If you have decided to start growing cannabis, surely one of your questions must be when the best time to start planting your seeds is.
Cannabis plants are ruled by natural principles like all plants, simple but important factors to growing any crop.
Water (hydrates and regulates ph)
Light (the more light, the more growth)
Air (balances CO2 levels)
Nutrients (better nutrients = better harvest quality)
Temperature (helps proper development)
Substrate (a good substrate feeds and helps the free rooting of your plants)
Whether you decide to grow indoors or outdoors, if you provide these simple elements your crop will reward you with many buds.
Now let’s talk about outdoor or indoor cultivation.
Outdoor cultivation: the most natural type. Outdoors with direct sunlight, either in open ground or a terrace or balcony, your plant will take energy from the sun and natural ventilation. In one way this will make your job easier, however, the outdoor environment also exposes the plant to bad weather and some pests and insects.
Indoor cultivation: has become popular because it is easier to manage the amount of light that the plant receives which allows cultivation in any season. If we give the crops 18 hours of light daily, no matter the outdoor conditions, the plant will believe that it is summer (the season for growth) and react accordingly. Using this type of cultivation we also provide a controlled environment free of insects or pests. For indoor cultivation there are certain things that you must take into account such as the addition of lights, space to grow, ducts, fans, tents and other equipment for successful growth. The initial investment may not be cheap but most of the necessary equipment is reusable and over time the benefits are worth it.
As you may have noticed by now, cannabis loves light. The more light or sun it gets, the faster it will grow. For outdoor cultivation it is important to plan the growing of your plants during the months with the most sunlight. For indoor growing the weather is not important as you can control the amount of light your plants need to receive daily.
How do I know what type of cultivation is best for me?
Everything depends on the space you have for your plants and the natural climate where you live. This will determine whether you expose your plants to the sun or artificial light. If you grow outdoors you can use a balcony, terrace, window or patio. If you grow indoors you could use a closet, the corner of a room or a bedroom.
If you decide to grow with natural light in small or limited outdoor areas or inside the house in a place that doesn’t receive sunlight all the time, you have the option to buy autoflowering seeds. These seeds are better at adapting to a less than ideal environment.
If you decide to cultivate indoors, it might be a good idea to start with a basic grow kit. This will likely include one or more lamps, a tent with zippered compartments and an extractor. Indoors your crop will not be exposed to changing weather conditions.
Cannabis has a natural life cycle that begins in the springtime with the germination of the seeds and continues into its vegetative stage well into the summer. As the days become shorter and sunlight decreases, the plant blooms and gives buds. In its natural state it would be time for pollination but in a controlled crop it is time for harvest.
It is advisable to recreate the natural process and start planting in spring, perhaps at the end of February or beginning of March. You can sow until late summer but not any later because you would expose your plant to the winter temperatures which is the time of death for cannabis when in its natural state.
Lunar Calendar
The changes in the lunar season can be observed remarkably on the crops. The new moon helps the sowing, the perfect darkness germinates the seed until it sprouts.
The months with the greatest amount of sunlight are suitable for starting with the planting and the use of a lunar calendar will ensure the best time to sow. The lunar phases will determine when the plants germinate as well as the best time to prune, transplant, make cuts, scrog, harvest and more. The lunar calendar indicates the favorable days to work on your plants and the days when they should be allowed to rest.
Although it may seem weird, a lunar calendar will make your task easier.
(Visit- Moon Calendar, What You Need to Know)
Now, choose the seed of your favorite strain and venture into the world of self-cultivation.