So, your state legislators have seen the light, and now weed is legal in your state? Congratulations! You’re living the dream. And, growing your own supply can ensure you never have another “dry day.” But, before you get excited, you need to know that cultivating some righteous buds presents some unique challenges. 

Sure, the internet has loads of information. But, Googling “How to Grow” often presents a massive data dump of confusing information for newbies and hobbyists. Fortunately, we’ve been there, done all that, and we’d love to help make it easier for you. 

Follow along as we present a clear step-by-step guide. We promise you’ll be flexing your green thumb with the best of them by the time you’re done reading this. 

The Tools You’ll Need 

Aside from light, cannabis plants need some space so they can thrive. Getting a grow tent comes highly recommended. It allows you to grow your weed indoors even if you live in a studio apartment. You can set up and take down the tent without any help. 

What’s more, you can get a customized set that comes with hydroponic equipment. Some kits even come with additional cloning and vegetative units. But, you don’t need all that stuff when starting. So, aim for the basics!

Some other gear you may need include; 

1. Lights 

Weed needs light for photosynthesis, just like any other plant. You’ll need to provide an artificial light source when growing it indoors. Standard lighting kits include; 

• Bulbs 
• Ballasts 
• Reflectors 
• Switches with timers 

High-Intensity Discharge lighting (HID) units come highly recommended. Such kits don’t come cheap, so you could opt for high-pressure sodium lights, LED or fluorescent lighting kits. Such systems cover the entire grow tent and while giving you a decent level of control.  

2. An Air Control System  

Have you ever wondered why some people refer to weed as dank nuggets? It’s because weed plants produce an odor so distinct that it can overpower your home if not controlled.  

You can control this with; 

• An exhaust fan keeps the air flowing and reduces humidity levels. 
• An activated carbon filter to reduce carbon levels that can affect flowering 
• A thermometer to help you monitor temperature levels in the grow tent. 
• A hygrometer to keep track of humidity  

3. Seeds 

Do you remember to save some seeds? You could ask your friend for some clones or hit up your local dispensary if you don’t have seeds. If neither of those options work, you could order some seeds online and have them mailed to you.  

But remember to have them shipped to a different place if it’s not legal to grow weed in your state. The same thing goes for States that require you to have a permit for growing weed. 

4. Soil 

Have you seen those crazy people that grow weed without any soil on YouTube? Well, they’ve probably perfected the art of hydroponics. Just as you needed to crawl before you walk, so too must you use soil before you can grow weed without it. 

You’ll need some loose (loamy) soil and 3-5 gallon buckets. Please ensure to put some evenly spaced holes in the bottom of the bucket to prevent overwatering. Add a saucer on the bottom of the bucket to capture the overflow. 

Finally, you’ll also need some fertilizer/nutrients to ensure your weed grows to produce strong and healthy buds and leaves. 

Tools, check! Now let’s grow some weed. 

Growing Weed: Simplified 

Now that you have all this setup and you’ve rooted your clones or seeds. It’s time to ensure your plants have the conditions for optimal growth. 

Start By:

• Move your reflector a little lower, so it’s closer to the plant. This prevents the plant from branching out to get the light it needs to grow. 
• You’ll need to adjust the lights by moving them higher as the plant grows. 
• Weed needs 18 hours of light for optimal growth. So, set your lighting timer to be off for 6 hours a day. 

Only auto-flowering produces flowers in the vegetative stage. So, don’t worry if all you see a stalk, leaves, and branches. Just give it some time. Cannabis plants favor wet/dry soil conditions, so don’t overwater the plant. It’s also essential not to overfeed the plants. 

Keep track of how the leaves look since the first sign of overfeeding or overwatering is burnt/dry leaf tips. Plants have a hard time growing in a limited space. Therefore, choosing the right strain of Indica or Sativa is essential.  Some weed strains that thrive in grow tents include; 

• AK-47
• Amnesia Haze
• Northern Lights
• OG Kush

• Blackberry Kush

Pest and Disease Control 

Growing weed indoors allows you to avoid aphids and other pests that affect weed in outdoor conditions. But, flies can still find a way into your grow tent. You can eliminate them by hanging some fly strips. 

You should also avoid compost soil as it may carry eggs or pupa that may have known disease. If you opt for clones, you should consider sanitizing them before rooting them into your indoor environment. It also helps to keep your grow area sanitized. 

This implies washing your hands and tools before touching your plants. Putting on a clean dustcoat also helps in controlling disease-causing pathogens.    

Pruning to Maximize Yields 

Pruning allows you to control the shape of the plant as it grows. It can even produce more buds when you start early. Please take note of the nodes (where new shoots spring from) and trim off the above branches. 

This may increase the time the plant remains in the vegetative stage. But. It pays off by increasing yields even though space is limited. You can stop pruning once the first flowers emerge.

If you’re concerned about the branches reaching the lights, you can tie them down. Alternatively, you can create a canopy out of chicken mesh wire to prevent this spread.  

Inducing the Flowering Stage 

Weed plants usually stretch by a few feet when they start flowering. So, it essential to consider the availability of space while the plant is in the vegetative stage. You can control this by switching to flowering nutrients five weeks into the vegetative stage. 

Weed also needs less light during the flowering stage. Switching to a 12-hour schedule ensures the plant produces perfect flowers. It helps to take some precautions not to disrupt the 12 hours when the plants need total darkness. Any light during such a period disrupts the plant and can result in negative yields. 

Harvesting 

Settling on the perfect time to harvest separated the pros from the newbies. For that, you’ll need a powerful magnifier scope such as a loupe (the type that jewelers use) to look at the trichomes. These are tiny crystal-like heads that look like mushrooms, which form on the buds. But, you could use your smartphone camera if you lack a Loupe. 

If the trichomes appear cloudy, then the harvest is not yet ripe. Once they turn into a consistent shade of amber, then it’s time to harvest. Trim the plants at the bud and hang them out to dry. 

Drying 

Buds need 1 to 2 weeks to dry (depending on humidity. Such a process can be shortened to 3-5 days if you love that righteous green chlorophyll haze to your bud. You can add a humidifier to your drying area if it’s a little stuffy to discourage mold/rot. 

Curing  

Curing is the secret to producing nuggets that have a consistent burn and perfect taste. You’ll need to put your bud in an opaque jar for about 3 weeks to achieve such a quality to your bud. This process sweats all the moisture left in the weed after drying. 

Bonus Tip: The Smart Pot Method 

If space is not an issue, you can use the smart pot method to grow bigger plants. This method uses breathable bags instead of a bucket to ensure that the roots spread more evenly. As a result, you get bigger branches and a higher yield. 

A Few Handy Notes for Hydroponic Gardens 

you can take the training wheels off once you’re comfortable with growing weed in soil. A hydro set up allows you to do that. It also produces some buds that would impress even the choosiest of weed connoisseurs.  

For this, you’ll need; 

• A whole room dedicated to growing weed
• A spray emitter system that releases 360 degrees of water a day for 2 minutes 
• High quality yet light nutrient media 
• A top of the line lighting, temperature, and humidity control system 

All this can be quite costly and may require loads of attention. The steps we’ve shared can do for now. As they say, “you’ve got to crawl before you walk.” 

The Final Toke 

These steps will help you grow weed in a small space without attracting any unwanted attention. Now that you have all the basics, you can take a seed and harvest some buds in 3 – 4 months. Please remember to pay close attention to your plants in each stage to get the best yield.