Growing cannabis inside your own home is one of the most rewarding experiences a cannabis enthusiast can have. Today, we look at all of the tools you need – minus the seeds – to begin growing cannabis at home.
Before You Begin, Understand California’s Cannabis Cultivation Laws
It is legal to grow recreational or medicinal for personal use, but there are restrictions. You can’t grow your own cannabis and begin selling it to family or friends – that’s a big no-no. But, you can cultivate up to 28.5 grams of cannabis for personal use, but you can’t carry that amount around with you outside of your home. You can grow up to six plants on your property as well, but it’s best that you do so indoors, because it’s illegal to grow cannabis in an area that is viewable by the public. Checkout this linkto learn more detailed information about California’s cannabis cultivation laws.
The Right Grow Space
When planning to grow cannabis indoors, you must select the right room for the job. Before delegating your home-grow to a small closet, it’s important that you think of square footage in cubic feet, how much ground area a plant will occupy, as well as how much vertical space it covers – we call this a canopy.
One indoor cannabis plant typically grows between four and five feet high in a three to five gallon bucket, and can be three to four feet wide. Your cannabis canopy needs to be large enough so that one plant can comfortably grow four to five feet vertically, and occupy about nine to 16 square feet on the ground. You can comfortably grow two plants in a large closet if ventilation is strong, but if you plan on growing more than two plants, we suggest picking an office, second room, basement or attic space (if it’s tall enough) for your home grown cannabis.
Before you begin your grow-at-home project, ask yourself a few questions about your potential grow space:
Does this space have good ventilation? Does this space need much home construction to make growing cannabis possible? Is this space large and tall enough for one to six cannabis plants? Is the room light-leak proof?
By answering these questions, you can get a better understanding of how well-equipped any space is ready for cannabis cultivation.
High Quality Lights
The quality of lights can dictate the success of your indoor cannabis crop and there are numerous types of lights that work well for cultivating cannabis at home.
The main types of light used for cannabis cultivation:
HID (High Intensity Discharge)
LED (Light Emitting Diode)
Fluorescent
HID lights are the go-to choice for large scale, legal cannabis producers because of their efficiency, light output and value. HID lights are also the light-of-choice for vegetable producers because they produce a large spectrum of light. But, HID lights produce a lot of heat, and can be expensive, which is why we don’t recommend them for small-scale homegrown cannabis.
LED lights are great for cultivating cannabis at home because they use less electricity and create less heat than HID setups, and they ultimately last a lot longer than HID lighting. Well-designed LEDs generate a fuller spectrum of light and come in many sizes that are accommodating to growing cannabis at home. LEDs can be costly, so be prepared to invest a couple hundred dollars for a solid LED setup.
Fluorescent bulbs are another good option for growing cannabis at home because they’re inexpensive, don’t require a cooling system, and illuminate a decent spectrum of light. Unfortunately, fluorescent bulbs aren’t nearly as efficient as LEDS or HID lights, and produce far less light than LEDs and HID lights. If you plan on selecting a fluorescent light for your cannabis cultivation, then we recommend using high-output (HO) T5 bulbs.
Air Regulation
Like any other plant, cannabis needs clean air and CO2 to thrive, so ventilation is pivotal to the health of your indoor cannabis plants. Constant air movement helps branches grow stronger, prevents stunted growth, and assists in temperature control. Proper ventilation requires an air exhaust, an air intake, and air circulation.
For exhausting air, you can use a large set of windows or an exhaust fan near the top of the room. It is important to have your exhaust somewhere near the top of the room to help move hot air out of the room.
You’ll also need to intake fresh air to help your cannabis plants breathe. Try to bring in cool, fresh air from the bottom of your room with a small box fan or vent to help keep the room cool and full of healthy air.
Finally, you’ll want constant air circulation in the room to help mimic airflow that the plant would experience outdoors. We suggest one or two oscillating fans to fascilitate a gentle breeze on your crops.
Pre-Fertilized Soil is Best for Beginners
For new cannabis green thumbs, soil is the best medium for growing cannabis indoors because it the most forgiving and is packed with nutrients. Any high quality gardening soil will work, but we like organic, pre-fertilized soil, also called “super soil.” If you choose to plant your cannabis in soil, stay away from soils that contain artificial extended release fertilizer, like Miracle Gro. When shopping, try to find soil that is pre-fertilized with Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron and Copper, which are the primary nutrients your cannabis plant needs.
Water
Cannabis plants are incredibly sensitive to overwatering and can easily suffer from fungal root diseases. The amount of water you use largely depends upon the size of your plants and their containers. Adequately watering cannabis plants will vary by region and temperature, but a good rule of thumb is to water your plant until the soil is fully moist and then wait until it dries to water again. To check and see if your plant needs water, stick your finger a few inches into the soil. If it’s dry, then it’s time to water. However, if there is still moisture in the soil, then wait another day and check again.
Visit Mission Cannabis to Learn More about Cannabis
If you have any question about cannabis, CBD products, or the industry at all, then visit our dispensary. Our team of budtenders are the leading cannabis experts in San Francisco, and we are happy to answer any questions that you may have. Together, we can help find the right products for you so that you can safely enjoy cannabis.
