide full of images. Get your today!

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A successful cannabis harvest can lead to a lot of leftover plant matter. Most of the cannabis plant can be reused in a variety of creative ways. Read on to learn how to get the most out of your harvest.

What’s “trim” and why should you keep it?

Trim is the collection of pot leaves most growers discard as they’re trimming their bud. Trim still holds some of the terpene- and cannabinoid-filled trichomes that make marijuana flower so popular. With a little research and patience, you can turn your leftover trim into THC-infused topicals, edibles, extracts, and kief, among other things.

Not sure where to start? The suggestions below will give you plenty of ideas.

Extracts

Rosin is a potent form of cannabis concentrate that can be dabbed, vaped, added to joints, or mixed into your bowl. If you have access to a rosin press, it’s an easy way to process your trim.

Rosin presses can be a bit expensive if you don’t already have one, though. If you don’t want to drop the cash for a press, you can also make your own rosin dabs at home a little more cheaply by using a hair straightener and parchment paper.

Edibles

Edibles are great for people who want to experience the effects of cannabis without having to smoke it. Trim can be made into edibles by processing it into cannabutter or cannabis oil. Both can be used as a substitute for regular butter or cooking oil in your favorite recipes.

To get started making cannabutter, you first have to decarboxylate your trim to activate the THC and ensure your edibles’ potency. Afterwards, you cook your trim with butter and water and let it simmer for 2-3 hours. Then, you’ll have to strain it with a cheesecloth into the container of your choice and let it refrigerate for 24 hours. This will allow the cannabutter to separate from any leftover water. Dump the water and then use the cannabutter left behind in the recipe of your choice.

Topicals

Topicals are a popular way for people who need more direct pain relief. To make your own topicals, start by decarbing your cannabis, then grind it into a superfine powder. You can even make the topical a little more personal and special by mixing in your favorite essential oils. Then, cook these ingredients together for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Bubble Hash

Bubble hash is a fantastic option if you want to get the best use out of your trim. The process is pretty simple and involves freezing the trichomes off your trim. Once the resin glands are frozen, they can be removed from the trim and cured to make some potent bubble hash. All you need is your trim, ice water, buckets, and micron bags designed for bubble hash production. Then you can enjoy some sweet, homemade bubble hash.

Kief

Kief is the collection of crystal-like resin trichomes that form on marijuana leaves and buds. Kief can produce a pretty intense high as it’s practically cannabinoid-filled powder.

Making kief is a simple process. More expensive trimming machines actually collect kief automatically, and some have kief kits you can purchase separately. If you don’t have either of those, gather your trim and rub it across a silk screen. As you’re doing that, you’ll see the kief fall through. You can also purchase a dry sift tumbler to for an easier, more automatic process.

Now, go forth knowing you never have to waste a single leaf of your harvest again!

If you want to learn even more about growing cannabis, we offer a free 40+ page guide full of images. Get your today!

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The Science Behind Light and Dark

All cannabis plants contain receptors for Phytochrome far-red and Phytochrome red wavelengths of light. When cannabis plants are exposed to prolonged periods of darkness the lack of Phytochrome far-red light triggers the plants to switch to flowering and the utilization of Phytochrome red light.

Plants require complete darkness for this transition to take place as the switch to the utilization of Phytochrome red light is slow. If the plants are exposed to any amount of light during this transition the plants will immediately revert back to the vegetative cycle. That is why it is critical to give flowering cannabis plants 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. The darkness not only triggers flowering but it enhances trichome production.

Dark Cycles for Growing Cannabis

Just as important as watering your plant is the amount of light and darkness you allow your plant in order to thrive in the best growing environment. The amount of darkness a cannabis plant requires is directly proportional to the phase of its growth cycle. For instance, cannabis in the flowering phase requires more darkness than during the vegetative growth phase. Interestingly, the key to growing cannabis well is less about the light and more about the dark cycle. It is much easier to control dark and light cycles when growing indoors although the amount of light and dark during the summer months is adequate for growing cannabis outdoors. Shorter days at the end of the summer trigger cannabis plants to begin flowering and redirect resources to the production of dense flowers.

Seedlings and Cuttings

Seedlings and Cuttings are unique in that they require approximately sixteen (16) to eighteen (18) hours of light per day, however, this light should be diffused so that it is not too harsh. Once there are three to four nodes visible, plants can be placed in more direct light and are considered to be in the vegetative growth phase.

Vegetative Growth Phase

Plants in the vegetative growth phase require 18 – 24 hours of light to ensure good Phytochrome far-red production. During this phase, plants develop a strong root system and stem as well as produce more foliage to be used for nutrient, water, and light uptake. The leaves of the plant utilize the sun to create sugars, through a process called photosynthesis, and these sugars are used to feed the plant. Blue spectrum light is also the most beneficial wavelength of light during the vegetative phase. Growers who use metal halide lights will notice that the light appears bluish and is brighter than high-pressure sodium light, which contains more red wavelengths. Sunlight provides full-spectrum light, which includes high concentrations of blue light. It is possible to give plants in the vegetative state 24 hours of light, with no dark period, to speed up the growth process. Some growers prefer constant light, whereas others prefer to give their plants some “rest” or dark time. Giving plants 18 hours of light, and six hours of dark cuts down on electricity usage and associated costs.

Flowering Growth Phase

Plants in the flowering growth stage require 12 hours of darkness and 12 hours of light to produce flowers. The dark stage is critical to keeping plants flowering and should not be interrupted. For plants grown indoors, it is easy to control the dark and light cycle with the use of a light timer. Timers can be set to automatically turn the lights on and off. When plants are grown outdoors the flowering phase will be triggered when days become shorter and fall approaches. The flowering phase lasts anywhere from 8-12 weeks depending on the strain of cannabis being grown. Sativa strains generally take longer to flower and require harvesting in the late fall if grown outdoors. Flowering is the period in which plants redirect water and nutrients away from the growth of the plant, and the leaves, and put the resources towards developing dense flowers.

