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Cultivation of Cannabis

Cannabis crops are grown in various climates around the world. These sun-loving plants thrive in multiple conditions, depending on the strain, which has led to them being colloquially named “weed”. Cannabis plants are dioecious, which means they can be female or male. The male and female reproductive organs typically grow on different plants, and when male pollen is present, female plants produce seeds. When both sets of reproductive organs are found on a single plant, it is called a hermaphrodite.

The growth of cannabis starts with germination, where seeds are sprouted and fed in a starter material such as soil. Some strains are grown via clones, which are pieces taken from “mother plants” that are kept in a persistent vegetative state. A clone is a genetic copy of the original plant, so it will exhibit a consistent growth, terpene, and cannabinoid profile if it’s grown under similar conditions.

Cannabis is often grown outdoors, but it is also grown in greenhouses and hydroponic gardens. Several factors affect a crop’s success, including nutrients, climate, irrigation, and water quality. The quality of light a plant receives will also affect its growth and terpene expression. While plants that get 16+ hours of light per day tend to vegetate, those getting 12 hours of light per day will flower.

Once a cannabis crop is grown and successfully flowered, it can be processed. Cannabis flowers must be properly dried and cured for smoking and other forms of consumption. Newly harvested plants are sent for processing into resins and other products, while others are picked for the production of smokable flower. After the products are processed, they’re ready to consume.

What Are the Types of Cannabis?

In this section, we’ll discuss the different types of cannabis the world has to offer. You’ll find information on genetics, strains, and much more.

Indica

Of all commercially available cannabis types, this one is the most common. It’s preferred among indoor growers, outdoor growers, and enthusiasts everywhere. Though it may not offer the uplifting effects of sativa strains, its shorter flowering cycle, bigger yields, and big, dense buds make it a great choice for cultivators. Indica-dominant strains offer an overall body high along with intense mental relaxation.

Cannabis indica is often used to alleviate pain in those with chronic conditions. While many pharmaceuticals tend to lead to addiction or to decrease in effectiveness, cannabis offers consistent benefits. Indica plants are found in hotter climates, as well as parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Sativa

This type of cannabis is what most people envision when they think of lighting up. Sativa plants have long, thin, and pointy leaves, and in large gardens, they can be seen in tightly packed rows. Sativa-dominant strains are energizing, as their high THC content allows them to provide an increase in imagination, creativity, and other beneficial mental effects.

Sativa plants are often found in Central Africa, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Jamaica, and in other tropical areas with plenty of sunlight and humidity. Sativas are typically resistant to fungal infection, and all that’s needed for healthy growth is plenty of water and light. Because of their extended flowering period, they’re best suited to growth in outdoor gardens.

Ruderalis

This less common type of cannabis is native to northeastern Europe’s cold, mountainous areas. Ruderalis strains differ from indicas and sativas in that their flowering doesn’t depend on the quantity of light they receive, but upon their age. These strains are not readily available, but they form the basis of some of today’s most popular cannabis hybrids.

Ruderalis plants often drop their seeds in snowbanks, and those seeds tend to grow and sprout once the snow melts away. Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible to get clones from them, as their growth cycle is too short. These strains have low cannabinoid concentrations, which means they’re normally used to create indica- or sativa-dominant hybrid autoflowering strains.

Feminized

Anyone who has ever smoked a bowl owes their feelings of relaxation and well-being to those sticky green buds and the female plants that produce them. Only a female cannabis plant produces the buds, cannabinoids, and flavors for which cannabis is known. That’s why many of the country’s growers use feminized seeds; they only carry female genetics, so they make female plants. With recent advances in seed selection and cultivation technology, breeders can raise seeds that are almost 100% female.

Whether plants are grown outdoors or in a greenhouse, it’s possible that they’ll produce female and male seeds. Known as regular seeds, they’re roughly 50% male and 50% female. That means any grower using these seeds will get a crop that’s evenly split between the genders.

