TaprootErection
Member
...::::]Growing Cannabis in Indoor Soil[::::...
This guide is intended to be simple, yet dense with important information required to grow quality Cannabis from seed. I originally wrote this guide in order to sort out the mess of information I have gathered over the years, reading day after day on the internet. This guide is intended for small scale indoor growing, NOT for large-scale commercial production . All information is based on popular growing techniques from professional indoor, soil-based Cannabis cultivators.
Cannabis usually takes about 3 to 4 months to grow indoors, but may take longer if the grower wishes to grow larger plants. Cannabis requires proper lighting, climate, water, and food to grow successfully on its own. Since Cannabis is a "weed", it requires little attention and can withstand a fair amount of damage dealt to it.
Cannabis only needs a few elements to grow properly but the more time/money/attention put into optimizing the conditions for the plant, the better the crop will yield in size and quality.
...::::]Items and Preparation[::::...
-Lighting
-Grow space
-Seeds
-Pots
-Soil
-Fertilizer
-Water
-pH tester (strips, meter, or drops)
-Thermometer & Hygrometer
-Fan(s)
-Timer(s)
-Reflective material (mylar, white-poly, or flat white paint)
-Duct tape, scissors, string, rope chain, etc..
All items required for growing can be purchased from from your local hydroponics shops, hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes, Rona), and most home gardening centers.
Start by finding a dedicated, isolated area to grow in. Closets, cabinets, or a full room all are common. Essentially, you need a type of isolated box in which everything operates.
The size of your area will limit the size and amount of plants you could keep inside. This is important in deciding how many seeds will be needed for the grow. (see Sex)
Since you will be growing in soil, dirty water will most likely drip onto the floor beneath, so it's recommended to cover the floor area with something like linoleum or anything easily cleanable.
Cover the walls of your area with reflective material for maximum light distribution. Mylar**, White-poly**, or flat white paint, all work great. (see Environment).
Hang the light fixture with chains or rope.
Hook up a timer to the light and set it to give power for 18 to 24 hours of "ON-TIME" (see Stages and Light Schedules)
Setup thermometer as close to the tops of your plants as possible for most accurate reading.
Setup fan(s) for air distribution (see Environment)
Seal off grow area so it is 100% light-proof (see Environment)
...::::]Germination and Planting Seed[::::...
Germination is when the seed opens its shell and sprouts its taproot**.
It is recommended to germinate the seeds manually instead of planting them in soil and waiting for the taproot to break the surface. Manual germination is recommended because it makes it easier to spot out and dispose of bad seeds before placing them in soil.
This method is done by wetting a paper towel so that its fully moistened but not dripping wet. Fold it up with the seeds spread out safely inside. Then, place it in a small plastic tupper-ware-like container with a lid and store in a warm (but not dry) place like on top of your fridge. Wait at least 2 days to check for any signs of a taproot. Most seeds' shells will crack between 2-5 days. Some over a week.
Plant the seeds into soil with the taproot pointing down (shell above). They should be planted in the center of the pot and about 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep into the soil. Make sure the soil you plant the seeds into is well moistened so that the young roots don't dry out. Some just water the seed right after they plant it...which works also. Don't over-water/drown seedlings.
...::::]Stages and Light Schedules[::::...
Seedling: Day 1: The first stem breaks the surface of the soil after a few days of being planted under light. Very often, the seedling will break the soils surface still wearing its shell...DO NOT attempt to remove the shells manually as the plant likes to drop them on its own.
The seedling will form its 2 starter leaves and a center shoot that later forms 2 more new leaves. The seedling then grows 2 three-bladed leaves, then 2 five-bladed leaves, and so on.. Seedlings don't require anything but a little water during the first few days.
The vegetative stage is where the plant grows out and forms all of its main shoots/leaves in preparation for flowering. The Vegetative stage is when most growth occurs. The grower can decide how long to vegetate the plants for, but Cannabis requires at least a month of vegetative lighting in order to produce an exceptional final yield.
Cannabis requires at least 18 hours of light a day (18 on/6 off) for vegetative growth. Some cultivators prefer using a 24/0 (lights on all day) schedule, which hasn't really been proven any better or worse then 18/6. If a timer isn't available, 24 hours of light might be the only option. If the grower is concerned about his/her electric bill, then an 18/6 lighting schedule would be ideal.
Flowering: Flowering is triggered after the light schedule is changed from a 18/6 schedule (or 24/0), to a 12/12 flowering schedule. This means that pre-flowers will start forming once the plants are exposed to light only 12 hours a day.
The sex of the plants has now been determined (see sex) and slowly, pre-flower buds are forming. This is also the time when the plants will start to grow very fast vertically. (also called the "stretch"). The grower should note that the plants will at least double in height by the end of flowering, so it is very important to take into consideration, while still vegetating, any space limitations the plants will run into later.
Lower branches will start to stretch their way up. Remember that when the plant stretches and accelerates in growth, the light above it must be raised more often.
Full flowering usually takes around 65 to 75 days.
It is normal for some leaves to start yellowing and look a little unhealthy towards the end of flowering, as the plant is using up its remaining Nitrogen (see Food) to produce the last bit of bud.
...::::]Sex[::::...
All Cannabis plants become either male, female, or a hermaphrodite.
If 10 seeds are planted, about 5 will turn out to be females, and the other will be males. (hermaphrodites are rare)
Fully-flowered virgin female plants produce seedless bud, while the male plant grows pollen clusters intended to pollinate neighboring females, thus producing seeds within their buds. This is not wanted in the cultivation of seedless bud so it's important that any males be spotted out and destroyed before they mature. (while they are still "pre-flowers")
Most plants like to show their sex from anywhere between 4-6 weeks of vegging...or about 1 to 2 weeks after 12/12 is triggered. To identify the sex of the plant, the grower must closely examine the pre-flowers that form in the early flowering stage. (hence "pre"-flower). Pre-flowers will begin sprouting from each of the plants nodes**, near the stigmas**.
The female pre-flower takes the shape of a pear and has a distinctive small white pistil** shooting from it. The male pre-flower looks similar to a little stick with a ball on it....or a little mini cabbage-like thing. Male pre-flowers eventually mature into clusters of ball shaped sacks that open up and spread dust-like pollen. It is possible a male can pollinate a female miles away, so it is very important the males be identified, chopped down, then disposed of as soon as they start showing their sex.
Plants showing both male and female pre-flowers (hermaphrodites) should also be destroyed and removed from the grow area.
...::::]Lighting[::::...
Lighting is what will affect the final yield the most. Generally, the more the better. Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL), High Pressure Sodium (HPS), and Metal Halide (MH) lights are all the most effective/popular lights for growing. Fluorescent shoplight/fixtures are great for seedlings, clones, or plants in the vegetative stage.
CFL's are not the best source of light but they are very effective for young seedlings or clones since the lights can get very close to the plant's tops without burning the leaf tips. CFL's are great for their price and availability. (Home Depot, Lowes, Rona). Generally, more watts means more light emission. CFL's rarely come in anything bigger then 40watts a bulb, so more then 1 is recommended for faster plant growth rate. The more light the better, but put into consideration how much area you are working with and how heated the area will be from the lightbulbs. CFL's are great for seedlings and can be used effectively in the vegative stage.....but are not recommended for flowering as they are too weak to produce a nice amount of bud.
