Today, we’re going to tackle the basics of growing weed indoors for the beginners who don’t have a big budget. Keep in mind, we’re only scratching the surface here to get your journey underway. In essence, you’re setting out to form a very close bond with a living organism that you must care for. It’s complicated and there’s a lot involved.
However, what you need to know to set out is easy to swallow. Let’s dive right into it.
Cordon Off Some Space
This is why indoor growing has the potential to be much cheaper than outdoor (especially if you don’t live somewhere with plenty of sunshine). There’s no need to build anything or get all the stuff involved in transporting energy and water outside. And then of course there’s the privacy issue.
Assuming you’re just an average individual looking for a personal supply, all you need is two plants. A closet will do. A little cubby under the stairs perhaps. You can control how the plants grow by pruning and other measures, but not much room is needed regardless. Then, to save yourself all the muss and fuss, just look into inexpensive ready-to-go indoor growing tents.
Check out this article from CollegeofCannabis.com: “The Best Grow Tent Kit for the Money: The Top 13 Reviewed.”
• As a basic rule of thumb you want to shoot for is keeping the area where you’re growing at 25°C. Once you drop below 20°C and get over 30°C you’re going to start running into problems.
• If you’re worried about the smell then be prepared to spend more money on things like carbon filters, extra tubing, more ventilation equipment, ozone generators, etc. If it’s not an issue then that’s fabulous!
The Lighting Issue
Here’s a quote directly from the mecca of marijuana: Amsterdam. The Dutch Passion seed company puts it like this:
“Most indoor growers use HPS lights. These are a low-cost and effective way of growing. LED lights have been improving dramatically in the last 2 years, they’re still a little too expensive for many people. But the results we’ve seen with them show that technically they’re now really delivering excellent performance. If you buy a grow tent you’ll normally get a manufacturers recommendation about the size of LEDs/lamp and size of extraction fan.”
You can MacGyver your way through many other aspects of indoor weed growing, but you need to make sure your lighting is on par or it’s all for not. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce consumption so that your energy bill doesn’t go up too much and displace savings that were the intention of growing your own in the first place. That’s where LED grow lights come into play because of 50 to 90 percent less energy consumption than HPS variants.
Choose Your Soil (or Lack Thereof)
One of the most amazing things about the Cannabis plant is that it can grow in a variety of mediums. We’re talking everything from hydroponics and different kinds of pebbles (like clay), to Rockwool and everyday soil. All that matters is this: your plants’ roots get the nutrients they need.
Because soil is readily available and likely free, go with soil. If you head out back expect to invest in some nutritional products. Or, you could just head online (BioBizz, Canna, Plagron, etc.) or to your nearest nursery and grab some enriched soil. While the soil itself seems more expensive, in the long run you’re likely to save money… believe that.
Plus, when you shop with these types of companies, you’ll typically get access to containers at discounted prices. Then of course you’ll also have reliable access to any additives or supplements at discounted prices vs. the local nursery or Home Depot most likely.
“Dude, can I bum a few seeds?”
Unless you have direct access to high quality seeds it’s not typically going to be that easy. It’s not impossible, but most often no one will know exactly what kind of plant the seeds in your bag came from.
Save yourself time and trouble and head online. If you search around for feminized seeds you’ll likely end up on websites with the word “Amsterdam” plastered across them.
As you can see they’re not expensive and by getting them this way you know exactly what you’re getting and then you can do all your research yourself. You can Google any one of those types of seeds and their plants and kaboom…insta-info. Let’s look at the relevant specs for Bianca Feminized Seeds:
• Yield indoor Up to 525 gram / 18.5 ounces per sq meter
• Height indoor Up to 90 cm / 35 inch
• lowering time 6 to 8 weeks
• Grow difficulty Easy to grow
That’s it, folks! Get high responsibly and do share your comments with us. And while you’re here, why not take a minute to subscribe to our newsletter?
Ali Asjad is a content strategist based in Stockholm, Sweden. He helps companies in vast and varied verticals be more successful and visible online. Circle him on Google+ to further the conversation.