It’s tough to grow cannabis from these seeds, as it requires a grower to consider the fact that only half of his or her crop will produce flowers. While male plants are somewhat valuable to those creating new strains, they’re all but worthless when you’re growing them for buds. Because their pollen spreads far and wide, it doesn’t take many male plants to create a low-quality, seed-filled crop.

There are many reasons to grow crops from feminized seeds. The practice removes much of the guesswork related to seed germination, and you’ll save time, money, and space. Growth efficiency is crucial to the success of recreational and medicinal cannabis crops. Regulations in many areas place limits on the size of home crops, and those growing for their own use should do everything possible to ensure success.

Male plants take up too much of a grower’s space, time, and resources. The gender of a cannabis plant doesn’t become apparent until it’s well into its life cycle. Though some strains show preliminary sex characteristics, most don’t show it until they’ve made it through the vegetative stage.

Photoperiod changes determine the speed with which a plant’s gender can be determined. The photoperiod, or the amount of darkness and light a plant gets, should be roughly even. In an outdoor garden, these changes occur naturally; in an indoor garden, you’ll need a timer. Once the plants have aged, it’s important to separate them by gender before the males can pollinate the females.

By choosing feminized seeds, you can avoid wasting time on a crop that, at best, will be only half female. Use these seeds to increase the chances of female plant production to about 99%.

Autoflowering

An autoflowering cannabis plant is a hybrid of several types. Here, ruderalis genetics give the plants the ability to flower independent of the quality of their lighting. High yield autoflowering strains are becoming more popular, as they grow fast without the need for specific lighting. They’re a great choice for indoor gardens, where it’s possible to get great yields on a 20/4 light cycle.

What is the History of Cannabis?

We eat it, we smoke it, and we smell it, but many of us don’t know much about it. Cannabis plants crave the sun, yet their northern origins and sheer cold kept it from thriving in many places. In these sections, you’ll learn where cannabis came from and how it made its mark on the world.

Cannabis Use in Ancient Times

Cannabis has been in use since at least 2900 BC, when hemp was used to make rope by early settlers of what is now the Czech Republic. Its analgesic use goes back much further, and some tribes used the seeds for their nutritional qualities. Some people loved the plant so much that they wanted to surround themselves with it, even in death; several tombs in Xinjiang, China contain preserved cannabis.

That country’s first use of cannabis is credited to Emperor Shen Nung, a renowned ruler and herbalist. He categorized almost 400 herbs, some of which are used for medicinal purposes today. Shen Nung’s documents show cannabis as a remedy for gout, malaria, rheumatism, and numerous other conditions. About 700 years after his rule, cannabis spread to Japan and Korea.

India has several cannabis traditions, including the consumption of a drink known as “bhang,” or weed-laced tea blended with milk. Some ancient yogis used cannabis for more effective meditation, and the Vedas described it as an anxiety-relieving herb. Because of these qualities, the Hindus have considered cannabis sacred since 1400 BC.

The Greco-Romans valued cannabis as a narcotic and a fiber source. The plant’s seeds were discovered in the rubble of Pompeii, which was engulfed by volcanic ash in a 79 AD eruption. Historian Athenaeus recorded the use of hemp rope from 170 to 230 AD, and other writers noted that hemp cloth was used for canvas and sails. After the Moors invaded Spain in the 8^th century, cannabis made its way there. Morocco still produces some of the world’s most potent hashish, a powerful concentrate.

By the end of the 13^th century AD, hashish was widely used in the Middle East. After a government crackdown, the concentrate made its way through Eastern Africa and then Ethiopia via Muslim migrations. Southern African tribes have been consuming cannabis, which they call “dagga,” for 500 years or more. However, it wasn’t commonly used in West Africa until WWII, when French and British soldiers introduced this medicinal plant.