HPS or MH lights are what plants really thrive under. Although an HPS is more effective for the flowering cycle, and a MH is better suited for the vegetative cycle, they both can be used alone for the entire grow. They usually can be found in wattages of 250, 400, 600, and 1000 watts. Generally, the light should be positioned as close as possible to the plants without the heat of the bulb burning the leaf-tips. This is a major issue in indoor growing. Try to aim for maintaining about a MAX 80F degree temperature at the plant's tops. (see Environment) HPS and MH lightbulbs get VERY HOT. The general rule of thumb is to put the back of your hand under the light for about a minute...if it gets uncomfortable for your hand then its probably too hot for the plants. Move your hand further away from the light and try again. Proper ventilation (see Environment) will give a better ambient temperature in the room and will allow you to get the lights a bit closer to the tops.
It is suggested, if you're using a 250watt, to set the light 10 inches above the plant tops, then move it up or down from there depending on how your plant(s) reacts. With a 400watt, try 14 inches. With a 600watt, try 18 inches. A 1000watt bulb gets super hot so you want to start at at least 2 feet then move it up or down from there. You also might want to take into consideration how many plants you have, and how to give them all equal light distribution. How hot/cold the ambient air temperature in the room is will play an important role in judging how close to set your lights to the plants..
The amount of plants that should be plotted, generally depends on how much light and space is available. The general rule of thumb is 50watts of light for every square foot of floor space. (Note that the amount of floor space needed will increase as the plants get bigger, so make sure there is a sufficient amount of light to handle full, flowering female plants.) How big you want the plants to be is a big factor. Heres a small chart if you are interested in a ideal number of plants you could flower, under the given wattages:
250watt] 1-2 flowering plants 2-6 vegging plants
400watt] 2-6 flowering plants 4-12 vegging plants
600watt] 3-8 flowering plants 8-16 vegging plants
1000watt] 5-12 flowering plants 10-24 vegging plants
Again, these numbers are just to give you a rough idea of how many average-sized plants the light can handle. There are many different methods of growth (see Alternative Techniques) which affect the amount of space the plant takes up.
...::::]Pots[::::...
After germination, It is good to plant them in smaller containers (IE. party cups, soda cans) This way, you can set the seedlings very close together and have your light right above them all. As your seedlings get older they will become rootbound**, which is bad for your plants, so you will want to transplant** them into bigger pots for the main duration of the vegetative cycle. You CAN just use one pot big pot for the entire grow but it is better you transplant them as they outgrow their pots. 2 liter to 2 gallon pots are ideal for the vegetative stage. If you think they will outgrow their pot again, transplant once more before triggering 12/12. This final pot should be 2 - 6 gallons in size.
Avoid any transplants during flowering.
Never plant more then one seed to a pot.
It doesn't matter what shape pot you use.
Pots with holes in the bottom are NECESSARY for proper water drainage. Poke your own holes if needed. (poke from inside out)
...::::]Soil[::::...
Theres usually a variety of store-bought brands of soil. Most will do the trick. Some mixes have perlite** already added for better aeration. Even if there is some perlite in the mix already, it's good to add even more since the roots of cannabis plants really enjoy the extra aeration required for huge growth. There can be up to 30% perlite added. Some growers add ALOT of perlite to the mix, making the soil very light and airy. More frequent waterings are required in this case.
Most soils are peat**based mixes, which is usually the norm for soil grows. There might be some added vermiculite** for better water retention. Some have some dolomitic lime added which is great for keeping the soils pH (see pH) balanced.
Remember, all fertilizer nutrients will be mixed in with your water, so a store-bought soil with nutrients already included is pointless and will burn young seedlings to death.
A soil-mix should be simple, consisting of mainly peat and perlite. Note that roots grow well when they have access to both air and water. Different soil-mixes will hold water differently, so it is important you figure out how often, and how much water to give the soil.
Adding Worm Castings** to the soil mix is beneficial for the soil texture, and provides a low, safe supply of Nitrogen to the roots.
Guano is another good organic additive but should be used very lightly as it could give your plants nutrient burn. It is suggested to use at 1/4 strength of what it says on the bottle.
A soil-mix should be simple with 0 to minimal nutrients included. The roots will get the majority of it's food from the nutrients you will mix in with water. (see Food)
Important: Make sure soil is fairly moist before adding it to pot. The soil should clump up when a handful is squeezed but should break apart fairly easy when poked at. To moisten soil, spray or pour water slowly while turning/mixing soil. Don't over-wet or soak the soil.
...::::]pH[::::...
Cannabis roots enjoy a soil pH of 5.8 through 6.8. anything below 5.8 will be too acidic for the roots and will block the uptake of important nutrients to the plant. A too low/high soil pH can cause leaf discoloration/damage, nutrient deficiencies, and will generally damage the plant's system. Most fertilizers tend to lower the pH of the soil. To avoid this drop, and maintain a balanced pH, add 2 tablespoons of Dolomitic Lime to every gallon of soil when making your soil-mix. If a pH problem occurs mid-grow, a store-bought "pH up" or "pH down" can be mixed with the water to make for an instant pH solution. To find the pH value of the soil, pH test-kits can be purchased at most garden centers. There are different type of pH testers. Most common are color strips, drops, or a pH meter.
Improper pH is one of the most common problems in cannabis cultivation.
...::::]Watering[::::...
Any kind of pure H2O is OK to use but note that some city's tap water has a too high or too low pH value and can affect the pH of your soil. Phone your city-hall if you are concerned about it.
There is no real amount of water you should give them as there are too many factors involved. This is when you should just trust your instinct and give them how much you feel they need. You don't want to give them too little water where the lower roots aren't getting any of it, but you also don't want to end up with a heavy soup which is very common. Make sure the water can drain freely threw the holes in the pot.
One mistake a lot of newbie growers make is thinking the plants aren't getting enough (or too much) water, so the grower panics, which usually leads to an over/under-watering, killing the plants.
Some people base their water amount on how heavy the pot feels. You will know when to water again when the pot feels light when you pick it up. You will definitely know they are thirsty when they are drooping and weak looking. The trick is to give them water right before they start to look weak. Try and aim your waterings for every 2-3 days.
It is best to water sometime before or at the start of a lights-on period. (since in nature, it mostly rains at night and early morning)
It is recommended you give your plants a daily misting or two using a spray bottle. Make sure the sprayer shoots out a fine mist. Misting is recommended during the vegative stage or early flowering. Misting could be done in the flowering stage but the grower must be VERY careful not to get any of the buds wet. Mold will form in wet buds.
...::::]Food[::::...
Food is VERY beneficial for Cannabis plants. Organic or Chemical, there is a lot of different liquid fertilizers that you mix with water and feed as you would a regular watering. It is recommended the plants are fed this mix every other watering (or about once a week). Some brands have both a vegative and flowering formula.
Cannabis requires a high Nitrogen formula for the veg stage. The amount of food in the formula reads on the bottle as a three-digit number. Fish Emulsion, for example has "5-1-1" written on it . The "5" being the percentage of Nitrogen(N) in the bottle. The middle digit "1" is the amount of Phosphorus(P) and the last "1" is the amount of Potassium(K). For vegetative feeding, you want there to be more N in the bottle instead of P and K. Nitrogen deficiency is very common in vegative is growth and can be spotted as lower leaves yellowing and lack of "greenness" in overall appearance.
Cannabis mainly requires N, P, and K for food, and they also require micronutrients (aka trace minerals.) Some micronutes include Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Boron, Cobalt, and Molybdenum.
Alot of store bought bottled nutrients will make the pH drop in your soil so be prepared and use some Dolomite Lime in your soilmix beforehand, or plan on using a "pH up" formula when you feed. Proper pH is needed for the uptake of certain nutrients.
Flowering feeding, you want there to be LESS N in the formula, and more P and K to promote bud growth. Its good to continue using your veg nutes for the first week or two of 12/12, then switch to a flowering formula.
