10 Big Beginner Mistakes When Growing Cannabis

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10 Big Beginner Mistakes When Growing Cannabis

Estimated 5-minute read

You can grow your own cannabis. It is simpler than you may think. However, there are a few pitfalls for you to avoid. These are common mistakes usually made by those who have never grown cannabis before. If you avoid these common mistakes, you will grow healthy and happy plants. This will produce large-high-quality flowers that will provide you with the exact results you are looking for.

Using Low-Quality Seeds

If you have ever found bag seeds, your natural impulse is to toss them in the ground and see what happens. After all, the seeds were free. Consider that you have no idea what you will get if the seeds even germinate. You may exert a lot of effort and even invest money into growing seeds that will never germinate or will produce male plants. Your best bet is to purchase feminized seeds from a reputable source. This way, everything you invest into your plants will result in the kinds of buds you are looking for rather than a disappointment.

Giving Too Many Nutrients

As with anything we like, there is a tendency to overdo it. The mindset is that if some are good that more will be better. This is not true when it comes to cannabis plants and nutrients. If you go overboard, your plant will cease growth and sustain what is known as nutrient burn. Pay attention to your plants and the leaves. If you notice discoloration or wilting leaves, that is a sign of nutrient burn. When your plant absorbs too much of the nutrients, it blocks the path for water. This will cause your plant to suffer and possibly even die.

Using the Wrong Fertilizer

Your cannabis plant needs the right environment to grow in. This means the right kind of soil with the right fertilizer. The soil itself should be able to drain, so you are not drowning the roots of your plant when you water it. This goes hand in hand with your fertilizer. The nutrients provided by the fertilizer should be specially formulated for your plants. Keep in mind that not all plants are the same. You may want to do a little bit of research to find out the specific mix of nutrients you want to be present in your fertilizer to get the best results.

Not Maintaining the Correct PH Level

Most cannabis plants prefer a PH level of 6 to 7. This is easily achieved if you are keeping an eye on everything. If you are checking your soil constantly, you will have the opportunity to make corrections before anything terrible happens to your plants. There are even products available on the market that will help neutralize soil that is either too high or too low on the PH scale. The best way to check the PH in your soil is with a PH test kit or with an instant PH pen. You should check your soil on a weekly basis at a minimum.

Harvesting Prematurely

We all get excited when we grow things. When it comes time to harvest, spend a little less time thinking about tossing the buds in your herb vaporizer. Concentrate on getting the timing right. The best way to get the timing right is with a microscope. Take a close look at the flowers themselves. You will notice tiny trichomes that resemble mushrooms. The color of these trichomes will determine if your flowers are ready to be harvested or not. The sweet spot you are looking for is when they are cloudy white with about 10%-20% starting to turn an amber hue. If the trichomes are clear or all amber, you harvested too early or too late respectively.

Using the Wrong Genetics

Rather than using bag seeds or clones, you may want to start with automatic seeds. These grow quickly and are feminized to produce large buds in a short period of time. As discussed above, bag seeds are a waste of your time and money. Clones tend to be infested with bugs and diseases. Rather than taking a risk, you are better off spending a little bit more money on seeds that will deliver the first time.

Denying the Right Amount of Light

If you are growing outside, you will not have to worry about light conditions. Just make sure your plants are not crowded by other light stealing shade plants. If you are growing indoors, you will need to pay attention to how close the lights are. If the lights are too far away, the plant will shoot up trying to reach the light and will become too unstable to support flowers. You will have to constantly adjust the light levels to ensure they are the perfect distance from your plants as they grow. Look for elongated sections or wilting as these are signs that your lights are too far or too close, respectively.

Over or Under Watering

Even if you have soil that drains, you can still overwater your plant. This will drown the roots and kill the plant. Transversely, if you don’t water enough, your plants will struggle to survive and begin to wilt. You will need to adjust your watering depending on weather conditions if you are outside. If you are inside, you should water regularly on a schedule paying close attention to your soil and your plant. A normal watering schedule would be every couple of days. If you are unsure, you can feel the soil. Insert your finger to the first knuckle. If the soil is dry, it needs water. However, if you feel moist soil, abstain from watering more.

Too Many Seeds In One Pot

If you crowd your seeds into one pot, the root systems will be in constant competition. The plants will compete for light, and the roots will tangle and choke each other. One plant will steal nutrients and water from the soil causing the others to die off. If you are unlucky, all the plants will die from not getting enough space. You are better off growing one plant per pot. This will give it plenty of space to anchor roots and grow to its fullest potential.

As you can see, there are quite a few dos and don’ts when it comes to growing your own cannabis. It is possible to be successful even if it is your first time. Have patience and be observant. Spending a little bit of time every day with your plants will help you maintain a constant eye on them so you can head off problems. After your first harvest, you will be excited to grow more. It is a great way to have fun and even save some money in the process.

Author: Michael Jacobs

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