Lights Matter

If cannabis is being grown outdoors the sun does the work. Sunlight is full-spectrum and gives the cannabis plants everything they need to grow and flower. If plants are being grown indoors the right type of lights are required for each phase. Plants in the vegetative state require High Intensity Distribution (HID) metal halide lights, which produce more of the blue light spectrum, and HID high-pressure sodium lights for flowering which disperses more red light wavelengths. Growers may also choose to utilize LED light systems, which incorporate both blue and red wavelengths of light into one unit. LED light units have a switch that can be turned on during different phases of growth to tailor the wavelengths of light to the phase of growth.

Don’t Forget the Dark

Regardless of the light source used for growing cannabis, plants require 12 hours of complete darkness for flowering. During this period darkness becomes more critical to the plant than light. Even for the experienced grower darkness is key in growing quality cannabis and should remain uninterrupted.

If you want to learn even more about growing cannabis, we offer a free 40+ page guide full of images. Get your today!

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What is Cannabis Fertilizer?

How Do You Choose the right cannabis fertilizer?

Cannabis needs light, oxygen, and fertilizer to grow. Fertilizer can be made up of many organic and inorganic elements. Depending on the stage of growth a cannabis plant will require different ratios of these elements. Choosing a fertilizer designed specifically for cannabis is usually the easiest and best choice. Reefertilizer Grow and Bloom are designed for the vegetative and flowering stages of cannabis.

Does Cannabis Need Fertilizer to Grow Big Buds?

To get big buds, you need the right set of nutrients during the flower period. Flowering plants will require plenty of potassium but less nitrogen than before. Elements such as calcium and magnesium help produce dense buds. The difference between miracle-gro and Reefertilizer is that Miracle Gro was designed as a general fertilizer for many types of plants. Reefertilizer Bloom is blended to the specific nutritional needs of cannabis during flower. Helping you get those big thick buds.

What Nutrients Does Cannabis Need to Grow?

Plants all require the same types of nutrients, but each plant will have a preference for a certain ratio depending on its current needs. You should  feed your cannabis plants a fertilizer that contains all major nutrients; nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. There are other essential nutrients that are required in smaller amounts. Plants will get some of these lesser nutrients from compost in the soil and trace amounts in tap water. But with a full spectrum cannabis fertilizer all the major and minor nutrients will be available.

What Are The Major Nutrients (N-P-K)?

When you buy fertilizer it should have 3 numbers on the front of the package. These numbers represent the ratio of the three major building blocks for plant growth; Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. This is the NPK ratio. The “N” and “P” stands for nitrogen and phosphorus, the K represents the greek name for potassium.

Nitrogen plays an important role in plant growth, it helps develop new leaves and branches during the vegetative phase. During flower nitrogen takes a much lesser role while phosphorus and potassium are needed in higher amounts to help work on bud/flower development.

What’s a Good Cannabis Fertilizer Ratio?

The NPK ratio numbers represent the percentage by weight of each major nutrient. During the veg phase of cannabis your plants will need a higher percentage of nitrogen than potassium or phosphorus. For example, Reefertilizer Grow has an NPK ratio of 20-5-10 while bloom has a ratio of 5-30-20. During flowering your plants need a different ratio for their new focus on growing flowers.

Why are NPK numbers higher on synthetic fertilizer than organic? I answer that down below.

What Are Minor and Micro-Nutrients For Cannabis?

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are 3 of the 17 essential nutrients for plant life. The others are minor nutrients. They are required, but in a much smaller quantity. Calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and copper are just a few elements that cannabis will need to facilitate healthy growth. This is why I like to grow in soil, many of these trace elements are already present and available when the plants need them.

Which fertilizer works well for Cannabis?

The best fertilizer for cannabis growers is the one that best meets your situation requirements. Going fully organic and making your own compost teas and soil mixes will result in big healthy plants, but will require a lot of space, time, and experience to apply these techniques. Using a synthetic fertilizer like Grow and Bloom makes it easier to guarantee your plants are getting what they need with very little oversight. It’s also cheaper and easier to apply. Synthetic fertilizer is sometimes called “chemical”. In some circles the word chemical has a negative stigma around it, which is silly. All fertilizers are chemical in nature, water is a chemical. “Organic” fertilizer is made from natural sources like potash and compost that are broken down and applied to plants. Synthetic fertilizers are further processed so they are more concentrated, they are also faster acting since they take way less time to break down than organic.

What Are The Advantages of Using Powder Fertilizer for Cannabis?

Fertilizers will come in the form of a liquid or a powder. Both work well and the best choice depends on the grower. Different elements will react with each other when in a liquid form causing it to lose potency over time. Because of this you will see many different variations of liquid fertilizers with different nutrient ratios. All these liquid fertilizers need to be mixed to the correct ratio for whatever phase of growth your plant is currently in. What’s great about powder fertilizer is that you don’t need to mix several products together just to feed you plant. The powdered elements won’t react with each other when dry. A few scoops of Bloom mixed into water accomplishes the same as several bottles of liquid nutrients. Powdered fertilizer saves the grower time, prevents any guesswork, and utilizes far less packaging.

How Do I Use Cannabis Fertilizer?

When Do You Start Using Powder Fertilizer on Cannabis?

You’ll want to start feeding your plants with a diluted dose of fertilizer when they have developped 3 or 4 sets of leaves. Check out our blog post on “When should you start feeding your cannabis plants fertilizer”, it answers this question in more detail. As the plant grows it will require larger amounts of fertilizer to fuel that growth.

How Much powder Fertilizer Does Cannabis Need?

The amount of fertilizer your plants need depends on a few outside factors. Large plants will require more nutrients than smaller ones. The planter size is a good indicator of how big a plant will probably grow. Cannabis grown in soil can grow very tall since their roots can go deep into the ground. You need to feed your plants enough fertilizer that the soil around the roots is completely saturated.  A small planter might need only 4L of nutrient water every feeding, while a plant in a 12 gallon planter will need more nutrient water to saturate it fully.

How often do I give fertilizer?

This depends on the grower preference, but in general you want to be feeding your plants at least once a week. We recommend feeding plants Reefertilizer Grow or Bloom once a week and watering with correct pH water as needed, this keeps it super simple. Others will split the weeks nutrients into two diluted feedings. Other growers like to feed plants two weeks on and one week off. Experiment with your plants and see how they react and what type of schedule you prefer. Reefertilizer is meant to be versatile in this respect.