To be safe, it is recommended to start your nutes off at 1/4 or 1/2 strength of what the bottle suggests. Some growers feed them 1/4 strength first, for the next feeding they give 1/2 strength, then the remaining feedings at full strength. This applies to both veg and flower nutes, (especially in early veg since they are so young and vulnerable to nute-burn.)
STOP feeding your plants at about 2 weeks before you think you are going to cut them down. (~week 6 or 7) This is called the the "flushing", when you will give them ONLY WATER for their final days. This is preferred if you want a less "nutey" or chemical taste in your buds. A flushing is not required if you have used only 100% organic nutes in flowering, but still preferred...
Important: keep and store bottles in a dark, cool environment to ensure life of nutrients.
...::::]Environment[::::...
Cannabis likes cool temperatures. Generally, the cooler the better. Anything below 80f degrees at the plants top is OK. Anything hotter will start stressing your plants, give them burn spots, and the plant could even start stretching out which results in loose airy bud formation. Plants in the vegetative stage prefer a more humid environment (60%-80%RH) but when they are flowering, its best they are in a dryer environment (30%-45%RH)
There is many ways to keep your plants in a good environment. Using a regular oscillating fan in your grow area is good for mixing the air around. Having that fan, or a separate fan blowing lightly on the plants is good for strengthening the stems of the plants. You could even keep the lightbulb(s) cooler by blowing a fan on it.
If you're growing in a cab, or small closet, ventilation is VERY important as your lamp will heat your grow area too hot for your plants. Setting up an intake and exhaust is needed in this case. This can be achieved by constructing a hole near the bottom of your area. That will be the intake since cold air is found closer to the floor. Making an exhaust hole at the top of your grow area will allow all the hot air that has risen, to escape out. Generally, you want the intake to be about twice as big as the exhaust, or vice versa.
It is VERY important to not let light from outside the grow area to leak in while the plants are in their lights-off period. Even the slightest crack in the door/room/box, can let in enough light to mess up the light schedule and confuse your plants and turn them hermaphroditic, or have weak or unusual growth...so any crack must be sealed off completely! This can be a problem when using an intake/exhaust system because light can enter easier, so it is preferred you construct a sort of light block or modify your intake/exhaust so that no light can get in/out during the lights-off period.
The walls of your grow area should be reflective for maximum light distribution. This can be achieved by using mylar**, white poly**, or painting all walls of the area flat-white. Aluminum foil is not recommended because it absorbs more light then it reflects, and can make hot spots on the plants. If you must use foil, make the dull side face up. Flat-white paint is easy to work with and alot more effective.
...::::]Harvesting[::::...
It is recommended the plants get 48 hours of darkness before they are cut down and harvested. This sends all the extra sugars from the roots to the plant.
The true harvest day should be determined by the color/fogginess of the trichomes**. It is recommended to cut the plants down when most of the trichomes have turned from clear to cloudy. Some growers prefer to harvest when some of them have turned to more of an “amber” color. Clear/cloudy/amber ratios are mostly a matter of personal preference. It is recommended to use a microscope when viewing the trichomes. RadioShack carries portable microscope for about $10 that work perfect for this.
The true day of harvest should be decided by judging the color of the trichomes; but if you don't own a microscope or are just lazy, you can decide to cut down once most of the pistols on the plant have turned from white to a reddish-brown color. This could also be an indication to start judging the trichome color/fogginess.
Once you have given the plants 48 hours of darkness, they are ready to be cut down. Cut the stem as low to the soil as possible.
...::::]Drying/Curing[::::...
Trim off and dispose of any medium to large sized fan leaves or any leaves with no trichomes on them. You now have the choice to give the buds a final manicure, trimming off any extra leaf matter to use for hash making... OR...you can leave the extra frosty leaves on the plant throughout the drying process. Its really a matter of preference of how finely manicured you want the buds.
Dry the buds by hanging them upside down in a completely dark and dry room for about 1.5 weeks. Buds are dry if its stems "snap" when you try to bend them.
Although your buds look dry enough to call "ready", the middle still holds moisture, so the buds must be cured. Curing starts when buds are loosely packed in airtight jars and store in a dry, dark place. Buds should fill the jar but shouldn't at all be crammed together. Open the jars once or twice a day to allow for fresh air exchange.
If, in the early days of curing, the buds re-moisturize themselves and look/feel too wet, that means you didn't let them hang long enough. In this case you should let your buds sit out to dry for another day or 2 or 3, then place them back into the jars for curing. The longer you let the buds cure, the better they will taste and smoke in the end. Improper curing is one of the biggest mistakes in Cannabis cultivation.
Be sure to look for any white mold growth on the buds while curing. DO NOT smoke moldy buds.
...::::]Cloning[::::...
To clone a plant is to cut off a healthy branch(s) of a plant, re-root them, then re-pot them individually back into soil to grow out into full flowering plants. The obvious benefit of taking cuttings (cloning) is that you will have successfully produced another plant without growing from seed. Although its a very simple and easy thing to do, you run the risk of cutting off a perfectly nice branch and it NOT rooting preperly. A main benefit in cloning is the fact that you can take 1 female donor plant, and turn it into multiple small plants. This is good for a grower who prefers something like 10-15 small plants instead of 2-4 big plants (actual size and amount will vary based on the growers preference). Clones are small, easy to mass produce, and virtually ready for flowering once rooted.
Items needed:
- A healthy female donor plant with nice size branches.
- A sharp razor blade or scissors to cut off a branch. Be careful not to crush the stem.
- Rooting hormone. Comes in gel or powder form.
- Rock wool cubes or peat pellets. Something that will retain water. Fresh cuttings can also be planted into a mix of 50%perlite/50% moistened vermiculite.
- pH balanced water. Roots grow fastest in water with a pH between 5.8 - 6.5
- Clone tray/humidity dome, or a small closed in container/tray that will maintain a high humidity (95%RH-100%RH) Make sure your humidity dome can receive light exposure. Clear rubbermaid container with wet perlite on bottom will also work as a humidity dome.
- Spray bottle that sprays mist.
- Heating pad. A source of heat or a heating pad placed under the tray will heat your roots to optimal temps (75f-80f) and promote fast root growth. This is recommended if you want to root your clones under a week.
- Lighting. Very little light is needed for rooting. A single 25watt CFL (or fluorescent lighting), running 18/6 - 24/0 , hung right above your dome is a good amount for fresh clones. Light is OK from a HPS or MH if it is placed at a distance (at least 4-5 feet away).You can introduce your cuttings to more light once they have established a larger root structure.
-Patience!
All cuttings should be done before 12/12 is triggered or at least once you have identified the plant to be a female (so you know you're cloning females only and no males)
When cloning, its important to take cuts from an overall healthy plant. Any deficiencies in the clones can slow down or kill the rooting process.
It is recommended that your donor plants have been watered/fed a light dose of flowering food a day or two, prior to cutting. Make sure your plants have NOT been fed any, or very little food with Nitrogen(N) 3 - 4 days prior to cutting, as N slows the rooting process. Bloom ferts contain Phosphorus(P), which promotes better root growth. Dont take cuts when your donor plant is thirsty. Give the plant the water it needs prior to cutting so that the clones are saturated enough to last through the rooting process.
Prepare a glass of water to put your cuttings in. Look around for nice branches with fairly thick stems and identify possible clones anywhere from 3-6 inches long. Make sure the razor blade is CLEAN or better yet sterilized before you make the cut. Cut at a 45 degree angle to give more surface area to the cut, allowing more root opportunity. Immediately place the fresh cutting into the cup of water. Make sure the exposed part of the stem is fully submerged underwater and has not had any major exposure to the air. Once you have all your selected cuttings in the cup of water, its now time to trim them.
