While growing and using marijuana has become quite common in many states, there is still a stigma surrounding the plant. Therefore, many home growers still prefer growing weed inside the house. While cannabis plants can grow inside quite well, it is still not the same as growing them outside.
When you grow cannabis inside, you are likely going to get a lower yield than if you grew them outside. This is mainly because artificial lights cannot completely replace sunlight, which is the most important factor for growing cannabis plants.
While your indoor cannabis plants may never have the same yield as an outdoor plant, there are several ways to increase the amount and quality of the yield inside. The following tips will help you maximize your indoor cannabis yield.
- Get a high yielding strain
Cannabis plants have hundreds of strains, each of which has unique features and qualities. Some strains naturally have better yield than others. Using a high-yielding strain will guarantee a good harvest regardless of where you plant it.
Choosing high grade weed seeds from a reputed seed bank is also important to ensure healthy plants. You can determine if the seeds are healthy by checking their appearance. If the seeds are dark brown and have a shiny layer, you can be sure about their quality.
It’s also important to only plant feminized seeds, as having even a single male plant can ruin your entire batch. One male plant can fertilize multiple flowers at once, leading to lower yields.
- Use LED lights
Apart from the plants’ genetics, lighting is the most important factor affecting the yield. Even if you use high-grade weed seeds, cannabis plants need a long exposure to sunlight to grow properly. When you plant them indoors, the best way to replace natural sunlight is by using LEDs.
While there are several types of LEDs in the market, full-spectrum LED lights are the best choice as they mimic natural sunlight. LEDs don’t produce too much heat, so you don’t have to worry about overheating your plants with them, unlike some of the other options.
The lighting is also an important factor, as too much or too little lighting can affect the growth. During the vegetative state, the plants need about 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness. You can reduce the lighted period to 12 hours when they start to flower for maximum yield.
- Use bigger pots
Cannabis plants have huge root systems. The roots can grow throughout the pot and fill it up in no time. If the roots don’t have space to spread, then the plants may not grow to their maximum potential, which will reduce yields significantly.
It’s always best to transfer young cannabis plants to a bigger pot once they grow about a foot in height. The pot size will depend upon how big you want your plants to be. For example, if you want your plants to be about 4 feet tall, you can use an eight-gallon container (two gallons per foot).
- Prune your plants
Pruning your cannabis plants is an essential part of growing cannabis indoors. Unlike sunlight, LED lights don’t move throughout the day, so you must prune any big fan leaves to allow the light to penetrate through the canopy. This will help the flowers on the bottom stems develop in size much more quickly.
The strategic pruning of cannabis plants is also called defoliation. You can start defoliation from the first week of the flowering stage. As soon as you notice the flower buds appearing, start to trim away big fan leaves and the leaves on long stems. They will eventually grow back over the next few weeks. You can do the same process one more time to allow the lower buds to develop as well.
Do not remove the leaves near the flower sites, as they are harvested along with the flowers.
- Low-stress training
Apart from pruning, there is another popular way to improve light penetration. If your plants have too many leaves, you can use a low-stress training method to encourage the plants to spread out and allow light to the lower branches.
Low-stress training uses strings to separate the main stalk from the side branches. This helps distribute light throughout the plant more evenly and allows the lower branches to grow big flowers as well.
You can also use the Sea of Green method, where the plants are encouraged to grow through a grid of strings. Each branch is fed through a different grid square, allowing better light penetration and growth.
- Optimize temperature and humidity
If you are using a high-grade weed seed, it’s very important to provide the right environment from the beginning for the best yields. While cannabis can grow in many climate conditions, it does not yield a lot in extreme weather.
Optimizing the humidity and temperature of your cannabis room is extremely important for their growth. It’s a good idea to invest in some equipment such as an exhaust fan and dehumidifier to control the temperature and humidity levels of the room. You can also use a room thermometer and hygroscope to watch the levels.
Each strain of high-grade weed seed requires different temperature and humidity settings, but in general, most cannabis plants do well in a temperature between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 55 to 70 degrees during the night. The average humidity setting can be between 30 to 40%.
- Harvest at the right time
These tips will improve the total yield, but if you don’t harvest the flowers at the right time, they can deteriorate in quality very easily. Harvesting the flowers at the right time will ensure a high THC level and good flavors.
You can determine the right harvest time by looking at the buds under a lens. If the trichomes appear milky white and the pistils appear amber in color, then the flowers are ready for harvest.
To conclude
From the type of seed to the climate control, everything makes a difference in the final yield. It’s always best to go for a high-grade weed seed that is guaranteed to have a high yield to maximize your chances. It is also good to use high-quality equipment to avoid any shortcomings. Additionally, it’s also best to learn about the whole process in detail before going into it.
It’s also important to avoid a number of things that can destroy or damage your plants. For example, overwatering can lead to rotting, which may stunt the growth of the plants. It’s best to be careful about pests, insects, and mold, as they can easily destroy your plant in no time.
For the best results, it’s very important to buy your seeds from a reputed seed bank. Get high-grade weed seeds from Seed Supreme today to get started.