Some big plants will need a feeding every few days. It depends on the needs of the individual plants. If you’re feeding a large plant once a week and it’s showing signs of a nutrient deficiency, as long as it isn’t being caused by a bad pH, you may need to feed them more often.

What’s The Feeding Schedule for Cannabis?

Take a look at the instructions of your cannabis fertilizer. They will give you the best recommendation on the feeding schedule. The Reefertilizer schedule is a gradual approach. Start low and increase the dose every week until you get to full dose. This helps prevent any fertilizer burn, and starting with lower doses at the beginning of flower helps reduce nutrient buildup.

How do I Feed Cannabis?

Feeding cannabis can be very simple. It usually involves mixing a liquid or powder into some water and pouring that around the base of your plants. With Reefertilizer Grow and Bloom you add a few scoops to some water and mix it up really well. It’s good to mix the powder with a small amount of water first to make sure it’s dissolved evenly, then add more water after. It’s good practice to measure the pH of the nutrient water, this will help prevent nutrient lockout. If the pH is not in the desired range (between 6 and 6.8 for soil), use a product called pH up or pH down to adjust it. Natural ingredients like lemon juice and baking soda will also lower or raise the pH.

How much fertilizer do I give?

If your unsure of how much you should be feeding your plants, start low and gradually increase the dosage every week. Don’t worry too much about over fertilizing your plants, that’s really easy to fix. If you see signs of fertilizer burn (brown tips and other symptoms), just flush your plants with extra water that week and start feeding them again when the soil is dry, but this time with a lower dose.

When do I stop fertilizing my cannabis plants?

You want to stop feeding your plants a week before harvest. During this time your plant will utilize the remaining nutrients and energy in the plant for bud growth. There’s a lot of debate on the topic of whether or not you should flush your plants with water during this period to leach nutrients from the soil and plant. Many professional growers say that flushing your plants a week before will improve the flavour and quality of your buds. Other professional growers say it doesn’t make a difference and they feed their plants right up to harvest. In my opinion, flushing can’t hurt so why not give it a try. Do your own experiments and see what you prefer after drying and curing the bud.

Do I Need to Flush powder Cannabis Fertilizer Before Harvest?

If you’re going to flush your plants before harvest, you need to use plenty of water. You want to use enough water to fill your planter 2-3 times. That means if your growing in a 5 gallon planter, you need to flush it with 15 gallons of water. Soilless growing mediums like coco coir or peat moss are easier to flush, so you can use less water than with soil. You can perform this flush once a week or more. I like to use a TDS meter to monitor the total dissolved solids in the flush runoff water. Each time I flush, that number should be getting lower. Don’t worry about using pH perfect water for flushing. Since you will be harvesting soon, it won’t make a difference.

What Else Do I Need to Know About Cannabis Fertilizer?

Is Too Much Fertilizer Harmful?

It can be easy to go overboard with fertilizers, but using more than what your plant can suck up will cause you problems. Depending on your plants size and the environment it’s in, there’s a finite amount of nutrients it can metabolise in a given period. Using too much fertilizer may cause nutrient burn and symptoms of excess or deficient nutrients. If you over fertilize it’s not the end of the world. A good flush can bring most plants back to a healthy state.

Why is There Growth or Bloom Fertilizer?

Cannabis plants have two major phases of growth; The vegetative stage and the flowering stage. The nutritional needs are slightly different during these two phases. Using the correct cannabis Bloom or Grow fertilizer will guarantee the correct level of nutrients the plant needs at that time.

Can Nutrients Make Cannabis Taste Bad?

Many things can affect the final taste of cannabis, most importantly the drying process and the curing process.

Many growers will say that if a cannabis plant is not flushed properly before harvest it will develop a harsh taste not stay lit when rolled into a joint. Flushing could be a factor but perhaps a minor one. Cannabis will definitely get a bad taste if it’s dried to quickly or not enough. A lot of harsh flavours come from chlorophyll which slowly breaks down during the curing process.

What’s The Difference Between Organic And Synthetic Nutrients?

Organic nutrients come from a direct natural source. Synthetic are produced from natural sources but processed further to be more concentrated. If you compare the NPK ratio of organic fertilizers and synthetic, you will notice the numbers on synthetic fertilizers are higher. This is because the higher concentration from the extra processing. Organic nutrients are slowly broken down by the root system. Since they are less concentrated, you need to apply them more often. Reefertilizer Start soil conditioner is organic and helps generate a healthy soil. This in tandem with synthetic fertilizers gives you the best of both worlds. Synthetic nutrients are immediately available to plants and can give them a real noticeable boost in growth. Synthetic is usually cheaper and easier to use, but care must be taken not to over fertilize plants.

What is Cannabis Fertilizer Burn?

Fertilizer burn happens when you feed your plants too high a concentration of fertilizer. If left untreated it can seriously damage or kill a plant entirely. Good news, fixing an overtilized plant is really simple and done soon enough your plant will bounce back quickly. To fix a plant that is over fertilized, flush the soil with 3 times the volume of the planter size. If you’re growing in a 5 gallon pot, flush with 15 gallons of water. What the water does is leach out any nutrient build up in the soil. After flushing, give your plant about a week to recuperate, then you can start feeding them again.

What is Nutrient Lockout?

Nutrient lockout occurs when the pH of the growing medium is in the incorrect range. Cannabis roots can only chemically metabolize nutrients if the soil is in a specific pH range. If the pH is too low or high, certain nutrients will be “locked out” and the plant will suffer from a nutrient deficiency even though they’re in the soil. Adding more nutrients won’t help and might cause a harmful build up in the soil. Most cannabis problems start from an incorrect pH. If you see signs of nutrient deficiency in your plants, the first thing to check is the pH. Measuring and logging  the pH of the nutrient water is a good mesure to determine if you have a deficiency or a nutrient lockout.

How Do I Use Compost and Worm Castings as Fertilizer?

