The 5 Most Common Mistakes When Cultivating Marijuana from Seeds

Cannabis is a plant species that grows in all latitudes and its cultivation is quite simple as long as you take into account some essential factors, particularly if you are looking to obtain the best result from your marijuana seeds or marijuana clones/cuttings

In this post we’ll discuss the most common mistakes people make when growing marijuana.

1. BAD CHOICE OF GENETICS

The first mistake that a novice grower can make is choosing the wrong genetics to grow. Not all genetics work in the same way and trying to get good results with bad genetics can lead to huge disappointment as well as loss of time and money.

First of all we need to ask ourselves some simple questions to be clear about the conditions at our disposal for our cultivation.

We need to take into account if the crop is going to be indoor or outdoor and what space and light conditions this offers, For example, if we grow on a balcony it is not a good idea to choose a plant that develops a lot in height, and if we have a street lamp in front of the balcony we can reduce the damage by cultivating an autoflowering variety.

Another important factor when choosing genetics is to be clear about the influence of weather conditions, for example if we grow in a cold and rainy climate, choosing a long flowering variety is unlikely to be successful, since in these conditions only experienced growers achieve good results as they know how to avoid problems related to botrytis (bud rot) and other fungi that appear with excess moisture.

When in doubt, you can always write to our technical office.

2. ERRORS IN PLANT NUTRITION

It is important to note that each variety has its own nutritional needs, which become more distinct the higher the genetic purity, either Indica or Sativa

Cannabis seed banks do not usually indicate the nutrition required by each strain. The only data that can guide us is to look at the percentage of Indica/Sativa hybrid, and from there calculate the levels of fertilizer needed.

Fertilizer manufacturers are legally obliged to indicate the concentration of macro and micronutrients in their products and the correct method and delivery dosage to obtain best results.

So, take into account the type of plant that you are going to grow and the instructions of a reliable fertilizer manufacturer. If you want to experiment, it is better to do it with one plant, observe and record the results so that you can repeat in case of success. Above all, when in doubt, remember: with fertilizer, less is more!

3. FAILURE TO RESPECT THE PLANT’S LIGHTING NEEDS

This is one of the most common mistakes in outdoor crops. Many growers who approach the marijuana plant for the first time, think that a balcony, a seed, a pot with soil and water are all you need to get a successful crop and unfortunately this is not the case, since for example the cannabis plant needs a minimum of 6 hours a day of direct irradiation. Therefore, in addition to consulting the outdoor cultivation calendar, it is very important to choose the correct garden orientation to ensure these minimum lighting requirements are met.

The night should be total darkness, so unless you grow an autoflowering variety, a nearby street light can cause untold damage to crop yield and duration.

Indoors, the most common errors are related to the lack or excess of light power, it is also worth noting the problems caused by electrical equipment in poor condition, which, as well as causing low production in our plants, can risk the safety of our house and all its inhabitants. We recommend checking the electrical equipment every time you start a crop and if you have the slightest doubt consult a professional or just change the suspect element.

It is also useful to keep in mind that placing the plants close together means they cast shadows between them and may not receive enough light, leading to stretched growth and spongy or fluffy buds.

Remember that each plant needs its space in the light.

4. FAILURE TO CONTROL CULTURE TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY

Climate control is often one of the most neglected factors in indoor growing. Growers put a lot of energy into looking for the best genetics and the best fertilizers, but none of this will ensure a good result if the temperature frequently drops below 10° or rises to 35°.

Low humidity facilitates the development of pests, and high humidity can cause rot and fungli, aside from interfering in the correct development of the plant.

Even if we are cultivating in a place where we can maintain the proper temperature and humidity parameters, we will always need an extraction / introjection system to renew the air, and a fan that removes it, avoiding a tornado effect or stale air in the environment.

A climate controller is a very useful tool and one of the first investments you should make.

In outdoor crops, follow the guidance of a cultivation calendar, where approximate planting dates will help match the temperature with the stage of the plant.

5. INSUFFICIENT SPACE FOR ROOT DEVELOPMENT

A basic error of many cannabis growers is to not provide the roots with enough space for proper development.

In addition to an optimal substrate or growing medium, the roots need space to develop their full potential. When the root has filled the available space, its growth will start to strangle other roots. This competition reduces the energy of the plant and obviously results in a smaller harvest and lower resistance to external agents such as pests, fungi, water deficiencies and other stress factors.

The size of the pot dictates the size of our plant, the experience of cultivation and knowledge of genetics can play in our favour, and taking all of these things into account will help us to obtain large plants, or control their dimensions if space is an issue.

For inexperienced growers we recommend pots of a minimum 5 or 7 litres, while outdoors, whenever possible, it is advisable to plant directly into the earth.

It is important to remember that after transplanting, the plants will need an adaptation period of almost a week, before they will return to their normal development rate, so give them lots of tranquility, patience, confidence, and love – yes, plants feel this too!.

Finally, we want to emphasize that overcoming cultivation errors will not help if our plants are not cut at the right time or dried and matured properly. Coming soon: More tips on how to get the best final result, in the meantime, please consult our technical office if you have any questions.

*Advisor: Mr. Manuel Ramiro, Technical Research Assistant for the “Soil Microbiology and Symbiotic Systems”, and “Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry” Departments of the Higher Council of Scientific Research (CSIC)