Trim off any leaves or shoots on the bottom half of the clone leaving only 2 or 3 leaves plus the new growth. Clones only really need 1-2 leaves for rooting so you will cut off any extra leaves the roots cant support. You could even cut a few of the leaves in half. Leave about an inch of stem free, so you can plant the clone well into the rockwool cube. Do not cut any off any of the new growth's leaves. Trim only the bigger, bottem leaves.
Once you have trimmed all your cuttings and they are safe in the glass of water, it is time to prepare the rockwool cubes. Soak them in water adjusted to a proper pH level. Reverse Osmosis water is good water to use but make sure its pH is balanced as well. Once the cube is fully saturated, give it a good fling or two so that there is no excess water dripping form the cube. Use a small nail to poke a hole in the middle of the cube about 3/4 - 1 inch deep for your stem to go into. Make sure the width of the hole is equal or close to the width of the stem that will be planted into it. Its better if the stem has a tight, snug fit in the cube.
Get your rooting gel/powder ready. Take a cutting from the glass of water and dip the stem about a half inch into the gel/powder. Immediately place dipped cutting into a rockwool cube. A loose fit cutting is bad because it allows too much oxygen get to the cut part of the stem and can damage the rooting process.
Get your spray bottle and mist down the inside walls of the humidity dome and also spray the cuttings. Put lid of humidity dome on and place under compact fluorescent light. No major light is needed while clones are building their first roots. 25-75 watts depending on how many clones. Set a light schedule of 18/6 or 24/0. Take the lid off the humidity dome/clone tray once a day for an exchange of fresh air. Make sure cubes never dry out. Always make sure the humidity(RH%) is at least 95% in the dome.
2-3 days go by and you can now leave a crack in your humidity dome to allow even more fresh air in.
7-10 days later, a root(s) have started to form and its time to start training the clones to not need the humidity dome. Do this by leaving the lid off the dome more and more each day until the rooted clones can survive without it. (Be sure to keep the cubes moist at all times even though it causes the RH to rise). Once you see the roots coming out of the bottom of the cube, its now time to transplant them into soil pots and put them back into a vegetative mode. When transplanting, first prepare a pot with soil. Simply plant the clones and cube so that the roots are fully under the soil. Also keep in mind, the more space the roots have to grow in, the better, therefore, do not plant the clone too deep into the pot.
Once finished transplanting, they can now go back to regular vegetative lighting/feeding. (with Nitrogen).
Give the clones at least 2 more weeks of vegetative lighting before you change over to 12/12. This ensures that they are fully recovered, strong enough to start budding, and a bit bigger, You can also just put them straight into flowering by triggering 12/12 but the final yield will be less.
All transplanting of clones to bigger pots should be done prior to 12/12.
...::::]Alternative/Advanced Techniques[::::...
Usually, the main stalk of the plant becomes the main bud site and will also be the tallest part of your plant, receiving most of the light. Thus leaving the side branches/buds with less light penetration. By training or pruning/topping the plant, the grower can manipulate the structure of the plant so that more or other parts of the plant can receive more light, therefore increasing bud production (in certain cases) and helps with height issues since it results in a shorter plant.
Pruning aka Topping: Basically means pinching off or cutting off the newest growth. By cutting off the top of the plant, it will do 2 things beneficial to the plant:
1] Two new shoots grow from the spot you cut. This means that if you cut off the top of the main branch, the two second newest shoots will grow out and become the main branches of your plant.
2] Since you cut off the main growth, light and energy is then focused on the lower, side branches, while the cut repairs.
This can be very good if you want a shorter, more squat plant...plus you give more priority to the side branches since they now have time to catch up and get closer to the light. Usually this results in more yield in the end since theres more bud sites closer to the light instead of just one bud up close, and a lot of tiny buds further away.
It is recommended you do any pruning after they are at least 4 nodes** tall.
Low Stress Training: This technique is great because it doesn't require you to cut any parts off the plant, therefore less stress for the plant.
LSTing (low stress training) is when you bend the main stalk over, and tie it to the side of the pot...making the plant look horizontal. The main reason and benefit of this is, since the plant is now sideways, more light is exposed to the side/lower branches that is usually blocked by the top of the plant. The general idea of LSTing is to always keep the top of the plant tied down during vegetating so that when buds start to form, there with be more budsites closer to the light.
It is best to do this when you think the plant is tall enough to be bent over...I recommend it be AT LEAST 5 inches tall. Be very careful to not snap the stem because IT WILL SNAP if you aren't careful with your training. Therefore you should train the stalk over more and more everyday until it is safely horizontal across the pot. Use ties, ropes, strings, or whatever you can use to hold the top of the plant down. You also need to use a separate tie to reinforce the base of the stalk. To do this, loop some rope around the base of the stalk and tie it to your pot (you can poke a hole in your pot or just use tape to hold the ties to the pot) Make sure the loop is about an inch from the base of the stalk.
You will notice the next day that the leaves have turned towards the light again. This is good. A few more days will go by and you will notice that the top of the plant has grown out more. All you have to do is tie it back down by moving the tie up the stalk a bit. Try and keep your stalk as horizontal as possible the entire time. You will continue to do this almost every 2-3 days depending on how fast your plants grow. Also make sure the reinforcement tie is still holding the bottom of the stalk firmly. You might have to move it up every few days if it starts to not hold properly.
Over time, the side/lower branches will have made there way to the top, past of the canopy of leaves, and are now main branches! Instead of 1 main stalk, you now have 4-8 main stalks all getting the same amount of light penetration! This means more bud sites. This technique is very easy and preferred, especially if your plants have height restrictions since this keeps your plants really low profile.
All training and pruning/topping should be done in the vegetative stage.
…::::]Index[::::...
Taproot: Small white root that sprouts from the seed at germination.
Stigmas: Spike-shaped things that form at the nodes** (Not to be confused with pre-flowers.)
Nodes: Point where a branch and leaf stem meets the main stalk.
Calyx: Small pear-shaped buds that makeup most of the female cannabis flower. Has 1 or 2 pistils shooting it. Grows where a branch meets the main stem.
Transplant: To re-pot . To remove the plant, roots, and the soil from the pot, and re-plant into a larger medium.
Perlite: Soil additive. Small light white volcanic rock chunks that, when added to the soil, maintain a more airy, less saturated texture to the mix.
Peat: The base for most soil mixes.
Vermiculite: Soil additive. Small square-shaped chunks that retain water in the soil mix.
Mylar: Best known reflective material. Provides ~99% reflectivity.
White-Poly: Construction tarp. The white side of Black & White Poly can be used; usually black on one side and white on the other. White poly provides ~97% reflectivity.
Trichomes: Thousands of tiny cloudy mushroom-like formations containing THC. Appears as fuzz, frost, or sugar on buds. Trichomes start appearing on buds about half-way through the flowering stage. Trichomes form in order to block unwanted UV rays directly hitting the plant.
Pistils: Pistils early in flowering appear as small, fine white hairs coming out of the calyx**. Later, towards the second half of flowering, these hairs will turn to a more orange-reddish-brown color.
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thank you rona, home depot, my local hydro shop, birds, fish, worms, the internet, most of all Overgrow.com for all awesome people sharing their knowledge of growing Cannabis. and all the experts pushing for better genetics.
Icmag.com
Keep it green. Keep it cool.