There are so many great things you can add to your soil that will help enhance growth and taste. Worm castings is basically worm poop, there’s also bat guano (also poop), and sheep manure (yes poop too), they are all great for adding to your cannabis soil. Typically you would mix the compost with a potting soil or a soiless mix like coco coir or peat moss. There are other things you can add that aren’t compost but benefit the roots. Using Reefertilizer Start in your soil will innoculate it with a helpful fungus. Adding perlite will help the soil hold oxygen and water.

Reefertilizer Start is an organic compost made from water hyacynth. It’s organic and fully renewable. It can be added to your potting soil mix along with other composts and manures. What these natural fertilizers do is slowly breakdown in the soil and feed your plants a variety of additional nutrients. These additions can affect the taste and quality of your weed and should be experimented with.

What About Slow Release Granular Cannabis Fertilizers?

Another option available are slow release fertilizers. These can be added to the soil, or sprinkled around the base of the plant. The only problem with them is that if you use too much, you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to flush them out. They are very popular for those who cannot tend to their plants on a weekly basis.

How Much Fertilizer do I give Autoflowering Cannabis Plants?

Autoflowering plants are ready to harvest sooner than photoperiod plants. Because of this they require less fertilizer overall. When it comes to autoflowers you’re best starting low and increasing a bit every week. If using reefertilizer a medium dose is the higest you should go.

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Topping your cannabis plants when their young is the easiest way to increase the overall yield of your plants!

The Importance of Topping Cannabis Plants

Topping is a crucial process when it comes to growing healthy and strong cannabis plants.

Topping cannabis plants is a high-stress training method for producing larger canopies and greater yields. When done correctly topping allows even and “bushy” canopy growth which allows more light to reach all areas of the plant.

Growers who are seeking to increase their yields and quality of the cannabis produced should consider “topping”, or pruning the canopy, as a way to enhance crops.

What Are The Benefits of Topping?

If left alone to grow without interference, cannabis plants will grow tall and skinny much like a Christmas tree. The plants will have one main stem, or cola, which asserts apical dominance and takes up the majority of the light and nutrients. Cannabis plants can be retrained to have horizontal apical dominance with multiple colas if they are topped properly.

After cannabis plants are topped they will take on a “bushy” growth pattern which produces an even canopy. This type of growing allows more light to reach multiple colas, which will, in turn, produce larger yields.

Topping is also a great technique for growers with limited height in their grow space. Topping cannabis plants keeps the plants from growing tall and skinny and keeps them shorter and bushy, maximizing the footprint of the growing area.

This plant was topped at the beginning of the vegetative phase. It now has 3 colas or top branches.

Topping is different from pruning plants in that it removes the apical node of the plant and promotes the growth of the lower lateral branches. Pruning involves removing the lower branches to send more energy to the apical crown of the plant but does not alter the apical distribution.

What Are Auxins?

Auxins are the hormones responsible for apical dominance in cannabis plants. Auxins are located in the main cola at the top of the plant and control the way the plant grows. When a plant is “topped” it redistributes the auxins to lateral branches and changes the apical dominance of the plant. This allows the lateral branches of the plant to grow with horizontal distribution and have a larger canopy.

When apical dominance is broken during topping, lateral branches will begin to develop and grow similarly to the main cola of the plant, producing a bushy shape rather than a Christmas tree shape. This is called apical redistribution and is a response to the redistribution of hormones throughout the plant

How To Top Cannabis Plants

Topping cannabis plants should be performed early in the vegetative growth cycle. As topping is a high-stress training technique it shocks the plant, and if topping is performed too early it will cause poor root development. On the other hand, if topping is performed too late in the growth cycle the plant will still prioritize vertical apical development.

Topping should be performed when four to six nodes are visible and plants should be “topped” at the fourth or fifth node. This will allow lateral branches to grow to the height of the main stem and create a bushy plant. Topping can also be performed multiple times to achieve a bushier plant with multiple colas. Nodes are the spot where new branches come off the main stem of the plant and where flower formation occurs. In order to “top” the plant, the new growth must be removed to allow for the formation of two new branches in its place.

If topping is performed multiple times it is important to allow at least a week between toppings for the plant to recover. Topping stresses the plant for several days and slows growth, however the plant will recover and begin to produce new growth once it has redistributed the growth hormones.

It is crucial to have clean equipment when performing topping, so make sure to sanitize clippers before beginning. This will prevent contamination of the plant.

These are the tops of two cannabis plants. These plants will start growing two new tops after it recovers. The red line shows how much should be cut if you want to FIM your plants instead.

What Is Fimming?

Fimming is similar to topping, as it is a high stress training method for growing cannabis plants. Fimming involves pinching off three quarters of the new growth at the top of the plant rather than removing new growth entirely. This causes more colas and main branches to form. Much like topping this will cause the lower branches to receive more plant energy for growth and create an even canopy. Fimming differs slightly from topping in that it has the ability to create 4 to 8 new branches, as opposed to topping which only doubles the amount of growth that is removed. Therefore, if you top a cannabis plant once, two new branches will form. If you FIM the top of a plant, multiple new branches will form.

Cannabis Is Resilient

Many growers are afraid to remove part of their cannabis plant for fear of it hindering growth. It is important to remember that cannabis is a resilient plant which will recover from topping in a few days.

Topping is a healthy practice for plants as it increases yield and produces larger colas.

What Happens if I Don’t Top My Cannabis Plants?

If cannabis plants are grown in their natural state, and topping techniques are not used, they will grow just fine. Cannabis plants adapt to their environment and will grow tall and thin like a Christmas tree with one main apical cola and numerous smaller branches which produce small, fluffy flowers. The downside to this natural growing method is that it limits the yield of the plant. The one main cola utilizes 90% of the light, nutrients and growth hormones and there are very few resources for the smaller, lower branches. This results in small flowers with lower trichome production. When plants are topped, apical redistribution occurs and the plant will have multiple colas which receive full light and nutrients. This allows each branch of the cannabis plant to produce bigger, denser flowers.

Tips for Topping Cannabis

Use a clean pair of pruning scissors for cutting the new growth. The plant will be stressed after topping and more susceptible to infection.