Cannabis Legalization in the USA

A recent poll suggests that Americans overwhelmingly support the legalization of recreational cannabis in the United States. If the not-so-distant past has shown us anything, though, it’s that the polls don’t always reflect real life. Marijuana legalization initiatives have widespread support on both sides of the political aisle. While America is divided on most issues, about half of Republicans and over 80% of Democrats back the legalization of cannabis. With all that action, it won’t be surprising to see major reforms within the next 12 months. However, there needs to be more cooperation and compromise between the President and the houses of Congress before federal legalization occurs. If cannabis is decriminalized across the country, the implications of such a decision would increase the chances of recreational legalization.

What Are the Uses of Cannabis?

When most of us think of marijuana, our minds often wander to the joints we passed around in our younger days. Along with its well-known euphoric effects, cannabis also has remarkable benefits for those suffering from muscle spasms, chronic pain, or cancer-induced nausea. These aspects are becoming more mainstream, blurring the lines between recreational and medicinal marijuana. Here’s an update on the issue.

Recreational

The recreational and personal use of cannabis have given rise to a vivid subculture. In the United States and beyond, cannabis is known as bhang, dope, ganja, grass, green herb, Mary Jane, and pot, among other names. Most of the time, cannabis is smoked in the form of crumbled resin or dried flowers, which is often rolled in a thin paper sheet.

Other consumption techniques involve pipes and advanced filtration systems. Cannabis is fat-soluble, which means it can be used in tea, brownies, cakes, cookies, and other treats. It’s best to take a careful approach to the consumption of cannabis edibles, as the effects can take thirty minutes or more to appear. Many users turn to cannabis as a way to relax and unwind at the end of a stressful day.

Medicinal

Though cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times, its modern prohibition has thus far prevented our full understanding of the plant’s benefits. Only in the early 1990s did scientists discover that plant-based cannabinoids closely mimic some of those produced by the body’s ECS or endocannabinoid system. Numerous studies have confirmed that medical cannabis has:

Analgesic properties for the relief of resistant, chronic pain
Antispasmodic aspects that may work to treat epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions
The ability to relieve nausea and appetite in AIDS and cancer patients
The potential to improve sleep, treat asthma, and improve glaucoma symptoms

Whether it’s in its natural or synthetic form, cannabis demonstrates significant efficiency as a treatment for several medical conditions.

What Are Cannabinoids?

If one word should be part of your cannabis consumption vocabulary, “cannabinoid” should be it. Cannabinoids are components found in cannabis plants that relieve inflammation, anxiety, pain, nausea, and other conditions by imitating compounds naturally produced by the human body. To simplify things, cannabinoids play such a role in cell communication that a deficiency will produce serious symptoms. Below, we’ll explain some of the most well-known cannabinoids.

THC

Most of us know it as the ingredient that gets us high, but it goes much deeper than that. THC or tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive compound, but its chemical makeup is quite similar to that of CBD. In some users, THC affects memory, thinking, movement, coordination, concentration, and time perception, among other qualities. For those reasons, it may be dangerous to drive or operate heavy machinery while using products containing THC. The compound’s stigma is largely undeserved, as it shows promise as a treatment for PTSD, epilepsy, depression, and eating disorders.

CBD

Cannabidiol or CBD is a compound derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, otherwise known as hemp or marijuana. This natural compound is often used in edibles, oils, and other products to provide consumers with feelings of calm and relaxation. Unlike its chemical cousin, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, cannabidiol is non-psychoactive.

CBN

This is another non-psychoactive compound, but it differs from cannabidiol in that it’s found in greater concentrations when marijuana products age. While smoking “old weed” may be an undesirable prospect to some, others seek it out just to take advantage of CBN’s effects. Studies show that CBN has antibacterial properties; it’s been tested on several strains of resistant MRSA. In the future, this compound may be used to fight off infections that other antibiotics cannot heal.

CBG

CBG or cannabigerol is just one of over 120 natural cannabinoids found in whole plants. It was first found in 1964, and though research is still in preliminary stages, it suggests that CBG has considerable therapeutic properties. CBG’s analgesic aspects may exceed those of THC without the euphoric effects. Furthermore, there’s evidence that suggests CBG may offer antibacterial, anticancer, and antidepressant qualities.