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upcoming version:
pics, co2, strain genetics, guano teas, soilless mixes, growbox/cabinet construction, sick plant guide
This guide is intended to be simple, yet dense with important information required to grow quality Cannabis from seed. I originally wrote this guide in order to sort out the mess of information I have gathered over the years, reading day after day on the internet. This guide is intended for small scale indoor growing, NOT for large-scale commercial production . All information is based on popular growing techniques from professional indoor, soil-based Cannabis cultivators.
Cannabis usually takes about 3 to 4 months to grow indoors, but may take longer if the grower wishes to grow larger plants. Cannabis requires proper lighting, climate, water, and food to grow successfully on its own. Since Cannabis is a "weed", it requires little attention and can withstand a fair amount of damage dealt to it.
Cannabis only needs a few elements to grow properly but the more time/money/attention put into optimizing the conditions for the plant, the better the crop will yield in size and quality.
...::::]Items and Preparation[::::...
-Lighting
-Grow space
-Seeds
-Pots
-Soil
-Fertilizer
-Water
-pH tester (strips, meter, or drops)
-Thermometer & Hygrometer
-Fan(s)
-Timer(s)
-Reflective material (mylar, white-poly, or flat white paint)
-Duct tape, scissors, string, rope chain, etc..
All items required for growing can be purchased from from your local hydroponics shops, hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes, Rona), and most home gardening centers.
Start by finding a dedicated, isolated area to grow in. Closets, cabinets, or a full room all are common. Essentially, you need a type of isolated box in which everything operates.
The size of your area will limit the size and amount of plants you could keep inside. This is important in deciding how many seeds will be needed for the grow. (see Sex)
Since you will be growing in soil, dirty water will most likely drip onto the floor beneath, so it's recommended to cover the floor area with something like linoleum or anything easily cleanable.
Cover the walls of your area with reflective material for maximum light distribution. Mylar**, White-poly**, or flat white paint, all work great. (see Environment).
Hang the light fixture with chains or rope.
Hook up a timer to the light and set it to give power for 18 to 24 hours of "ON-TIME" (see Stages and Light Schedules)
Setup thermometer as close to the tops of your plants as possible for most accurate reading.
Setup fan(s) for air distribution (see Environment)
Seal off grow area so it is 100% light-proof (see Environment)
...::::]Germination and Planting Seed[::::...
Germination is when the seed opens its shell and sprouts its taproot**.
It is recommended to germinate the seeds manually instead of planting them in soil and waiting for the taproot to break the surface. Manual germination is recommended because it makes it easier to spot out and dispose of bad seeds before placing them in soil.
This method is done by wetting a paper towel so that its fully moistened but not dripping wet. Fold it up with the seeds spread out safely inside. Then, place it in a small plastic tupper-ware-like container with a lid and store in a warm (but not dry) place like on top of your fridge. Wait at least 2 days to check for any signs of a taproot. Most seeds' shells will crack between 2-5 days. Some over a week.
Plant the seeds into soil with the taproot pointing down (shell above). They should be planted in the center of the pot and about 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep into the soil. Make sure the soil you plant the seeds into is well moistened so that the young roots don't dry out. Some just water the seed right after they plant it...which works also. Don't over-water/drown seedlings.
...::::]Stages and Light Schedules[::::...
Seedling: Day 1: The first stem breaks the surface of the soil after a few days of being planted under light. Very often, the seedling will break the soils surface still wearing its shell...DO NOT attempt to remove the shells manually as the plant likes to drop them on its own.
The seedling will form its 2 starter leaves and a center shoot that later forms 2 more new leaves. The seedling then grows 2 three-bladed leaves, then 2 five-bladed leaves, and so on.. Seedlings don't require anything but a little water during the first few days.
The vegetative stage is where the plant grows out and forms all of its main shoots/leaves in preparation for flowering. The Vegetative stage is when most growth occurs. The grower can decide how long to vegetate the plants for, but Cannabis requires at least a month of vegetative lighting in order to produce an exceptional final yield.
Cannabis requires at least 18 hours of light a day (18 on/6 off) for vegetative growth. Some cultivators prefer using a 24/0 (lights on all day) schedule, which hasn't really been proven any better or worse then 18/6. If a timer isn't available, 24 hours of light might be the only option. If the grower is concerned about his/her electric bill, then an 18/6 lighting schedule would be ideal.
Flowering: Flowering is triggered after the light schedule is changed from a 18/6 schedule (or 24/0), to a 12/12 flowering schedule. This means that pre-flowers will start forming once the plants are exposed to light only 12 hours a day.
The sex of the plants has now been determined (see sex) and slowly, pre-flower buds are forming. This is also the time when the plants will start to grow very fast vertically. (also called the "stretch"). The grower should note that the plants will at least double in height by the end of flowering, so it is very important to take into consideration, while still vegetating, any space limitations the plants will run into later.
Lower branches will start to stretch their way up. Remember that when the plant stretches and accelerates in growth, the light above it must be raised more often.
Full flowering usually takes around 65 to 75 days.
It is normal for some leaves to start yellowing and look a little unhealthy towards the end of flowering, as the plant is using up its remaining Nitrogen (see Food) to produce the last bit of bud.
...::::]Sex[::::...
All Cannabis plants become either male, female, or a hermaphrodite.
If 10 seeds are planted, about 5 will turn out to be females, and the other will be males. (hermaphrodites are rare)
Fully-flowered virgin female plants produce seedless bud, while the male plant grows pollen clusters intended to pollinate neighboring females, thus producing seeds within their buds. This is not wanted in the cultivation of seedless bud so it's important that any males be spotted out and destroyed before they mature. (while they are still "pre-flowers")
Most plants like to show their sex from anywhere between 4-6 weeks of vegging...or about 1 to 2 weeks after 12/12 is triggered. To identify the sex of the plant, the grower must closely examine the pre-flowers that form in the early flowering stage. (hence "pre"-flower). Pre-flowers will begin sprouting from each of the plants nodes**, near the stigmas**.
The female pre-flower takes the shape of a pear and has a distinctive small white pistil** shooting from it. The male pre-flower looks similar to a little stick with a ball on it....or a little mini cabbage-like thing. Male pre-flowers eventually mature into clusters of ball shaped sacks that open up and spread dust-like pollen. It is possible a male can pollinate a female miles away, so it is very important the males be identified, chopped down, then disposed of as soon as they start showing their sex.
Plants showing both male and female pre-flowers (hermaphrodites) should also be destroyed and removed from the grow area.
...::::]Lighting[::::...
Lighting is what will affect the final yield the most. Generally, the more the better. Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL), High Pressure Sodium (HPS), and Metal Halide (MH) lights are all the most effective/popular lights for growing. Fluorescent shoplight/fixtures are great for seedlings, clones, or plants in the vegetative stage.
CFL's are not the best source of light but they are very effective for young seedlings or clones since the lights can get very close to the plant's tops without burning the leaf tips. CFL's are great for their price and availability. (Home Depot, Lowes, Rona). Generally, more watts means more light emission. CFL's rarely come in anything bigger then 40watts a bulb, so more then 1 is recommended for faster plant growth rate. The more light the better, but put into consideration how much area you are working with and how heated the area will be from the lightbulbs. CFL's are great for seedlings and can be used effectively in the vegative stage.....but are not recommended for flowering as they are too weak to produce a nice amount of bud.
