Recently LEDs have become available with full-spectrum and other designer spectrum bulbs intended for use as grow lights. Some are available in the T5 format for use in T5 fixtures. Flexible LED tape is also available in grow light spectrums. These light tapes run off a 12V DC power supply and can be arranged imaginatively without fear of burns or electrocution. It would take a lot of light tape to provide stand-alone lighting for growing Cannabis, but at minimum such lighting could be used to supplement natural light. Readymade LED arrays come in all sizes, perfect for single plants or, linked together, many.
HIDs—High Intensity Discharge Lights (HID) are what most commercial growers use. These are more like street lights than what a home gardener uses. They have great growing spectrums for Cannabis and put out massive amounts of light.
HID lamps are expensive. And, they generate a lot of heat which you will have to deal with. Both the lights and the fans will use lots of electricity. They can really grow great Autoflowering Cannabis, however.
Metal halide—Metal halide lights are also more like street lamps than they are like gardening grow lights. However, they can really pump out a high-quality light spectrum that can grow wonderful Autoflowering Cannabis. Metal halide performs best for plants in their vegetative state.
Metal halide lights are extremely inefficient, giving off a lot of heat—up to 15% of the power these lights use is given off as heat. The light they give off should be contained and reflected, or much of it will be wasted.
HPS—High Pressure Sodium gives off a yellow light that is terrific for flowering, but is hard on the eyes when used to grow plants. (These too make great street lamps.) They require relatively high voltage and thus need a ballast to adjust the current. They also contain a bit of mercury, which should give the grower some concern.
Like Metal Halides, HPS lamps give off light in all directions and have to be reflected. They will burn plants if they are anywhere close to the plants. They may require a growing room bigger than the home gardener wants.
Plasma—Plasma lights are the closest thing to actual sunlight. There have been tremendous advances in the technology behind these systems, and commercial growers are discovering the cost savings associated with their very efficient high-frequency, high-voltage power supplies and controllable, full-spectrum light. While there is not yet a small plasma system for home gardeners, at least one is in development. This is definitely a development worth tracking.
Reflect light for maximum efficiency
When it comes to Autoflowering Cannabis, it makes sense to get the maximum efficiency out of any supplemental lighting. Many lights come with reflectors attached, but lots don’t. If yours doesn’t, buy a reflector that will fit your particular situation. These really help get you the very best results, all other things being equal.
While not absolutely necessary, line your grow area with a reflective material. I don’t advise you use store-bought aluminum foil unless you can keep it completely smooth, as crinkles can cause hotspots and actually burn your plants.
One great material is sold as reflective gardening film. It is white and reflects up to 70% of the light that hits it. You will also find mylar sheeting designed for lining grow areas. At the very least, consider painting the walls of your grow area white. This will reflect light.
TIMERS
Even though you won’t have to worry about photoperiods when growing Autoflowers, you should use a timer if you are going to use lights. These plants can grow with 24 hours of constant light; however, in my opinion, they do best when given around 20 hours of light a day. Let the timer do the work of turning the lights on and off so you can get some sleep. After you get experience, you can come up with your own light schedule.
Timers are cheap. If you don’t have one already, they are available from multiple sources including grow stores. They are easy to install and to use, and they make growing Autoflowering Cannabis plants easier.
NUTRIENTS
It may be necessary to fertilizer your Autoflowers. This depends on the condition of your soil and the genetics of your seed. Ideally, it contains all a grow needs and you don’t need to fertilize.
If you do, there are all manner of organic fertilizers designed for growing Autoflowering Cannabis. Something like a balanced organic fertilizer such as 3-2-4 works great. This provides enough nitrogen for the vegetative stage and phosphorous during flowering. One feeding should be all that’s required.
Since you really can’t tell what is missing from a plant’s diet, consider kelp for mixing in your soil, as it has all of the essential plant nutrients (and more) required to feed a soil food web community. Mix it in with your soils and compost, preferably a few weeks before you plant, and you may not need to provide any additional feed for your plants.
FANS AND ODOR CONTROL
You must supply ventilation to any indoor growing areas. You probably know from growing tomatoes that still air is an invitation to mildews and other pathogens. Circulating air is a great way to keep your plants healthier. It also aids in evaporation from stomata which encourages continual uptake of nutrients.
There many kinds of fans you can buy, but they basically break down into static and those that oscillate. Just make sure you pay attention to physics: provide both a source of air intake and some way for air to move out of the area.
You need to keep an eye on watering. The fan will cause the plant to take up moisture from the soil as water evaporates out of the stomata, drying out the soil more quickly.
The Cannabis industry has developed a number of ways to treat Cannabis odor should it bother you or anyone in the vicinity of your growing area. There are different sized charcoal filters that do a great job of removing orders.
You can get systems at grow stores that mix ventilation with odor control. Some growers use laundry softener sheets (though these are not organic). They put them at the air exit vents to sweeten the air. (Personally, I find this smell more offensive than the smell of Cannabis.)