Top your plants right after transplanting. This will give your plants a shorter stress recovery period.

The post What is topping a cannabis plant? appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Although growing cannabis may be easier than you might think, getting the perfect harvest isn’t always so simple. Even a good healthy plant can be completely spoiled by harvesting at the wrong time. However, by paying attention to the schedule and process outlined in this article, you can make sure that you aren’t wasting the potential of your cannabis gardening with a poorly-timed or executed harvest.

Checking for ripeness

The easiest (but less accurate) way to determine when your cannabis is ready to harvest is by looking at the pistils of the plant. These hairs on your buds will start out white and stiff, but will gradually darken and curl over time. By the time your plant is ready to harvest, the majority of the hairs will have lost their rigidity and shifted to a reddish color. Following this approach is simple, and will easily prevent you from any major mistakes in choosing when to harvest. With experience your will instictively know how ripe your plant is.

This flower is from a plant that’s in its 4th week of flower. These white hairs mean the bud is still immature. These are the hairs that will change from white to brownish red as the plant gets closer to harvest time.

This flower is from a plant that’s in its 7th week of flower. The white hairs have turned red, indicating the plant is almost mature enough to harvest and reach its peak ripeness and potency.

Checking ripeness of trichomes

However, it’s still possible to find the best time to harvest with more precision than this. An even better indicator of plant ripeness than the pistils can be found in the tiny trichomes on the buds. To see trichomes clearly, you’ll need significant magnification. It’s best to turn to a microscope. A USB microscope is a great and often affordable option, It will allow you to record photos and video. You’ll be able to easily identify changes in the trichomes and pinpoint the best time for harvest. 

Underneath a microscope, trichomes will look like mushroom shaped trees. These cute little trees are full of cannabinoids and will gain potency as the plant matures. These trichomes will give you a better idea of when the THC levels in the plant have reached their peak. 

Similar to the pistils, the trichomes will also change colour. The little balls on top of the stalk will go from clear to cloudy and on to amber. The moment they turn amber, they have reached their peak potency. 

Trichomes as seen through a USB microscope.

How ripeness affects quality

The ripeness will affect the perceived “high”. An immature plant will produce a shorter and clearer experience with a grassier taste. A mature bud will give you a much heavier high.

Not all trichomes will mature at the same speed. You will want to harvest when at least 50% to 80% of the trichomes are cloudy. Past that point, as the trichomes turn to a more amber color, your harvest will be higher in CBN and consequently a more relaxing high. 

Flushing Nutrients

If you’re growing in soil, flushing your plants with regular water 1 week before harvest will greatly improve the flavour and quality of your bud. By watering your plants with double the usual amount of water, you will flush out the excess nutrients in the soil. 

It takes time for your plant to absorb nutrients. When you flush your soil you stop the plant from taking on any more nutrients. Excess nutrients that are not yet metabolized will affect the flavour badly. Starving your plant a week before harvest prevents that excess.

Timing this can be a little tough, don’t be too discouraged if you don’t get it exactly right on your first try. Trying to time the process with the best harvest time from either pistil or trichome changes can be challenging. You’ll want to make sure you don’t flush for too long, however, or you may start to damage the harvest instead, discoloring your buds due to the lack of nutrients. 

Drying Cannabis

After harvest, you should immediately start the process of drying and curing your buds. Try your best to maintain a temperature under 21C, or 70F, and relative humidity between 40% to 50%. Terpenes are the essential oils of your plant, keeping the dry temp low prevents them from evaporating. Low humidity will draw out the moisture and prevent mold. If your weed ends up smelling like hay, you probably didn’t dry it properly. Using a dehumidifier or heater can damage the buds, so it’s best to avoid using them if you can. Leave your harvest alone while it’s drying for the next 4 days and then check them. When the branches snap instead of bend, the plant will be ready to be placed in jars for curing. While curing you can use affordable two-way humidity packs to help keep the target humidity inside your jars. They will keep your cannabis fresher for much longer too.

Wet trimmed buds ready to be dried. While drying, it’s best to leave them alone in complete darkness for the entire process.

Dried buds now being cured in glass jars. These jars must be “burped” at lease once a day by opening the lid and allowing gasses to be released.

By following the guidelines above, you can ensure that your cannabis harvest will be the very best you can get. Being as thorough as you can seem like a hassle, but using the proper methods don’t take long to get the hang of. Doing so will help ensure your harvested buds are of the highest quality possible.

The post When to Harvest Your Cannabis Plants appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Let’s go through each stage of growing cannabis in soil. The more you know about the processes the easier it will be to grow good weed at home. This page offers a basic rundown of the entire process. If you require detailed information about any of these stages, please refer to our blog or Grow Guide.

Germination

Germinating seeds before putting them directly in soil is the key to successful sprouts. Place your seeds in a damp paper towel and leave them in a warm dark place. After 1-2 days, the tap root will emerge from the seed. They are now ready to be planted in soil or whichever medium you choose.

These seeds were placed in a moist paper towel and left in a dark warm place for 4 days. You can see the tap root emerging from the seed shell.

Gently place the seeds in a starter pot. If you can manage to point the tap root down, your seedling will sprout a little sooner.

This photo was taken about 2 weeks after the germinated seed was planted. It another 2 weeks it should be ready to transplant into a larger pot.

Seedling Stage

Create a soil mix using Reefertilizer Start. Add enough water to make the soil mix moist but not soaking wet. Fill a small starter pot with the soil mix and make a half inch deep hole in the center. Gently place your seed in the hole and cover with loose soil. If you start by planting your seeds in a smaller starter pot you will need to transplant them to a larger pot when they’re big enough. Using starter pots makes it easier to handle and maintain sprouts. It also provides a stronger root base.

If you’re having a hard time maintaing the right environment for the seedlings, you can place a plastic bag over the starter pot. This will help hold moisture in the soil. Don’t leave it on for longer than a few days though, it will cut off fresh air from your young sprout.

This seedling is almost big enough to transplant into a larger pot. When the leaves are reaching out further than the mouth of your pot it’s usually a good indicator the roots will soon need more room to grow.

