From the second I took my first hit, I knew that I loved cannabis. The instant peace and alleviation that washed over my mind and body were undeniably amazing. I just wanted to turn every waking moment into a baking moment. I wanted to learn everything I could about marijuana, but mostly, I wanted to grow my own.
Daydreams of my closet being stuffed to the gills with potent plants made my little heart skip a beat. And I don’t think I’m the only one who has shared such a ganja-related goal. A lot of people have considered starting a home grow of their own, but it takes a lot more work than you may think.
Many inexperienced folks think their backyard garden is going to offer up all they need in order to create a sincerely dank creation. These nimrods are ignorantly ignoring the fact that for any plant life to grow, a laundry list of things needs to happen. They’ll need adequate sunlight, nutrients, protection from insects, and other things of this nature. They can’t just toss a seed, or clone, in the dirt in a “set it and forget it” type fashion.
That sort of stuff just doesn’t work.
Sure, that was the go-to technique back in the day, but that was only because the cannabis community didn’t know any better. Nowadays, we are armed with an extensive, ever-growing supply of data and knowledge about the various intricacies and details involved in growing cannabis, especially at home by a novice.
Seriously. There’s a ton of information out there about the dos and don’ts of growing. And it’s vital for home growers to study up as much as possible before even picking up a seedling or clone to get started.
The more you know, the better they’ll grow. It’s really as simple as that.
But, again, be warned: this process can be tedious, frustrating, and annoying at times. However, if you stick with it and keep that precious plant happy and healthy, the end result will prove all your efforts were more than worth it.
I’m a home grower, yes, but I am in no way an expert. Far from it, actually.
I’m still riding out my learning curve, as far as growing cannabis is concerned, but I’m no slouch in the field. I’ve picked up a thing or two along the way, and I’m more than happy to share them with you right now. But, remember, just because something worked for me, doesn’t mean it’ll automatically work for you. Each plant and grow environment is different, so be sure everything lines up with your situation before taking any more steps forward in the process.
Speaking of, before we get any further into this collection of information surrounding home grows, it’s important to know just how much your state will allow you to grow. So, looking up their specific rules and regulations about this subject is vital to the process.
In Los Angeles, there are a few things the government has put in place that you should be aware of before growing.
One, you need to be at least 21 years old if you even want to think about growing cannabis of your own. Which makes sense. I mean, that’s how old you need to be to enjoy it, so it only stands to reason that you’d have to be that old to grow it. So, that shouldn’t come as any surprise.
Second, you can only grow up to six plants at a time, and they all must be growing at your current place of residence. You can’t grow at a buddy’s house, you have to live there. This may lead you to believe that indoor grows are the only option. And you’d be half-right about that.
In California, the somewhat vague laws surrounding the growing of cannabis allow every city to make its own decision about outdoor home grows. So, before you head out to the backyard, make sure to go online and see how your city feels about such an endeavor. If they are okay with it, you’ll still need to make sure that your plants can’t be seen by the public, and that they are securely guarded with some sort of locking system.
However, if you choose the smarter route and go with an indoor grow, you will be able to accomplish all of those mandatory requirements, in addition to having full control of your growing environment. Which, to me, always seems like the wiser choice. But it’s completely up to you.
That’s pretty much it. You should obviously do some research to see if your specific area has any other unforeseen regulations on the matter, but other than that, I’d say you’re good to go. That is if you meet all of the state’s requirements. If you do, be sure to keep the following tips in mind as you proceed with your home grow experiment.
Every single plant is different, as I’m sure you already know. But, even though strains differ greatly in genetics and whatnot, there a few things that are standard in every grow, regardless of the flower. The first of which being patience.
I truly wish someone would’ve warned me about how much patience I was going to need throughout the grow process. If you are under the impression you can take a clone from start to finish in under a month, I have some sour news for you.
This procedure takes weeks to complete, and even when it’s all said and done, you have to hang your buds upside down for additional weeks to allow them to dry out properly. It’s like the plant is taunting you for an eternity. But, I promise you, if you keep eyes on the prize, and don’t allow the ticking clock to dominate your mindset, you’ll be able to fire up your homegrown creations in no time, and they will be of the highest quality because you didn’t mess with the process.
That said, do not expedite the growing procedure in any way. These sorts of things take time, and any shortcuts taken may only serve to ruin the entire crop, so just do things by the book, and everything should end up fine.
You’ll also need to read up on modern indoor grow equipment.
You’ll need to assess the current closet real estate you’re working with and go from there. But, at the very least, you’ll need an adequate pot, the right soil, proper nutrients, a pH testing kit, a specialized LED lighting system, a mini fan for aeration, and that’s just the tip of the cannabis iceberg. However, with the proper amount of research, you should be able to acquire all of those things for a moderate price.
Obviously, there’s a ton of other aspects that go into completing a successful home grow of your own, but it really all comes back to research. You’ll need to learn what your city and state’s restrictions are on the matter, make sure you meet those requirements, and then you can get to work on your ganja. And even then, don’t think the learning process has stopped. Quite the contrary.
This is when you’ll want to tap into the cannabis community more than ever, through forums and books, to learn how to tackle every step of the growing process in the correct way. With all that, I’m sure you’ll be able to cultivate some truly respectable herb every single time.
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