CBC

Another non-intoxicating compound with significant anti-inflammatory aspects, CBC or cannabichromene bonds to the TRPA1 receptors found in the human endocannabinoid system. Produced in a cannabis plant’s trichomes, CBC may also have antibacterial properties.

Now that we’ve discussed some of the most well-known compounds found in cannabis, we’ll delve into the world of terpenes.

What Are Terpenes?

Terpenes are compounds found in many plants, including cannabis. Not only do they give these plants their distinctive aroma, they offer protection from herbivores and they attract pollinating insects. Some plants have several terpenes, but cannabis has over 120! They’re found in the crystalline hairs that cover good buds. If you’ve ever used the word “dank” to refer to weed, it means that its terpene content has made it pungent and fresh.

What in Cannabis Makes You Sleepy?

Herbal remedies containing myrcene have long been used as sleep aids. Myrcene is one of the most common terpenes in commercially available cannabis, making up more than 20% of the terpene profile of the average strain. Also found in plants such as lemongrass, basil, and thyme, this sleep-inducing botanical is thought to increase the “couch lock” effect of indica-dominant strains.

What in Cannabis Makes You Hungry?

Another cannabinoid called b-caryophyllene is found in spices, herbs, and even cannabis plants. It’s known for its sharp, woods, and peppery aroma, as well as its anti-anxiety and gastrointestinal protective effects. If you’ve ever had a case of the munchies after smoking a joint, it’s likely due to the presence of b-caryophyllene.

What in Cannabis Makes You Energized?

This cannabinoid gives weed its energetic effects, and it’s commonly found in strains such as Dutch Treat, Orange Haze, and Jack Herer. Though terpinolene has sedative effects when taken alone, those effects are negated when it’s ingested along with THC. If you’re looking for an uplifting high, choose a strain that’s high in terpinolene.

What in Cannabis Makes You Relaxed?

As many consumers already know, cannabis is an excellent natural treatment for anxiety. Fewer people know why this is the case, or which chemicals imbue the herb with its reputation for providing relaxation and calm. Limonene is one such terpene. It’s known to treat anxiety and depression, as well as restlessness and paranoia.

These terpenes, among others, will help bring feelings of relaxation, calm, appetite stimulation, and overall well-being. Next, we’ll cover the stages in the cannabis life cycle.

Basic Stages of Cannabis Growth

Cannabis plants go through several stages as they develop, and each stage calls for a different amount of water, light, and nutrients. It’s important to learn about these stages and their duration to determine what your plants need and when they need it.

Germination

Like most other plants, the life cycle of a cannabis plant starts with a seed. Cannabis seeds should feel dry and hard and they should be brown in color. Underdeveloped seeds are typically soft and white, and they are unlikely to germinate. Once the seed has sprouted or germinated, it’s ready to be put into soil or another growth medium. In most cases, seeds will germinate within three to ten days.

Seedling Stage

When cannabis plants become seedlings, they tend to develop distinctive fan leaves. Mature plants usually have five to seven blades on each leaf, but some cannabis plants may have more. The seedling stage starts about two to three weeks after germination takes place.

Vegetative Stage

The vegetative stage is when growth really starts. By this time, the plants have been moved into bigger pots and their foliage and roots are growing quickly. This is the right time to start training or topping your plants, but it’s important to water them more as they develop. If you need to separate plants by gender to prevent accidental pollination, they’ll start to show sex characteristics a few weeks into the vegetative stage.

Flowering Stage

This is the final growth stage a cannabis plant goes through. Here, the plants start to grow sticky buds and all your hard work will pay off. The flowering stage usually starts about eight to 11 weeks after germination, unless a plant is forced to stay in the vegetative stage. Flowering occurs when outdoor crops receive less light as fall comes, but an indoor grower can replicate the results by manipulating the plants’ light cycle. Once the plants’ buds have matured, it’s time to harvest them.