After a week, the seedling on the left was ready to transplant. You can see the healthy white root growth holding the soil together. When transplanting you want the soil to be slightly moist and not dry. If it’s too wet, the soil will crumble and damage the roots during the transplant process.

Vegetation Stage

Once the plant has 3-4 sets of leaves, begin feeding them cannabis nutrients. Start with a low dose of Grow on the first week, a medium dose on the second week, and a full dose every additional week. The plant should grow quickly, this is the best time to train your plant for optimizing growth. Training your plant means manipulating the branches to grow in specific directions. A plant that grows “au naturel” will grow tall since individual branches will be fighting each other for light. By tying branches down, your plant will make better use of horizontal space and soak up more light energy.

Topping your plant is a technique used to easily increase the overall yield of your plant. By snipping away the new growth on a young plant, you will trigger the plant to grow multiple new branches from the cutting point. This will double the number of top branches; these usually grow the largest buds.

This seedling is almost big enough to transplant into a larger pot. When the leaves are reaching out further than the mouth of your pot it’s usually a good indicator it needs more room to grow.

After a week, the seedling on the left was ready to transplant. You can see the healthy white root growth holding the soil together. When transplanting you want the soil to be slightly moist and not dry. If it’s too wet, the soil will crumble and damage the roots during the transplant process.

Flowering Stage

Once you switch to a 12/12 light cycle or the buds begin to form, it’s time to switch to using Bloom. Start with a low dose of Bloom on the first week of flower, A medium dose the second week, and a full dose every additional week.

You can optimize growth by removing any leaves that aren’t receiving direct light at the beginning of the flowering stage.

Defoliating your plant at the beginning of the flowering stage will give you fewer bud sites, but larger buds overall. Start by removing smaller branches and clusters that aren’t receiving light.

The plant will redistribute energy to the remaining bud sites. Your plant may look droopy after the process but will bounce back quickly.

During the flowering stage, keep an eye on the relative humidity around the plant.

When your buds are swelling up, they have a tendency to hold a lot of moisture. Keep the humidity at 50% or lower and avoid getting water onto bud sites, too much moisture will promote mold growth.

The trichomes of the cannabis buds are where the majority of cannabinoids can be found. These small, tree-like structures also indicate the potency and ripeness of your plant.

For most of the flowering stage, they will be clear. They will become cloudy as the plant ripens, and slowly turn amber when they peak.

Flush & Harvest

Your plant is mature when the hairs on the buds are 80% orange. For more accuracy use a microscope to look at the trichomes. If 80% of the trichomes are cloudy, your plant is ready to flush then harvest. Flushing your plant will help remove any excess nutrients from the soil and improve the quality of the harvest. To flush your plant, give it plenty of pH balanced water, twice the volume of the planter will be enough. Do this one week before harvest.

Harvest your plant by clipping the branches or buds. Trim away any leaves and let them dry in a cool place for 5-7 days. Once the stems snap when bent, the buds have completed drying and are ready to consume. Drying racks are a great tool to dry as much cannabis as possible in a small amount of space.

Optimum Environment for Drying Cannabis:

Temperature: 15°C – 20°C Humidity: 40% – 50% humidity

To improve the taste and quality, cure your buds. Curing allows time for the breakdown of chlorophyll and carbohydrates and will greatly improve the final product. To cure your buds, place them in an airtight container. Remove the lid once or twice a day for 20 minutes, this is called burping. Burp your containers for 2-3 weeks. Adding a two-way humidity pack to the container will help as well.

A spare closet is a great place to hang your buds to dry. For small harvests, the smell won’t be that obnoxious. If you’re harvesting several plants, you may want to consider using a carbon filter to remove the smell.

Buds are dry when the stems snap instead of bend. These buds are technically ready to consume or process. You can greatly improve their smell and flavour by curing them for up to a month.

Cure your harvested buds in clear reusable mason jars. Maintaining the relative humidity between 58% and 65% inside the jars and storing them in a cool dark environment will help the curing process. 2-way humidity packs are a great way to maintain that humidity level.

The post How to Grow Cannabis From Seed to Flower (with photos) appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Are you thinking about growing your own cannabis? If so, you’re probably wondering how much herb one plant will yield. This is usually the first concern on the new grower’s mind. Starting your first grow can be very exciting, but if the harvest at the end isn’t the size you were hoping for, then the entire experience can leave you feeling disappointed. To help you understand yield quantities, we’ve put together a few helpful points for your grow.

Under a 200 watt LED light source, a beginner can expect 50g – 100g of bud. An experienced growing can double that.

Let’s Talk About Variables

The result of each grow is the product of specific variables throughout the growing process. Environmental factors like type and intensity of lighting, good soil quality, and the appropriate amount of air ventilation all play important roles in how well your plants will grow. Aside from these variables, there is also the need for proper grow equipment that will maintain the correct environment for the plants. And let’s not forget one of the most valuable factors in raising healthy plants – the amount of time you tend to them! To achieve maximum results, tending to your plants is often a daily chore.

a new grower should expect a range between 0.25g to 0.5g per watt of light

Know Your Lighting

Lighting can make or break your yield, especially with indoor grows. With the more light power you can supply, the bigger your yield will be. The very high watt grow lights are often expensive, but you usually get what you pay for. A lower wattage LED light might be all that’s required for your particular needs.

Generally speaking, having the goal of 1 gram of weed per watt of light is what advanced growers expect. However, a new grower should expect to see something more in the range of 0.25g to 0.5g per watt of light. If you’re getting significantly less than this, then it’s time to look at other factors like the size of your room, air ventilation, and how these two factors relate to the amount of CO2 the plants have access to. It’s recommended that one cannabis plant get at least 200 watts of light.

Know When to Switch from Vegetative State to Flowering

Remember, knowing when to make the switch is critically important to your yield. Choosing the wrong time can significantly affect the amount of bud your plants will deliver.

Cannabis plants will spend the vegetative stage growing a little bit each day. When growing indoors a plant can stay vegetative and growing for as long as your giving it the right amount of light. Most growers will let their plants stay in the vegetative stage for a month, any longer and they might outgrow their environment.

