Legalized cannabis use is rising in the US and other countries. A 2018 study revealed that cannabis consumption among teens is decreasing while its usage among American adults is going upward. The trend isn’t different among other countries that have legalized cannabis. The international market is growing fast, with Forbes showing that the worldwide cannabis industry hit $31.4 billion before the end of 2020.
But how do you grow your cannabis after buying the best cannabis seeds? This post explores various cultivation methods for growing cannabis, regardless of your chosen strain. Read on to learn more.
What Are Cannabis Strains?
Let’s examine different cannabis strains that can be grown from autoflower and feminized cannabis seeds before delving into their growing techniques. Those with basic cannabis knowledge have interacted with words like indica, sativa, and hybrid. These three are the main categories under which the plant’s varieties fall (a rarer strain type is ruderalis; it’s rarely used for medicinal and recreational purposes).
Indica is a strain originating from the Hindu Kush mountains in India. It has a relaxing effect on users. Sativa has a more energizing impact, while hybrid combines the properties of its genetic ancestors.
However, some industry experts are reconsidering these three categories, as the plants’ flower chemical composition shows no distinguishable differences among them. Therefore, users shouldn’t be shocked if an energizing sativa strain has a more mellowing impact or an indica has a bubbly effect. The choice of your optimal strain for a specific health condition is usually a matter of trial and error, proper dosing, and selection of timing.
Techniques for Growing Different Strains
Whether you buy cannabis seeds under indica, sativa, or hybrid categories, you will eventually grow them using one of the three techniques discussed here. Below are the main cannabis cultivation methods.
Organics
Organics is the most popular growing method. It involves soil use and plant or manure-based compost. These soils are rich in living organisms that slowly break down soil components and release plant nutrients.
Many users who have tasted cannabis products testify that organically grown plants have a richer terpene profile than those grown using other methods. Such cannabis tastes and smells better. It’s no wonder organically cultivated cannabis flowers command higher retail prices.
However, starting an organic commercial cannabis plantation can be a bit challenging. You need raw ingredients for the soil and compost consistently. Growers also face challenges if they don’t get constant material suppliers for the long term. Thus, it’s vital to ensure the supplies don’t vary seasonally or run out to avoid inconsistent business operations.
Besides, nutrient management with this method can pose difficulty. Growers can’t accurately measure 100 ppm of nitrogen, mix it with water, and then apply it to plants. Instead, they make or brew a compost tea and distribute it onto the soil. This technique makes it difficult to know exactly how many nutrients will be available to plants and when.
Lastly, organically grown cannabis grows slower, is more labor-intensive, and produces lesser yields than hydroponically grown plants.
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is another growing method to consider when buying cannabis seeds for sale. It entails growing cannabis without soil. Growers provide plants with oxygenated, nutrient-rich solutions directly to the roots. Plants channel the energy they would have used to search for food and water in the soil to develop their top parts. This way, they grow bigger and yield more.
This technique gives growers more control over their plants’ nutrient management. The reason is that their fertilizer solutions mix with water-soluble mineral salts. They can control everything the plants need to receive.
Hydroponics also has a substrate that acts as a sponge for retaining water and nutrients, slowly releasing nutrients to plants as necessary. It also offers a structure for cannabis roots to latch on as plants grow tall and need support.
The initial hydroponic substrate materials were peat moss, vermiculite, perlite, and expanded clay pellets. These can stand alone, or you can mix them. Gradually, other materials like rice hulls, wood chips, and coconut shell fiber have started gaining popularity because they’re locally available and affordable industrial byproducts.
The latest hydroponics systems don’t use substrates. These systems have oxygenated nutrient solutions covering plant roots 24/7. They have two main applications: deep water culture (DWC) and nutrient film technique (NFT)
Aeroponics
Unlike hydroponics, this method involves growing suspended plants. Plants are suspended in the air, and their roots are sprayed with fine nutrient mist in a dark chamber or tank. Cannabis growers who embrace this approach can achieve unprecedented yields and cultivation efficiency. Plants grow faster and yield more; besides, they are free from soil-borne diseases.
Essentially, this cultivation technique resembles hydroponics. The only difference is that this method doesn’t need a growing medium. It offers better plant development because the root zone gets maximum oxygenation and fast nutrient absorption.
Hybrid
This last growing technique is common in large outdoor or greenhouse systems seeking cost-effective mass production. Cannabis plants in this system grow in soil beds mixed with organic materials. However, these plants are fed with water-soluble hydroponic nutrients.
This technique is better because plants get natural organic nutrients from the soil. It also allows growers to control their weed plants’ nutritional needs. But just as hydroponic plants are vulnerable to water-borne diseases, plants grown this way are also exposed to soil-borne diseases. Moreover, controlling destructive insects can prove challenging, with mold spores hiding and remaining dormant in the soil for long periods. While chemical methods for fumigating soil beds exist, they are forbidden in the organic weed growth business.
So, which is the best method to grow your cannabis? The honest answer is that no particular one is better than others. At AskGrowers.com, we advise growers to choose their growing methods based on their priorities.
Select a cultivation technique while balancing between complexity and profitability. For instance, if you sell whole cannabis flowers to dispensaries, use greenhouses or hydroponics. Those cultivating cannabis for large-scale biomass extraction can use an outdoor hybrid method. Lastly, for growers seeking to create premium, live flower concentrates, going organic is the best bet.
Closing Remarks
There you go with the leading techniques for growing your cannabis. We hope this insightful information will help you make an informed decision and achieve your weed cultivation goals. The ball is in your court to implement what works best for you.
The article was written by Denys Svirepchuk, a cannabis-related SEO marketing guru and author at AskGrowers. He explores new exciting strains and educates users about the value of weed terpenes for health. Denys’s specialization is responsible consumption promotion and partnerships with reliable cannabis brands.
