Top 5 Grower Tips

Follow these five simple tips and tricks and you will not believe what happens! Growing has never sounded so easy, just nail these and you are good to grow! Germination, pH, NPK, Climate and genetics.

1. Germinate seeds in moist paper towel/ toilet paper

This method is among the most effective and safest ways to germinate seeds. Some growers like to soak their seeds overnight before this process starts, but planting directly into the soil is NOT recommend.

Start off with one plate or a shallow plastic container, then add two layers of toilet paper or one layer of kitchen. Add water droplets till the paper is soaked. Place seeds on top of wet paper, add the top layer, the water from the bottom layer should make the top moist. Add a couple drops of water above each seed if top layer is dry. Cover and keep on your desk, monitor every hour to ensure the paper does not dry out.

2. Invest in a pH meter or learn to use an indicator

One of the keys to a successful grow is pH. The pH of your nutrients and your soil all influence the way your plants function. If your pH is not between 6 – 6.5 many of the nutrients become insoluble and unavailable to the roots. Very low pH can result in an increases of toxic element availability, stunting growth. Soil microbes may be less efficient under unstable pH’s.

Monitoring your soil and nutrient pH’s using a pH pen or an indicator like bromothymol blue is highly recommend. Bromothymol blue is not as accurate as a pH pen, however it is better than nothing and can prove to be accurate after a bit of trial and error.

3. Nutrients, NPK

Cannabis has two stages, vegetative growth and flowering, different nutrients are required during each stage. Vegetative growth benefits from high:low:medium (NPK) ratios, once flowering starts switch to a low:high:medium ratio feeding and in the final weeks a 0:3:3 ratio of NPK.

Vegetative growth requires large amounts of nitrogen (N) to establish large leaves and long stems, phosphorus (P) drives photosynthesis, the main energy source of the plant while potassium (K) is vital for the movement of nutrients and food.

Flowering requires more of the P and K nutrients, as they are vital for rapid growth and movement of food for floral development, N is not as needed as less leaves are formed.

4. Climate Control

Fresh air blowing over a canopy stimulates growth and clears out stale, humid air. Make sure indoor rooms have a fan and a inline extractor to remove old air. Over watering is a big risk, having excess water accumulating in a grow room can cause spikes in humidity and changes to temperature, all putting unwanted stress on your plants.

An environment where the humidity, temperature and airflow are not regulated is a breeding ground for moulds, thrips and mildew, especially in indoor grows. Invest in a hygrometer to monitor humidity and temperatures in your grow rooms and if they are whack, a dehumidifier could be needed.    

5. Genetics

Genetics is something everyone can get right from the start. Breeders have created stable strains that are well known for producing terpene rich, frosty and dense buds. Starting off with mid-tier genetics can help you get a feel for growing, but will never give you the feel of award winning genetics. You can not always strike gold from bag seeds and get the purples we all like; for that, head to a reliable seed bank for proper genetics.

AS always a big blessing to our following and supporters of the SHOP. Without you, the lovely community, we would not be here today. If you have any further desire to know more, drop a comment down below.