Once a plant is switched to flower, it will have a slight growth boost and then stop growing altogether. During flower, the plant focuses on bud growth only. It’s because of this switch you change your nutrients to Bloom fertilizer, the nature of the plant changes. Switch your photoperiod plants when they are looking 80% of your desired size.

If you don’t want to play around with lighting schedules, try growing an autoflower strain.

Once a plant is switched to flower, it will have a slight growth boost and then stop.

What About Autoflowering Seeds?

Autoflowers are great because they will always flower at a set time and they don’t grow as tall as other plants. This makes them perfect for growing in closets or smaller rooms. There’s one drawback, autoflowering plants will produce smaller yields than photoperiod plants. Due to the longer vegetative period, photoperiod plants have a higher yield potential. Because of their limited grow times, new growers shouldn’t expect more than 3 ounces per autoflower plant. Experienced growers could expect a yield of about 12 oz per plant.

Do Outdoor Grows Yield More?

Outdoor plants typically grow much taller and can result in larger yields. If the outdoor conditions are favorable to your plants, you can easily see a pound of weed per plant. Of course, as with everything, there are pros and cons to every grow method. The pro with outdoor grows is there is less upfront equipment cost. The con is your outdoor grow is subject to more pests, diseases, and the weather conditions that are out of your control.

If you decide to pursue an outdoor grow, use containers (measuring at least 10 gallons) and make sure your plants have a minimum of two meters of space between each other. Just like an indoor grow, they will need the right amounts of water and nutrients. Be mindful of pests and diseases, which can strike outdoor plants more easily and frequently than indoor plants. Remember to germinate the seeds indoors starting the process early. Give your plants a good head start indoors before planting in the spring, this will result in larger plants and a bigger yield.

A Word About Possession Laws

Before you start your grow, you’ll want to check your local regulations. Most of Canada is limited to 30g in a public space. However, with private possession there is still no limit put in place with the exception of Quebec (150g) and British Colombia (1000g). Remember, cannabis can only be grown legally from seeds purchased from an accepted, legal supplier like the Ontario Cannabis Store. Additionally, laws can change at any time, so always be sure to keep track of the regulations in your local region.

With the right amount of time and care, you can produce a solid yield with each harvest. The grow process takes effort and knowledge, and nobody gets it right the first time. But with experience comes wisdom. By following a few simple guidelines, you will be on your way to the best grow possible.

The post How Much Weed Can Be Harvested From One Cannabis Plant appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Regardless of whether you are just starting your first grow, or if you are an experienced cannabis grower, knowing how much light to give your plants can be tricky.

Light is an essential part of plant growth. Inadequate lighting can seriously stunt your plant’s ability to grow, and most importantly, to maximize flower bud production. However, too much light can result in visible burns (color changes), causing damage to the plant and deteriorating its overall health (and consequentially bud production).

Exactly how much light you should give your plants, and how it should be distributed, usually depends on a number of factors. When selecting grow lights you should carefully consider things like the size of the canopy area, the wattage required per square foot, and how the light will be optimized.

The Canopy Area

The canopy area is effectively the uppermost layer of leaves in your grow. As your plants mature and expand, so too will their overall canopy area. Your grow’s canopy area is an important factor in calculating exactly how much light is needed in your grow room, and how it needs to be distributed.

The canopy is the part of the plant that is most exposed to sunlight from above. As such, an overgrowth of the canopy can significantly reduce a plant’s ability to absorb light at lower levels. Figuring out how to manage the lighting of your canopy area is crucial to ensuring that all of your plants get enough light.

Training techniques like LST (low-stress training) can help to manage plant growth and optimize light distribution. Keeping overgrowth in check will allow light rays to reach further through the canopy towards more kola sites.

Additionally, in order to optimize light distribution over the canopy area, lights should be correctly spaced out. Spacing light out evenly over the area of the canopy is recommended in order to ensure that all plants are receiving adequate amounts of light.

This grower used training to create an even canopy. Smaller branches are pulled outwards so they can receive more light.

Use string or twine to hold branches down and away. This will give you a larger canopy and better use of light.

In order to calculate the amount of wattage required to light your grow, you will need to calculate the total area of your canopy. To do this, simply measure the length of the canopy and the width of the canopy, and multiply them together. Once you have calculated the area of your canopy, it is time to calculate the amount of wattage you will require to properly light it.

Calculating Wattage

The best way to figure out precise light requirements is to calculate the ‘watts per square foot’ that your plants will require. It is generally accepted that your canopy should receive between 50-75 watts per square foot of lighting.

You should always remember to give each plant 4 square feet of space to grow and mature. This will be necessary in order to maximize flower bud production and should be factored into your calculations. To account for this, simply take the total square feet you have calculated and divide it by 4. This should give you the total wattage required per plant.

To find your final wattage requirement, take the square footage of each individual plant and multiply it by the number of watts you wish to distribute per plant.

Don’t forget to equip your grow room with the proper ventilation equipment to handle all of your lights. The larger your canopy area, the more lights you will need, and the more heat that will be produced. As such, cooling and ventilation should be a primary consideration for large grows.

According to the above formula, one plant would require a minimum of 200 – 300 Watts of light power.

Ways To Optimize Light

A large canopy area should not prevent your plants from receiving adequate light. Though your canopy may block light from getting through, there are numerous ways to work around this.

One way is by adding additional CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) or LED lighting strips around your plants. This way, even if your plants are not getting light from above, they are at least getting it from the sides.

Another option is to layer parts of your grow room with reflective material like aluminum foil. Having reflective material in the right places will allow light to bounce around and reach spots it otherwise wouldn’t. Most commercial grow tents already come equipped with reflective mylar material on the inside.

The inside of a Space Bucket is lined with mylar and waterproof LED lights. This will allow lower leaves to receive more light than they normally would.

Growing Outdoors

Even if you are growing outdoors, developing a lighting plan before you start is a good idea.

Positioning your plants so that they have access to adequate light is one of the most important things to remember when growing outdoors. If you have space, one way of doing this is by planting on a hill that faces northwards, as this will maximize light during the day.

Growing on a balcony or ledge is also possible, assuming that there is nothing obstructing your plants from receiving enough light during the day.