Harvesting

To have a successful harvest, you’ll need to know the date the plants entered the flowering stage. Flowering times vary by strain, and it’s important to get the timing as close as possible. For instance, indica-dominant strains may finish as soon as eight weeks after flowering starts, while sativa-dominant varieties may require up to 24 weeks in some cases.

Drying and Curing

Proper drying and curing allow users to store their cannabis for longer without worrying about lost cannabinoids or mold growth. Cured flower can be stored in airtight containers in a dark place for about two years without losing potency. There are numerous curing methods, such as dry ice, water, and freeze dry curing, but most home growers prefer the sealed container method because it’s the easiest.

Where Can You Grow Cannabis in the USA?

While the rules and regulations vary by state, almost all states with marijuana legalization initiatives allow some form of at-home cultivation. Even though it’s legal in some places, though, many people aren’t taking advantage of the opportunity because they believe it’s too difficult. In this part of the guide, we’ll discuss how easy it is to grow weed indoors and outdoors.

Indoor Growing

When growing marijuana indoors, one of the most important things is to ensure that the space is clean and sanitized. Messy spaces encourage the growth of mold, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens, but a bi-weekly cleaning with a wet microfiber cloth will keep them off hard surfaces. Cannabis plants tend to absorb everything around them, whether it’s in the soil or the air. By keeping the area around your plants clean, you’ll keep contaminants out.

Many new cannabis cultivators choose to grow their crops in soil for simplicity’s sake. Soil has organic and mineral content that’s hard to duplicate with other methods, and many growers add nutrient-laden materials such as manure and earthworm castings to their soil as an enhancement.

On the other hand, hydroponic gardening takes away much of the unpredictability associated with growing cannabis in soil. In a hydroponic garden, the roots of the plants are in continuous contact with a water-based solution to which nutrients are sometimes added. In a hydroponic cannabis garden, the grower has more control over the results.

Outdoor Growing

Outdoor cannabis growers use Nature’s best offerings to produce high-quality crops. Many enthusiasts agree that the best weed they’ve ever enjoyed is grown outdoors in natural light. The full spectrum of sunlight creates a wider range of terpenes and cannabinoids than indoor grow lighting, which is often used to produce products with high THC content.

Though marijuana has been grown outdoors for centuries, it’s still a complex process. Before planting seedlings in the ground, in pots, or in a greenhouse, it’s best to learn how the cultivation process works and about the conditions required for successful growth. Growing cannabis outdoors is a great choice for new cultivators and those seeking a more natural crop. Outdoor gardening is cost-efficient, as it requires few environmental controls and other resources.

Advanced Growing Techniques for Cannabis

Once you’ve mastered the basics of cultivation, it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. Here, we’ll offer a few advanced cannabis growing techniques.

SCROG

SCROG or screen of green is a plant training technique that helps indoor growers maximize light usage and the number of colas or top buds the plants produce. A single plant left to grow on its own will likely develop one central bud, but with this technique each branch will develop into a cola.

In this technique, the grower places a screen about 15” above the plants. Once the plants’ branches have grown through the screen, they’re bent and tied to it, which trains them to grow outward rather than upward. The screen of green technique is a relatively low-stress option for new and experienced growers alike, and it’s a great way to maximize the yield of a small garden.

SOG

Also known as sea of green, SOG is a way to force cannabis plants to flower at an early age, or about two weeks into the vegetative stage. The SOG method allows growers to harvest their crops earlier than if the plants had been grown normally. It’s great for small grow rooms as it allows you to maximize the space without sacrificing crop yields.

When the plants are forced into the flowering stage via a 12/12 light cycle, SOG allows you to fit more plants into a smaller space. Though individual plants’ yields may decrease slightly, the garden’s cumulative yield will be larger and it will come sooner. Though certain strains take more than ten weeks to get through the vegetative stage, the SOG method makes it possible to increase harvest frequency and crop size.

Hydroponics

Hydroponic cannabis is that which is grown in a nutrient-dense water solution and a sterile growth medium. It can be as basic as a set of hand-watered pots filled with Rockwool or as complex as a system of timers, reservoirs, and pumps. Cannabis cultivators have long used hydroponics to accelerate growth and maximize yields while increasing efficiency.