HPS or MH lights are what plants really thrive under. Although an HPS is more effective for the flowering cycle, and a MH is better suited for the vegetative cycle, they both can be used alone for the entire grow. They usually can be found in wattages of 250, 400, 600, and 1000 watts. Generally, the light should be positioned as close as possible to the plants without the heat of the bulb burning the leaf-tips. This is a major issue in indoor growing. Try to aim for maintaining about a MAX 80F degree temperature at the plant's tops. (see Environment) HPS and MH lightbulbs get VERY HOT. The general rule of thumb is to put the back of your hand under the light for about a minute...if it gets uncomfortable for your hand then its probably too hot for the plants. Move your hand further away from the light and try again. Proper ventilation (see Environment) will give a better ambient temperature in the room and will allow you to get the lights a bit closer to the tops.
It is suggested, if you're using a 250watt, to set the light 10 inches above the plant tops, then move it up or down from there depending on how your plant(s) reacts. With a 400watt, try 14 inches. With a 600watt, try 18 inches. A 1000watt bulb gets super hot so you want to start at at least 2 feet then move it up or down from there. You also might want to take into consideration how many plants you have, and how to give them all equal light distribution. How hot/cold the ambient air temperature in the room is will play an important role in judging how close to set your lights to the plants..
The amount of plants that should be plotted, generally depends on how much light and space is available. The general rule of thumb is 50watts of light for every square foot of floor space. (Note that the amount of floor space needed will increase as the plants get bigger, so make sure there is a sufficient amount of light to handle full, flowering female plants.) How big you want the plants to be is a big factor. Heres a small chart if you are interested in a ideal number of plants you could flower, under the given wattages:
250watt] 1-2 flowering plants 2-6 vegging plants
400watt] 2-6 flowering plants 4-12 vegging plants
600watt] 3-8 flowering plants 8-16 vegging plants
1000watt] 5-12 flowering plants 10-24 vegging plants
Again, these numbers are just to give you a rough idea of how many average-sized plants the light can handle. There are many different methods of growth (see Alternative Techniques) which affect the amount of space the plant takes up.
...::::]Pots[::::...
After germination, It is good to plant them in smaller containers (IE. party cups, soda cans) This way, you can set the seedlings very close together and have your light right above them all. As your seedlings get older they will become rootbound**, which is bad for your plants, so you will want to transplant** them into bigger pots for the main duration of the vegetative cycle. You CAN just use one pot big pot for the entire grow but it is better you transplant them as they outgrow their pots. 2 liter to 2 gallon pots are ideal for the vegetative stage. If you think they will outgrow their pot again, transplant once more before triggering 12/12. This final pot should be 2 - 6 gallons in size.
Avoid any transplants during flowering.
Never plant more then one seed to a pot.
It doesn't matter what shape pot you use.
Pots with holes in the bottom are NECESSARY for proper water drainage. Poke your own holes if needed. (poke from inside out)
...::::]Soil[::::...
Theres usually a variety of store-bought brands of soil. Most will do the trick. Some mixes have perlite** already added for better aeration. Even if there is some perlite in the mix already, it's good to add even more since the roots of cannabis plants really enjoy the extra aeration required for huge growth. There can be up to 30% perlite added. Some growers add ALOT of perlite to the mix, making the soil very light and airy. More frequent waterings are required in this case.
Most soils are peat**based mixes, which is usually the norm for soil grows. There might be some added vermiculite** for better water retention. Some have some dolomitic lime added which is great for keeping the soils pH (see pH) balanced.
Remember, all fertilizer nutrients will be mixed in with your water, so a store-bought soil with nutrients already included is pointless and will burn young seedlings to death.
A soil-mix should be simple, consisting of mainly peat and perlite. Note that roots grow well when they have access to both air and water. Different soil-mixes will hold water differently, so it is important you figure out how often, and how much water to give the soil.
Adding Worm Castings** to the soil mix is beneficial for the soil texture, and provides a low, safe supply of Nitrogen to the roots.
Guano is another good organic additive but should be used very lightly as it could give your plants nutrient burn. It is suggested to use at 1/4 strength of what it says on the bottle.
A soil-mix should be simple with 0 to minimal nutrients included. The roots will get the majority of it's food from the nutrients you will mix in with water. (see Food)
Important: Make sure soil is fairly moist before adding it to pot. The soil should clump up when a handful is squeezed but should break apart fairly easy when poked at. To moisten soil, spray or pour water slowly while turning/mixing soil. Don't over-wet or soak the soil.
...::::]pH[::::...
Cannabis roots enjoy a soil pH of 5.8 through 6.8. anything below 5.8 will be too acidic for the roots and will block the uptake of important nutrients to the plant. A too low/high soil pH can cause leaf discoloration/damage, nutrient deficiencies, and will generally damage the plant's system. Most fertilizers tend to lower the pH of the soil. To avoid this drop, and maintain a balanced pH, add 2 tablespoons of Dolomitic Lime to every gallon of soil when making your soil-mix. If a pH problem occurs mid-grow, a store-bought "pH up" or "pH down" can be mixed with the water to make for an instant pH solution. To find the pH value of the soil, pH test-kits can be purchased at most garden centers. There are different type of pH testers. Most common are color strips, drops, or a pH meter.
Improper pH is one of the most common problems in cannabis cultivation.
...::::]Watering[::::...
Any kind of pure H2O is OK to use but note that some city's tap water has a too high or too low pH value and can affect the pH of your soil. Phone your city-hall if you are concerned about it.
There is no real amount of water you should give them as there are too many factors involved. This is when you should just trust your instinct and give them how much you feel they need. You don't want to give them too little water where the lower roots aren't getting any of it, but you also don't want to end up with a heavy soup which is very common. Make sure the water can drain freely threw the holes in the pot.
One mistake a lot of newbie growers make is thinking the plants aren't getting enough (or too much) water, so the grower panics, which usually leads to an over/under-watering, killing the plants.
Some people base their water amount on how heavy the pot feels. You will know when to water again when the pot feels light when you pick it up. You will definitely know they are thirsty when they are drooping and weak looking. The trick is to give them water right before they start to look weak. Try and aim your waterings for every 2-3 days.
It is best to water sometime before or at the start of a lights-on period. (since in nature, it mostly rains at night and early morning)
It is recommended you give your plants a daily misting or two using a spray bottle. Make sure the sprayer shoots out a fine mist. Misting is recommended during the vegative stage or early flowering. Misting could be done in the flowering stage but the grower must be VERY careful not to get any of the buds wet. Mold will form in wet buds.
...::::]Food[::::...
Food is VERY beneficial for Cannabis plants. Organic or Chemical, there is a lot of different liquid fertilizers that you mix with water and feed as you would a regular watering. It is recommended the plants are fed this mix every other watering (or about once a week). Some brands have both a vegative and flowering formula.
Cannabis requires a high Nitrogen formula for the veg stage. The amount of food in the formula reads on the bottle as a three-digit number. Fish Emulsion, for example has "5-1-1" written on it . The "5" being the percentage of Nitrogen(N) in the bottle. The middle digit "1" is the amount of Phosphorus(P) and the last "1" is the amount of Potassium(K). For vegetative feeding, you want there to be more N in the bottle instead of P and K. Nitrogen deficiency is very common in vegative is growth and can be spotted as lower leaves yellowing and lack of "greenness" in overall appearance.
Cannabis mainly requires N, P, and K for food, and they also require micronutrients (aka trace minerals.) Some micronutes include Calcium, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Iron, Boron, Cobalt, and Molybdenum.
Alot of store bought bottled nutrients will make the pH drop in your soil so be prepared and use some Dolomite Lime in your soilmix beforehand, or plan on using a "pH up" formula when you feed. Proper pH is needed for the uptake of certain nutrients.
Flowering feeding, you want there to be LESS N in the formula, and more P and K to promote bud growth. Its good to continue using your veg nutes for the first week or two of 12/12, then switch to a flowering formula.