If you think your outdoor plants might struggle getting enough light, you should seriously consider growing an autoflowering strain. The consequences of inadequate light are less severe for autoflowering plants than for regular ones. Even with inadequate light, an autoflowering plant can still progress through all of its natural growth stages on time.

If you want to learn even more about growing cannabis, we offer a free 40+ page guide full of images. Get your today!

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The post How Much Light Do Cannabis Plants Need appeared first on Reefertilizer.

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Much has happened since we finished the upgrades to the bucket while the Green Crack from Crop King Seeds was still in veg. I decided to go on a long needed vacation and left town for a month. With a bit a trepidation I left the plant and bucket in the care of a good friend. When I returned, the plant was ready to harvest!

This particular plant had a few rough patches but she came through rather well.

There was a little overfertilizing during flower because of a badly measured dose. This caused the tips of the leaves to burn and turn grey. We had to flush the plant for a week to remove excess nutrients. You can learn how easy it to fix overfertilized cannabis on this post.

At one point the plant needed to be moved to a friends house. Unfortunately, it was moved in the middle of a Canadian winter. The outside temperature was below 20 and the plant was stressed during the move. This caused many leaves to turn purple and never revert back to green. ?

Despite these fallbacks that would definitely lower the total possible yield, the plant kept chugging along. Cannabis is so resilient, that’s one thing I love about growing it.

The green crack seed started germinating on Dec 11th, 2018 and we harvested on April 7th, 2019. That’s 117 days or almost 4 months. This length of time isn’t bad for a photoperiod plant like this one. Green crack is known to have a flowering period between 6-9 weeks. This plant was in flower for 9.

Did you miss the post where we built the SpaceBucket? You can find it right here.

When to Harvest

Figuring out the right time to harvest can be a little tricky by eye. The best indicator of bud maturity is the colour of the trichomes. These stalks have a ball on top that will change from clear to cloudy, and then to amber. Clear trichomes mean the plant is immature and low potency. Cloudy means the bud has reached full potency. Once the trichomes turn amber, it means they are overripe and start losing potency.

When to harvest exactly is up to a growers taste and the speed the plant is maturing. In most cases, you’ll want to harvest when the majority of the plant has cloudy trichomes or when 80% of the hairs (pistils) have changed to a darker colour.

Flushing

Typically you want to flush a week or two before harvest when growing in soil. Sometimes it can be tricky figuring out exactly when this will be. As stated before you want the trichomes to be cloudy when you cut down the plant. You will need to make an educated guess on when to start flushing based on how fast the plant is maturing.

What flushing does is remove any excess nutrients and salts from the soil. This gives the plant time to metabolize nutrients while stopping it from absorbing any more.

If you flush too long the plant will start showing signs of nutrient deficiencies, and your buds will begin to yellow.

There’s a lot of debate about when to flush and for how long. Growers agree that flushing improves the smoothness of the smoke.

Clip & Trim

This plant was was very easy to harvest because of the low-stress training and pruning that was done during veg and flower. There were 9 main colas, there would have been 10, but I accidentally snapped a branch early on.

To harvest your buds, cut the stem a few inches from the bottom of the bud. At this point, you can choose to hang them to dry or give them a trim.

By using a small sharp pair of clippers you will remove anything that isn’t bud. You’ll want to wear some nitrile gloves or something because these fresh buds will make your hands really sticky. Remove as many leaves as possible. Leaves have little THC and are full of chlorophyll which is very harsh to smoke. You can save these clipping to make hash if you want.

When you trim your cannabis your final product will look beautiful and well manicured. Trimming is for the sake of vanity really, trimmed buds simply look impressive when stored in a stash jar.

If you plan on pressing your buds or turning them into an oil or some other infusion, trimming might not be necessary.

These pruning scissors are the best for trimming. Order yours here.

Hang to Dry

Once your trim is done, you must find a safe place to hang them to dry. With this small harvest, we used a closet and tied up a few lines of string. We have a cannabis drying rack available through our store which can be quite handy for larger harvests.

Space your buds out evenly on the strings. Leave them for about a week until they have dried sufficiently. Slow and low is the key to drying cannabis properly.

Don’t try and rush the drying process by increasing the heat or using a dehumidifier. Doing so will greatly reduce the quality of your buds when it comes to flavor and harshness. Terpenes are the essential oils that give cannabis buds their flavour profile. These terpenes are volatile and will evaporate or be damaged when the temperature gets higher than 25 degrees Celcius. The drying process also gives the buds time to breakdown carbohydrates and chlorophyll. If the bud is dried too quickly, these compounds will remain and make for a harsher smoke.

Your drying room should have a relative humidity of 50% and a temperature around 20 degrees Celcius. The drying area should also be completely dark to avoid light damage.

Buds have completed the drying process when the stems have become just brittle enough that they snap when you try to bend them.

These dry buds should then be kept in an airtight container like a mason jar to begin the curing process.

Thoughts on this grow

When the bucket was running everything at once (lights, fans, and humidifier), it was drawing just over 600watts on average. I think half of that came from the humidifier.

I really liked this spacebucket setup! It was easy to move around and transport. It seems like an easy way to grow one plant in a very small amount of space. This particular bucket didn’t have a lot of vertical space, so training the plant was necessary. If you wanted to increase the vertical height of the spacebucket you can simply use another bucket as a spacer.

The yield ended up being about 190g wet weight. Drying should reduce the weight by around 50% and I should be left with close to 3 and a half ounces. Not that bad considering the size of the plant.

Once I added the humidifier, carbon filter, and controller the total cost was around $400. It would cost almost the same as a small tent set up with the same capabilities. So I guess if you have the room a tent might be a better option. On the other hand, if you have little extra space and need to transport your plant, the bucket is an awesome solution.

  It was a fun experiment and next time I’d like to try it with and autoflower plant.

Thanks again for following along with this grow, there will be more in the future so make sure you’re following Reefertilizer on social media. If you liked this article and found it helpful, please share it with anyone who might find it useful.

  Cheers,

Mike Drouin

The post Space Bucket Update – Cannabis Harvest Time appeared first on Reefertilizer.