PEST CONTROL
Hopefully, you won’t have any pest problems. However, be prepared. Occasionally, Autoflowering Cannabis plants are attacked by pathogens, insects, mollusks, and other pests.
For fungal problems, neem oil is a great starting organic fungicide, as well as an insecticide and a miticide. In fact, since it is effective against such a wide range of problems, including powdery mildew, spider and broad mites, aphids, and white flies, neem (or one of the products that uses it) should be in your arsenal.
Neem is readily available in many forms and safe to use. The big drawback is its garlic smell, so you must be careful using it around buds and flowers. It is so very strong that it will negatively impact your plants’ growth if you use it too often.
Horticultural oils can also be an effective and safe solution to control insect problems. They work by smothering the insect. They are only effective for a few hours so they should be applied often. As with neem oil, you don’t want to get these on flowers. (I am betting they don’t taste that good.)
Insecticidal soaps work in a manner similar to horticultural oils, though they are considered to be less hard on the plants. They are made from fatty acids, which weaken the shells of insects. You do not want to get them on flowers.
Spinosad products are made from an actinomycete, a soil microbe (specifically Saccharopolyspora spinosa). They are organic and safe, but usually only remain effective for 24 hours after mixing with water. They disrupt insect nervous systems, especially those of white flies and aphids.
Diatomaceous earth is comprised of microscopic fossils that have very sharp edges. Sprinkled on soil, it will rip and hold in place critters that come into contact with it. Use horticultural-grade product and don’t breathe it in.
Predatory biologicals are available to take out a number of specific insects. You can find these at grow stores where you can seek advice as to which should be used. Or you can order them via the Internet. They are very effective, and some can carry on from crop to crop. The
ir disadvantage is that they limit other options, specifically sprays that might kill off problem insects.
HUMIDIFIERS
Ideally, you should maintain a humidity of around 55% (40 to 70% range) during the vegetative stage when growing Cannabis. Once the plants start to flower, however, it is best to drop it so that it stays below 50%. Once the buds open, lower it even more. It sounds like a lot of work.
High humidity, too much water vapor in the air, can actually stunt some plants’ growth. Most importantly, high humidity is ideal for the growth of spores of the various fungi (molds) you don’t want to infect your plants. Cannabis plants often first show signs of these molds in the developing flowers, which means that they don’t become visible and a real problem until it is too late.
Humidity is important, but adding a humidifying system is usually not necessary. WINNI CASACOP.
I suggest you do not install a humidifier in your grow area unless you absolutely know you need to increase humidity with one. They are just too risky and usually cause too much moisture.
Instead, mist your plants frequently, which shouldn’t be a problem because you should be observing them often. A simple household misting bottle will do the job.
In some situations, you might end up with too much moisture in the air. If your grow room is small enough or you are using a grow tent, use a bowl of rock salt to absorb the excess moisture.
TEMPERATURE
Autoflowering Cannabis development is delayed by cold temperatures. On the other hand, if it is too hot, plants shut down. As with tomatoes, it is difficult to get flowers to form and set at temperature extremes. For these reasons, an inexpensive thermometer will come in handy. Spend a bit more and get an inexpensive recording thermometer so that you can monitor the daily high and low temperatures.
Research suggests that the ideal temperature range for Autoflowering Cannabis is 24 to 30°C (75 to 86°F). Understand that growing indoors at the warmer end of that range has the impact of reducing humidity a bit. This is not necessarily a bad thing. What is a bad thing is to let the temperature get to 36°C (96°F). This will shut down the plant.
Autoflowers are extremely sticky. Get small nail-trimming scissors from a drugstore and dedicate them for trimming. You may want to wear gloves. JUDITH HOERSTING AND CANNABIS TOURS, WIKICOMMONS.
Remember, lights give off heat. And remember that this usually means a drop in temperature when they are off. Make sure the temperature doesn’t drop more than 10 degrees, as this will create problems with your plant and stunt its growth.
You can find ways to adjust and maintain the temperature when growing indoors. Outdoors is another matter. Autoflowering Cannabis plants get used to temperature fluctuations that slow down indoor grown plants (which have acclimatized to ideal conditions) and can even survive a bit of frost (which may actually increase the production of THC). It is not worth taking any risks that could kill the plants, however, and absolutely isn’t worth it during your first grows.
MAGNIFICATION VIEWING TOOLS
You will need some form of magnification to better observe the flowers of your crop and to help you determine the time of harvest. The go-to tool is a simple jeweler’s loop. These cost under $10 US or Canadian. You can find them with magnification as high as 100x but much lower power, 5x or 10x, will do. Look for one that has a small LED light embedded into it, as this will come in very handy.
A second option is a USB microscope that you attach to a phone, tablet, or computer. These are a bit more expensive than the loops—you can find one for under $50 US. This may seem like overkill, but it will also give you the ability to take photos of insects and flowers.
