Growing your own cannabis plant can be very rewarding. It’s a great feeling to watch seeds that you have planted thrive into strong, healthy plants. Of course, the biggest reward is a monetary one. Plants grown outside, with the proper light, nutrients, water and space that don’t get attacked by disease or pests, can yield from 200 to 400 grams of cannabis per plant. Indoor growing will usually yield about half that amount and depends on the amount of space, light and proper nutrients the plant receives.
Whether growing outside or inside, both yields will keep you in cannabis for a long time. Everyone’s habits vary so that the exact length of time can only be determined by you. One gram will give you approximately 2 joints so, for example, if you smoke a joint a day, a 200 gram yield will last over a year! That’s where the Grow and Share platform helps you share part of your yield with other community members and lets you enjoy more than one strain! Cannabis enthusiasts can share up to 30 grams with other members.
Basics for a successful cannabis crop
Yield and quality of bud don’t mean the same thing, yield being the amount of product harvested at the end of the cycle and quality refers to producing a flower that is full of cannabinoids and terpenes. The genetics of some cannabis strains deliver large, tall plants and big yields. When growing outside, certain strains, such as Indicas generally can survive better in cold dry weather; others such as Sativas thrive in warm, humid weather.
Research the strains and find one that suits your available space, length of time your setup allows to maximize growth and if growing outdoors, which strains work with the climate in your area.
Give your plants time to grow
When you are growing outdoors, climate plays a big part in how quickly you can plant your seeds. If you have the equipment, you can start your seeds inside and move them outside once the weather allows. Plant size isn’t limited when growing outdoors but you must give your plants the necessary time to grow.
When you are growing indoors, your plants will usually be smaller; the size being dependent on the space available to you. If you are using a confined space versus a large basement, the plant size will differ substantially. A small place will restrict the duration of the growing period, resulting in smaller plants. If possible, try to grow your plant where there is quite a lot of height so that they don’t get burned by the grow lights.
Space is important for a plant’s growth and will play a big part in both the size and yield. It is necessary to give your plant as much time from germination to harvest as possible.
Cannabis plants need a lot of light
Light is one of the most important “foods” for your plant and it is therefore important to plant them where they are optimally able to receive a minimum of 6 hours of light a day. When planting outside, climate can vary a great deal and therefore so can your plant size and yield. Cold snaps or heat waves can affect both size and yield.
Indoors, your yield will depend on how powerful your lights are, among other variables. The light for indoor growing versus outdoor light can be more easily regulated. There are several types of lighting setups which will vary both in the cost to purchase them and the amount of electricity used. Fluorescent, HID (high intensity discharge) and LED are the most common to choose from.
Finally, a healthy, high yielding plant will need a good growing medium and nutrients. There are a large number of companies selling a wide variety of nutrients, both organic and chemical. Chemical or synthetic fertilizers have exact mixes of Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus which can have an immediate effect on your plant growth versus organic or natural fertilizers that can take more time for the nutrients to be absorbed into the soil or other grow medium.
You must always flush your plants 2 weeks before harvesting to ensure you are not smoking the chemicals from the fertilizers.