To be safe, it is recommended to start your nutes off at 1/4 or 1/2 strength of what the bottle suggests. Some growers feed them 1/4 strength first, for the next feeding they give 1/2 strength, then the remaining feedings at full strength. This applies to both veg and flower nutes, (especially in early veg since they are so young and vulnerable to nute-burn.)
STOP feeding your plants at about 2 weeks before you think you are going to cut them down. (~week 6 or 7) This is called the the "flushing", when you will give them ONLY WATER for their final days. This is preferred if you want a less "nutey" or chemical taste in your buds. A flushing is not required if you have used only 100% organic nutes in flowering, but still preferred...
Important: keep and store bottles in a dark, cool environment to ensure life of nutrients.
...::::]Environment[::::...
Cannabis likes cool temperatures. Generally, the cooler the better. Anything below 80f degrees at the plants top is OK. Anything hotter will start stressing your plants, give them burn spots, and the plant could even start stretching out which results in loose airy bud formation. Plants in the vegetative stage prefer a more humid environment (60%-80%RH) but when they are flowering, its best they are in a dryer environment (30%-45%RH)
There is many ways to keep your plants in a good environment. Using a regular oscillating fan in your grow area is good for mixing the air around. Having that fan, or a separate fan blowing lightly on the plants is good for strengthening the stems of the plants. You could even keep the lightbulb(s) cooler by blowing a fan on it.
If you're growing in a cab, or small closet, ventilation is VERY important as your lamp will heat your grow area too hot for your plants. Setting up an intake and exhaust is needed in this case. This can be achieved by constructing a hole near the bottom of your area. That will be the intake since cold air is found closer to the floor. Making an exhaust hole at the top of your grow area will allow all the hot air that has risen, to escape out. Generally, you want the intake to be about twice as big as the exhaust, or vice versa.
It is VERY important to not let light from outside the grow area to leak in while the plants are in their lights-off period. Even the slightest crack in the door/room/box, can let in enough light to mess up the light schedule and confuse your plants and turn them hermaphroditic, or have weak or unusual growth...so any crack must be sealed off completely! This can be a problem when using an intake/exhaust system because light can enter easier, so it is preferred you construct a sort of light block or modify your intake/exhaust so that no light can get in/out during the lights-off period.
The walls of your grow area should be reflective for maximum light distribution. This can be achieved by using mylar**, white poly**, or painting all walls of the area flat-white. Aluminum foil is not recommended because it absorbs more light then it reflects, and can make hot spots on the plants. If you must use foil, make the dull side face up. Flat-white paint is easy to work with and alot more effective.
...::::]Harvesting[::::...
It is recommended the plants get 48 hours of darkness before they are cut down and harvested. This sends all the extra sugars from the roots to the plant.
The true harvest day should be determined by the color/fogginess of the trichomes**. It is recommended to cut the plants down when most of the trichomes have turned from clear to cloudy. Some growers prefer to harvest when some of them have turned to more of an “amber” color. Clear/cloudy/amber ratios are mostly a matter of personal preference. It is recommended to use a microscope when viewing the trichomes. RadioShack carries portable microscope for about $10 that work perfect for this.
The true day of harvest should be decided by judging the color of the trichomes; but if you don't own a microscope or are just lazy, you can decide to cut down once most of the pistols on the plant have turned from white to a reddish-brown color. This could also be an indication to start judging the trichome color/fogginess.
Once you have given the plants 48 hours of darkness, they are ready to be cut down. Cut the stem as low to the soil as possible.
...::::]Drying/Curing[::::...
Trim off and dispose of any medium to large sized fan leaves or any leaves with no trichomes on them. You now have the choice to give the buds a final manicure, trimming off any extra leaf matter to use for hash making... OR...you can leave the extra frosty leaves on the plant throughout the drying process. Its really a matter of preference of how finely manicured you want the buds.
Dry the buds by hanging them upside down in a completely dark and dry room for about 1.5 weeks. Buds are dry if its stems "snap" when you try to bend them.
Although your buds look dry enough to call "ready", the middle still holds moisture, so the buds must be cured. Curing starts when buds are loosely packed in airtight jars and store in a dry, dark place. Buds should fill the jar but shouldn't at all be crammed together. Open the jars once or twice a day to allow for fresh air exchange.
If, in the early days of curing, the buds re-moisturize themselves and look/feel too wet, that means you didn't let them hang long enough. In this case you should let your buds sit out to dry for another day or 2 or 3, then place them back into the jars for curing. The longer you let the buds cure, the better they will taste and smoke in the end. Improper curing is one of the biggest mistakes in Cannabis cultivation.
Be sure to look for any white mold growth on the buds while curing. DO NOT smoke moldy buds.
...::::]Cloning[::::...
To clone a plant is to cut off a healthy branch(s) of a plant, re-root them, then re-pot them individually back into soil to grow out into full flowering plants. The obvious benefit of taking cuttings (cloning) is that you will have successfully produced another plant without growing from seed. Although its a very simple and easy thing to do, you run the risk of cutting off a perfectly nice branch and it NOT rooting preperly. A main benefit in cloning is the fact that you can take 1 female donor plant, and turn it into multiple small plants. This is good for a grower who prefers something like 10-15 small plants instead of 2-4 big plants (actual size and amount will vary based on the growers preference). Clones are small, easy to mass produce, and virtually ready for flowering once rooted.
Items needed:
- A healthy female donor plant with nice size branches.
- A sharp razor blade or scissors to cut off a branch. Be careful not to crush the stem.
- Rooting hormone. Comes in gel or powder form.
- Rock wool cubes or peat pellets. Something that will retain water. Fresh cuttings can also be planted into a mix of 50%perlite/50% moistened vermiculite.
- pH balanced water. Roots grow fastest in water with a pH between 5.8 - 6.5
- Clone tray/humidity dome, or a small closed in container/tray that will maintain a high humidity (95%RH-100%RH) Make sure your humidity dome can receive light exposure. Clear rubbermaid container with wet perlite on bottom will also work as a humidity dome.
- Spray bottle that sprays mist.
- Heating pad. A source of heat or a heating pad placed under the tray will heat your roots to optimal temps (75f-80f) and promote fast root growth. This is recommended if you want to root your clones under a week.
- Lighting. Very little light is needed for rooting. A single 25watt CFL (or fluorescent lighting), running 18/6 - 24/0 , hung right above your dome is a good amount for fresh clones. Light is OK from a HPS or MH if it is placed at a distance (at least 4-5 feet away).You can introduce your cuttings to more light once they have established a larger root structure.
-Patience!
All cuttings should be done before 12/12 is triggered or at least once you have identified the plant to be a female (so you know you're cloning females only and no males)
When cloning, its important to take cuts from an overall healthy plant. Any deficiencies in the clones can slow down or kill the rooting process.
It is recommended that your donor plants have been watered/fed a light dose of flowering food a day or two, prior to cutting. Make sure your plants have NOT been fed any, or very little food with Nitrogen(N) 3 - 4 days prior to cutting, as N slows the rooting process. Bloom ferts contain Phosphorus(P), which promotes better root growth. Dont take cuts when your donor plant is thirsty. Give the plant the water it needs prior to cutting so that the clones are saturated enough to last through the rooting process.
Prepare a glass of water to put your cuttings in. Look around for nice branches with fairly thick stems and identify possible clones anywhere from 3-6 inches long. Make sure the razor blade is CLEAN or better yet sterilized before you make the cut. Cut at a 45 degree angle to give more surface area to the cut, allowing more root opportunity. Immediately place the fresh cutting into the cup of water. Make sure the exposed part of the stem is fully submerged underwater and has not had any major exposure to the air. Once you have all your selected cuttings in the cup of water, its now time to trim them.
