The Basics of Cannabis Cultivation
Are you wondering about how the process of cannabis cultivation works?
When growing marijuana, there are many factors and processes to follow. Carefully growing cannabis is worth the patience since it produces the best product.
Since the process of cultivating cannabis can be complicated and specific, we’ve put together a very basic guide on how to understand growing cannabis. You’ll learn more about what cannabis is, how to prepare to grow it, harvest it and dry it. All of these steps done well, along with good genetics, will produce a good batch of marijuana.
Continue reading to learn more about cannabis cultivation.
What is Cannabis?
Cannabis is a plant has many different cannabinoids and terpenes in it. These properties are extracted to make what is commonly known cannabis products, sometimes with THC, sometimes with CBD, sometimes with a variety of other cannabinoids and terpenes.
As marijuana is becoming more legal throughout more of the world, its capabilities are being recognized. Individuals find value in the pain relief, relaxation, and destressing aspects of marijuana and have access to it through medical marijuana obtainments.
Marijuana is used to battle the effects of cancer, chronic pain, injuries, and many other ailments. Its properties have a soothing presence on different parts of the body and benefit many people. Whether you find marijuana use is better for physical pain or for pleasure, it can be fascinating to know more about the plant.
While marijuana is known to take the forms of hash, liquid, or vapor, it all starts from somewhere: being carefully cultivated as a plant.
Cultivating Ripe Cannabis
There are several general things to know about cannabis cultivation. These include: when to harvest, manicuring safely, how to tell when your marijuana is ripe, and how to harvest cannabis properly.
Once the growing process has begun, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your cannabis plants. Properly growing your marijuana means that the THC or CBD potency must be cared for at all times.
Avoiding things like high temperatures, humidity, and touching the leaves before manicuring your cannabis will help it maintain its potency and value.
Before manicuring your cannabis, check its ripeness with a SOX microscope. Since the THC in marijuana plants is produced from its leaves, flowers, and resin glands, you will be able to tell when it is ready by the color of the trichomes.
Preparing Your Harvest
Be sure to keep your harvesting areas or rooms clean and well-vented. Allowing air to circulate throughout the whole area will diminish the strong odor that marijuana produces.
Keeping airflow constant and fresh will cultivate healthy cannabis while relieving some of the smell. This is also important to maintain the room temperature underneath 70°. Controlling the temperature will help the marijuana grow and maintain itself properly over an extended period of time.
Use a safe and controlled fertilizer to enhance the process of cannabis and to strengthen its growth.
Taking the time to treat the soil well and to supply the area with filtered air and water will enhance your marijuana growth and produce clean, viable cannabis.
After preparing your harvest area well, you’ll begin your harvesting and manicuring process. This precision can take hours of your time. This can be difficult to manage alone–consider hiring quality employees to help with the workload.
Harvesting marijuana usually starts with clipping the leaves off and storing them carefully.
Hanging and Harvesting Cannabis
When it comes to wrapping up your harvest and time to begin manicuring plants, you’ll need to follow several steps. These are done over a period of time, methodically, so that the cannabis is properly dried and harvested.
- Plan to stop your fertilization 7-10 days before harvesting. This is to ensure you don’t have a fertilizer or chemical smell or taste throughout your marijuana plants.
- Lightly mist your cannabis plants with water to remove all excess residue. This won’t affect the resin production throughout the plants. Shake off extra water and let the plants dry thoroughly. This can also be done for cannabis in a method called foliar feeding.
- Hang your cannabis plants from the ceiling to make manicuring easier and to dry faster.
- Give your cannabis plants 24 hours to rest in complete darkness.
- Begin harvesting with pruning scissors at the base of the plant. Trim away leaves and remove buds carefully.
Plan time to manicure your crop, as it takes 4-6 hours to separate viable parts of cannabis from unnecessary ones, such as stems and root matter. A dedication to this type of harvesting is beneficial, as well-maintained marijuana plants produce high THC or CBD content.
After your cannabis has been manicured, it’s ready to dry and store carefully.
Drying and Storing Marijuana
Drying marijuana increases the THC potency by converting THCa to THC and converts the most of the water content of the plant into vapor. Thoroughly drying the plant will ensure that there will be no chance of a ruined batch due to mold and will prepare it for smoking or other processing.
Keeping fans circulating air around the hanging marijuana will help further the drying process. The temperature should be around 65° to optimize the drying process and eliminate the possibility of humidity.
Always maintain the temperature with thermometers to keep your drying plants in the correct temperature range. Careful inspection is encouraged in order to ensure well-cultivated marijuana.
You can dry and store your marijuana in a small area such as a cabinet, shed, closet, or box. If you have no plants growing in the harvest area, drying your plants there is a great option.
Inspect your plants every day to monitor the presence of possible mold, bugs, or fungi. Eliminate these pests by keeping your cannabis stored in a regulated, isolated area.
Beginning the Process of Cannabis Cultivation
If you’re learning more about the growth of cannabis plants or wanting to start growing yourself, reading up on the steps of cannabis cultivation is beneficial.
Beginning your own cannabis cultivation requires knowledge about the process of harvesting marijuana and knowing its properties. Once you’ve begun to learn more and practice yourself, you’ll find yourself successfully growing cannabis.
If you’re looking for more information on cultivation, check out what we’ve written on deciding if a cannabis industry job is right for you.
