Every farmer’s goal is to cultivate a high yielding crop with a reasonable budget and minimum space requirements. Cannabis farming is no exception, as better yields mean better returns, whether you are growing for the buds or extraction. To get the best out of your Cannabis crop, consider these tactful guidelines:
Establish Your Goals
Knowing your goals and ensuring that they are realistic is the first step to a rewarding experience. It is prudent to have a plan covering all aspects, from propagation to marketing, if you want a seamless process. The first step is to establish your growing goals and part of this implies setting a target in terms of output. Working with clearly outlined figures will ensure that every step of growing, including germination, vegetative and budding, aligns with the expected yield and any unfavorable deviations are rectified on time.
Get the Right Seeds
Seeds are the building blocks for your farm and the most important input for the entire cultivation process. There is a wide variety of weed seeds in the market, and you need to find out what seed best suits your area. Don’t purchase your seed just because it is purported to give high yields or the cheapest around. Neither should you assume that high prices guarantee high yields as many factors go into play when it comes to successful farming. Ensure that your strain is suited to your area’s climatic conditions to give your crop a better chance to grow optimally.
Create the Ideal Environment for the strain you are Growing
Maintaining a conducive environment for your Cana plants throughout the growth cycle determines your outcome. The ideal environment puts great consideration to ensure the crucial elements, lighting, humidity, temperature, and airflow, are set to complement your plants’ growth. Light is the most vital element in the cluster as it greatly determines your yield. Adequate light intensity is essential across all strains for bigger plants and healthier buds. Too much humidity will lead to mold problems, while too little leads to stunted plants. High temperatures reduce your buds’ potency, especially during flowering, while insufficient air is akin to starving your plants.
Group Similar Strains Together
Sometimes a farmer may be forced to grow different strains in the same environment. While Cannabis is generally a tolerant plant, its different qualities and requirements mean some plants will thrive better than others. Some strains are short and bushy, while others grow much taller and might have big nutrition needs a variance. Different varieties might also require different durations to mature and pose a logistics headache. Growing strains that share similar requirements makes management of the plants easier and allows a farmer to achieve better uniformity, especially in the yield.
Provide Enough Space for Root Development
Your plants’ roots are like propellers to a ship, unseen but furiously working underneath, and just like bigger ships require bigger propellers, the same principle is at play in plants. Bigger roots will ensure bigger plants and, therefore, bigger yields. Proper root functioning requires adequate space and ensuring that your roots grow within the recommended conditions is vital for your plants’ overall growth. If you are skeptical of your plants’ root spacing, seek the guidance of reputable Cannabis seed dealers like Homegrown Cannabis Company for accurate leads.
Train Your Plants on Time
Whether you are growing your plants in a greenhouse or out in the open, training your plants is essential to ensure all the buds get maximum light, which is necessary for better yields. Marijuana plants are trained using trellises and netting, and knowing the right time to apply them is crucial. Trellising is done in steps and should be done before flowering. Flowering is the most sensitive stage of growth, and any slight changes to the plant during this stage can cause undue stress, leading to fewer, thinner buds and lower yields.
Plan for Proper Nutrition
Ensuring you have all the required nutrients for proper growth is essential for big yields. This largely involves knowing plants the symptoms of various deficiencies and supplying adequate amounts of insufficient nutrients to solve them. There are many nutrient brands, and identifying a reputable nutrient manufacturer goes a long way to ensure your nutrition products are mixed in the required ratios and genuine. It is advisable to use nutrient formulations from one brand and only use the recommended quantities as excess applications are wasteful and may do more harm than good to your plants.
Have a Clear Pest Management Plan
Like most plants, Cannabis growing is bound to encounter pest problems, no matter how much you try. Common Cannabis pests include thrips, aphids, spider mites, caterpillars, black flies, green flies, and whiteflies. Different pests require different formulations for eradication, and there is rarely a one-size-fits-all in pest management. You need to make an accurate identification of the pest and the best time to spot them is early dawn or at sunset when they are most active. Controlling the pest population protects your plants and ensures maximum yields.
Make Plans for Harvesting
As your plants mature, you need to have proper plans in place to ensure your yield remains fresh and safe from the elements. A few days of reckless handling could see months of hard work go down the drain. Proper Cannabis storage entails ensuring that your harvest is stored in well-aerated conditions, cured well, controlled temperatures, and adequate humidity levels to maintain potency and appearance. Light is detrimental to trichomes, responsible for your plant’s potency and proper Cannabis storage keeps out all light. In essence, Cannabis is best stored in a cool, dark environment before use.
Cannabis cultivation is not a piece of cake, especially in the absence of clear goals. While experience is a great teacher, having these guidelines at hand will go a long way to ensure you get the best yields even on your first trial. Higher yields are not just great for your pockets but an essential to keep you motivated to continue producing the best weed quality.