With some hydroponic cultivation methods, you’ll recycle small amounts of growth media while controlling the nutrient and pH levels the plants receive. Because hydroponics provides growers with a granular level of control, many find that their crops are healthier and more potent than with other approaches.

Aquaponics

The aquaponic method allows growers to farm fish and cultivate cannabis simultaneously. Though it’s been used for years in other sectors, cannabis growers are just now discovering it. Perfecting an aquaponic grow op takes preparation, effort, patience, and time.

Aquaponics is essentially caring for living fish and growing plants in the same tank, and it can be difficult to strike the right balance between fish and plant nutrition. If you are just starting your weed growing journey, this may not be the best way to go about it. Because of this method’s complexity, aquaponics is better for those with prior cannabis cultivation experience.

Aeroponics

In an aeroponic garden, the plants’ roots are not covered by a growth medium. This subset of hydroponics involves the suspension of plant roots and the delivery of water and nutrients via a misting system. Aeroponics was first used to study root growth, but it has since become a common and popular way to cultivate cannabis.

As previously mentioned, aeroponic gardens work by hanging the roots and misting them with water and nutrients. The water, nutrients, CO2, oxygen, and sunlight are enough to keep cannabis plants thriving and healthy if the roots are kept moist constantly. While aeroponically grown cannabis comes with numerous advantages, the method is difficult for beginners to master.

What Are Cannabis Concentrates?

Before we discuss the different kinds of cannabis concentrates, it’s important to learn what they are. Most people assume that they’re a concentrated form of cannabis, but that’s only partly true. During the manufacturing process, the plant material is refined, and you’re left with only the active ingredients in cannabis—the terpenes and the cannabinoids.

The two main compounds found in cannabis are CBD and THC. While THC content varies from one strain to the next, concentrates are almost always high in tetrahydrocannabinol. THC provides the high for which cannabis is known, while CBD is prized for its healing benefits. It’s possible to find concentrates with either or both cannabinoids, depending on the qualities you’re seeking.

Just as there are various kinds of weed, there are several types of concentrates. When visiting a local dispensary, talk to a budtender about the results you’re looking for so they can recommend the right strain. Here are a few of the most common concentrates.

Shatter is named for its glassy consistency and its tendency to shatter into small pieces. It’s typically amber or clear in color, and it’s one of the purest concentrates.
Wax, unlike shatter, takes on a murky appearance. Because some kinds are very sticky, they must be handled with dabbing tools. Wax is often yellow in color and is usually smoked in a vaporizer or a dab rig.
Rosin is a bit different from wax and shatter in that it’s made without solvents such as butane. Rather, rosin is made with pressure and heat that’s applied to marijuana kief, trim, or buds.
Oil concentrates are often used in syringes or vape cartridges. These concentrates have a unique taste that’s quite different from that of shatter and wax. The CO2 extraction process preserves terpenes because it works at a lower temperature. Many oils are CBD-only, and they’re commonly used in the production of edibles.
Hash was made long before there were complex extraction processes. Hash, or hashish, is a concentrate that can be made in several ways. One of the most common ways to make hash is to compress kief into small discs. Other types are made with cold water and sifted through fine screens to gather the extract. No matter what type of hash you’re enjoying, it’s sure to be more powerful than your regular bud.

Other types of concentrates, such as distillates, crumble, budder, pull ‘n’ snap, sap, and live rosin, are all great ways to achieve a clean, long-lasting high. Whether you choose one or more types of cannabis concentrate, you will surely like the effects.

Conclusion

The art and science of cannabis cultivation go far beyond the grow room or the greenhouse. Whether you’re growing crops for personal or medicinal use, it’s important to learn more about the plants you’re cultivating. With help from the pros at Weed Seeds USA, you’re sure to get the seeds you need to grow an excellent crop.

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Ultimate Beginners Guide to Growing Cannabis

What is Cannabis?