If you’re thinking about growing some weed indoors, you’re in good company. As marijuana becomes legalized throughout much of the country—and the world—more and more growers are turning to marijuana cultivation as a way to exercise their green thumbs (and make a bit of money on the side).
Whether you’re looking to start a new home gardening business or you simply want to cultivate a new hobby, learning how to grow weed indoors is a smart choice.
Here’s how to do it.
Why Should You Grow Weed Indoors?
Growing weed indoors presents a ton of benefits. Not only will you be able to control all variables, from the airflow, light, temperature, and humidity, but you’ll be able to keep pests and diseases away, too.
You can enhance productivity as your plants will be grown in a more consistent growing environment—plus, when done correctly, it’s eco-friendly.
Perfecting Your Environment
No matter where you live, growing weed indoors is a smart choice because it will allow you maximum control over every aspect of your environment. To get started, though, you’ll need to decide whether a grow tent, grow room, or greenhouse is right for you.
Many people choose to grow weed in a grow tent or grow rooms because they are discreet and hidden. If you have nosy neighbors, you can easily hide your budding new business in a quiet closet in your home. It will allow you to maximize the space you already have without needing to spend much money.
Just keep in mind that you will need to consider variables like lighting, cleanliness, space, and convenience. All plants have slightly different needs when it comes to the amount of space they take up and how much light they need. In general, though your grow area will need to be light-tight and have incredible sanitation.
You are going to need to be able to adjust the lighting in every period of growth—when the lights are off, the temperature should be around 58 to 70 degrees Celsius. When they’re on, temperatures should be between 70 and 85 degrees.
Plus, you’ll have to maintain humidity levels of 40 to 60% at all times.
What You Need to Get Started
You should definitely start small with your new weed growing business—but that doesn’t mean you need to skimp on the essentials.
At the very least, you will need a set of grow lights, a mechanical timer, and a fan. You may also want to invest in a cabin filter (which will attach to your exhaust fan), a thermometer, and a hygrometer, too. These last two tools should be positioned as far away from the lights as possible for the most accurate readings.
Selecting the Perfect Seeds
Once your grow room is set up and ready to go, you can order your seeds. The best seeds are those that are purchased from a reputable seed source with good genetics. They should be dry, dark, and hard.
Otherwise, you’ll get to do some shopping around. You can choose from indica, sativa, or hybrid strains, each of which offers numerous benefits. All three types are going to be highly marketable to other customers, too. Some of the most popular strains, just to name a few, include:
- Moby Dick Auto
- Super Skunk
- Northern Lights
- Sour Diesel
- Durban Poison
Step-by-Step Guide to Growing Weed Indoors
Germinate Your Seeds
Once you have all of your seeds and equipment gathered, it’s time to start growing weed indoors. Your first step is to germinate the seeds. Our seeds will need more humidity now than they will at any other time—at least 70% but as high as 90% for some strains. Provide them with constant light and warm temperatures, soaking your seeds between two sheets of paper towels atop a plate. The paper towels should be damp, but not soaking wet.
Let Them Sprout
After a few days of germination, your seeds will finally emerge and develop into seedlings. Once the white root of the seedling is about two millimeters long, you can move them to the growing medium. Keep this medium damp, but not soggy.
Enter the Vegetative Stage
You’ll have to wait some time for your seedlings to exit the seedling stage and enter the vegetative stage. However, once they do, keep in mind that they are going to need frequent watering and regular doses of fertilizers (especially nitrogen). They will also need about 18 hours of light per day.
The vegetative stage is also a great time to remove any male plants if you have any. They aren’t doing anything for you—only female plants produce buds.
Begin the Flowering Stage
The flowering stage is the last big step before your plants will be fully mature—but it’s one of the most important. In the flowering stage, your plants will start pushing out buds and flowers, growing up to 50% larger as they do so.
Towards the end of the flowering stage, the buds will get thicker and begin to release a heavy, somewhat sweet odor. Avoid adding nutrients at this stage, and wait until the trichomes are amber-colored and opaque.
Harvest, Cure, and Store Your Crop
Once your trichomes are the perfect color and consistency, it’s time to harvest! You will want to keep the humidity lower than it has been—around 50%—and start by cutting the main stem before hanging the plants to dry on a line.
Wait for about a week, then trim your plants removing any brown leaves or those that don’t have any trichomes. Once you’ve harvested your buds, you can store them in an airtight jar and store it in a cool, dark place. Open it just twice a day, and after five weeks, your weed will be cured and ready for sale.
It might sound complicated, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to produce a productive crop of marijuana for years to come—all in the comfort of your own home. Thanks to Weekend Gardener, an infographic will help you get used to the process and be much more at ease. View the infographic and full article here.