If you have a cell phone (and who doesn’t?), then you probably have a magnification app and that will work just fine. And, the macro lens in a digital camera is another great tool for magnifying your flowers to see if they are ready to harvest or to look for infestations of insects.
TRIMMING SCISSORS AND RUBBING ALCOHOL
Autoflowering Cannabis flowers are sticky. Very sticky. You will definitely need a dedicated pair of scissors to trim your flowers, so they can be dried and cured properly. The best are small scissors with very fine tips. They have to be small enough to snip off the tiny branches holding the flowers without damaging trichomes.
If you decide you like growing Autoflowering Cannabis plants, you may want to invest in an inexpensive hand bud trimmer. There are several on the market that do a fantastic job in much less time than it would take using scissors.
Rubbing alcohol is often used for cleaning trimming scissors. There are also special soaps designed to remove resin (great for cleaning your hands) as well as a number of contraptions designed to clean your scissors. (Necessity is the mother of all inventions, and for some reason, people in the Cannabis industry come up with interesting ideas!)
GROW TENTS
Grow tents are becoming all the rage for growing Autoflowering Cannabis. These reflector-lined tents can be used to grow a few plants, all neatly tucked away into one small area. If it were not for their price (from $75 to $250), I would include one in this list as a needed supply. Certainly, if you can afford one, a grow tent can really help you and your plants achieve maximum efficiency.
Some grow tents come fitted with LED lights and pots, and all you have to do is add the plants. Most can accommodate 4 Autoflowering plants. You can make your own. Just remember that you will need vents to let the air in and out.
Grow tents are not necessary, but they do make it easier to grow Autoflowering Cannabis, as they provide a self-contained growing area. You probably should wait to buy until you decide that the investment is worth it. FULL DUPLEX.
OTHER SUPPLIES
Glass jars for curing and storage are a must. As noted, there are terpenes that dissolve plastic, but do not react to glass. Tightly sealing lids are a must to keep air and humidity out, both of which degrade cannabis.
Yellow sticky traps make a great deal of sense if you have flying insects. Make sure you hang them just above the plants so they will be effective.
A simple grow tent diagram. WINNI CASACOP.
In sum, this book is predicated on how easy it is to grow Auto-flowers as a hobby plant. Add things to the list that will make it more enjoyable for you.
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Once you have located both seeds and supplies and made a decision as to where you want your first grow, it is time to see if growing Autoflowering Cannabis is really as much fun and as rewarding as growing tomatoes. You don’t need to buy lots of stuff. Just treat your plants like the tomatoes you grow every spring.
4
LET’S GROW SOME AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS
YOU HAVE ENOUGH information. It is time start growing your first Autoflowering Cannabis plants.
There is a reason that the slang name for Cannabis is weed. You can simply plant a seed, walk away, and it will probably grow into a plant. It is that easy. If you want a better plant, however, you need to pay just a bit of attention.
Follow my directions until you can take full measure of this plant. Learn the ways of Autoflowering Cannabis just as you did the tomato, and growing them will become second nature (and just as easy). Later, you can experiment with different growing procedures to match your own particular experience, needs, and conditions. Remember to check your regional laws and rules on how many plants you are allowed to grow.
Finally, I am going to assume you are growing in a container and indoors for the purposes of this chapter. Obviously, growing Autoflowering Cannabis directly in the garden is not that different. Nor is growing outdoors on a deck. It is the same plant. The big advantage is that you do not need lights outdoors. The disadvantage is that you cannot control the temperature and humidity.
Growing Autoflowering Cannabis a whole process, not just one point in time such as, say, when you harvest flowers (or try them). These are amazing plants. Their rapid growth, alone, makes them unusual and fun. Growing them should be a journey (and an engaging one at tha
t).
Ripley’s OG, Day 2. GBD/DAZ MEPHISTOGENETICS
Ripley’s Day 7. GBD/DAZ MEPHISTO.
LIFE CYCLE OF AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS
Here is a quick overview of what to expect over the course of the plant’s life. This is followed by a more detailed discussion of the steps necessary to get there.
From germination to 2 weeks
Germination of seed planted directly in soil can take up to 5 days, but usually happens rapidly, between 24 to 48 hours after the seed is exposed to water. The seedling opens as the plant’s taproot sprouts and elongates. The two cotyledons, so-called seed leaves, are followed by the first set of true leaves. The second set of leaves quickly follow and then a third, all within an extremely short period of 10 days or so.
Day 12. GBD/DAZ MEPHISTO.
Each successive set of briskly growing leaves has more of the characteristic serrated fingers, with the third set finally looking distinctly Cannabis-like. It is at this stage that the desired hormones are fully active in the growing tip. If plants are going to be trained, this is when to start.
Below ground, the root system is developing and spreading into the soil mix. The plant’s exudates are attracting and supporting a working soil food web. Signals are also being sent to Rhizophagus intraradices, the mycorrhizal fungi you added to the soil mix, inviting them to invade root hairs and enter a symbiotic relationship.
DIY Autoflowering Cannabis Page 6