Trim off any leaves or shoots on the bottom half of the clone leaving only 2 or 3 leaves plus the new growth. Clones only really need 1-2 leaves for rooting so you will cut off any extra leaves the roots cant support. You could even cut a few of the leaves in half. Leave about an inch of stem free, so you can plant the clone well into the rockwool cube. Do not cut any off any of the new growth's leaves. Trim only the bigger, bottem leaves.
Once you have trimmed all your cuttings and they are safe in the glass of water, it is time to prepare the rockwool cubes. Soak them in water adjusted to a proper pH level. Reverse Osmosis water is good water to use but make sure its pH is balanced as well. Once the cube is fully saturated, give it a good fling or two so that there is no excess water dripping form the cube. Use a small nail to poke a hole in the middle of the cube about 3/4 - 1 inch deep for your stem to go into. Make sure the width of the hole is equal or close to the width of the stem that will be planted into it. Its better if the stem has a tight, snug fit in the cube.
Get your rooting gel/powder ready. Take a cutting from the glass of water and dip the stem about a half inch into the gel/powder. Immediately place dipped cutting into a rockwool cube. A loose fit cutting is bad because it allows too much oxygen get to the cut part of the stem and can damage the rooting process.
Get your spray bottle and mist down the inside walls of the humidity dome and also spray the cuttings. Put lid of humidity dome on and place under compact fluorescent light. No major light is needed while clones are building their first roots. 25-75 watts depending on how many clones. Set a light schedule of 18/6 or 24/0. Take the lid off the humidity dome/clone tray once a day for an exchange of fresh air. Make sure cubes never dry out. Always make sure the humidity(RH%) is at least 95% in the dome.
2-3 days go by and you can now leave a crack in your humidity dome to allow even more fresh air in.
7-10 days later, a root(s) have started to form and its time to start training the clones to not need the humidity dome. Do this by leaving the lid off the dome more and more each day until the rooted clones can survive without it. (Be sure to keep the cubes moist at all times even though it causes the RH to rise). Once you see the roots coming out of the bottom of the cube, its now time to transplant them into soil pots and put them back into a vegetative mode. When transplanting, first prepare a pot with soil. Simply plant the clones and cube so that the roots are fully under the soil. Also keep in mind, the more space the roots have to grow in, the better, therefore, do not plant the clone too deep into the pot.
Once finished transplanting, they can now go back to regular vegetative lighting/feeding. (with Nitrogen).
Give the clones at least 2 more weeks of vegetative lighting before you change over to 12/12. This ensures that they are fully recovered, strong enough to start budding, and a bit bigger, You can also just put them straight into flowering by triggering 12/12 but the final yield will be less.
All transplanting of clones to bigger pots should be done prior to 12/12.
...::::]Alternative/Advanced Techniques[::::...
Usually, the main stalk of the plant becomes the main bud site and will also be the tallest part of your plant, receiving most of the light. Thus leaving the side branches/buds with less light penetration. By training or pruning/topping the plant, the grower can manipulate the structure of the plant so that more or other parts of the plant can receive more light, therefore increasing bud production (in certain cases) and helps with height issues since it results in a shorter plant.
Pruning aka Topping: Basically means pinching off or cutting off the newest growth. By cutting off the top of the plant, it will do 2 things beneficial to the plant:
1] Two new shoots grow from the spot you cut. This means that if you cut off the top of the main branch, the two second newest shoots will grow out and become the main branches of your plant.
2] Since you cut off the main growth, light and energy is then focused on the lower, side branches, while the cut repairs.
This can be very good if you want a shorter, more squat plant...plus you give more priority to the side branches since they now have time to catch up and get closer to the light. Usually this results in more yield in the end since theres more bud sites closer to the light instead of just one bud up close, and a lot of tiny buds further away.
It is recommended you do any pruning after they are at least 4 nodes** tall.
Low Stress Training: This technique is great because it doesn't require you to cut any parts off the plant, therefore less stress for the plant.
LSTing (low stress training) is when you bend the main stalk over, and tie it to the side of the pot...making the plant look horizontal. The main reason and benefit of this is, since the plant is now sideways, more light is exposed to the side/lower branches that is usually blocked by the top of the plant. The general idea of LSTing is to always keep the top of the plant tied down during vegetating so that when buds start to form, there with be more budsites closer to the light.
It is best to do this when you think the plant is tall enough to be bent over...I recommend it be AT LEAST 5 inches tall. Be very careful to not snap the stem because IT WILL SNAP if you aren't careful with your training. Therefore you should train the stalk over more and more everyday until it is safely horizontal across the pot. Use ties, ropes, strings, or whatever you can use to hold the top of the plant down. You also need to use a separate tie to reinforce the base of the stalk. To do this, loop some rope around the base of the stalk and tie it to your pot (you can poke a hole in your pot or just use tape to hold the ties to the pot) Make sure the loop is about an inch from the base of the stalk.
You will notice the next day that the leaves have turned towards the light again. This is good. A few more days will go by and you will notice that the top of the plant has grown out more. All you have to do is tie it back down by moving the tie up the stalk a bit. Try and keep your stalk as horizontal as possible the entire time. You will continue to do this almost every 2-3 days depending on how fast your plants grow. Also make sure the reinforcement tie is still holding the bottom of the stalk firmly. You might have to move it up every few days if it starts to not hold properly.
Over time, the side/lower branches will have made there way to the top, past of the canopy of leaves, and are now main branches! Instead of 1 main stalk, you now have 4-8 main stalks all getting the same amount of light penetration! This means more bud sites. This technique is very easy and preferred, especially if your plants have height restrictions since this keeps your plants really low profile.
All training and pruning/topping should be done in the vegetative stage.
…::::]Index[::::...
Taproot: Small white root that sprouts from the seed at germination.
Stigmas: Spike-shaped things that form at the nodes** (Not to be confused with pre-flowers.)
Nodes: Point where a branch and leaf stem meets the main stalk.
Calyx: Small pear-shaped buds that makeup most of the female cannabis flower. Has 1 or 2 pistils shooting it. Grows where a branch meets the main stem.
Transplant: To re-pot . To remove the plant, roots, and the soil from the pot, and re-plant into a larger medium.
Perlite: Soil additive. Small light white volcanic rock chunks that, when added to the soil, maintain a more airy, less saturated texture to the mix.
Peat: The base for most soil mixes.
Vermiculite: Soil additive. Small square-shaped chunks that retain water in the soil mix.
Mylar: Best known reflective material. Provides ~99% reflectivity.
White-Poly: Construction tarp. The white side of Black & White Poly can be used; usually black on one side and white on the other. White poly provides ~97% reflectivity.
Trichomes: Thousands of tiny cloudy mushroom-like formations containing THC. Appears as fuzz, frost, or sugar on buds. Trichomes start appearing on buds about half-way through the flowering stage. Trichomes form in order to block unwanted UV rays directly hitting the plant.
Pistils: Pistils early in flowering appear as small, fine white hairs coming out of the calyx**. Later, towards the second half of flowering, these hairs will turn to a more orange-reddish-brown color.
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thank you rona, home depot, my local hydro shop, birds, fish, worms, the internet, most of all Overgrow.com for all awesome people sharing their knowledge of growing Cannabis. and all the experts pushing for better genetics.
Icmag.com
Keep it green. Keep it cool.
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upcoming version:
pics, co2, strain genetics, guano teas, soilless mixes, growbox/cabinet construction, sick plant guide
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Hope everyone's stays warm with your plants tonight!
