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How to Grow Cannabis: A Beginners Guide

With the recent increase in states that have legalized cannabis, there’s also come an increase in the number of new jobs available.

From sales and marketing positions to equipment manufacturing jobs, there are lots of opportunities for work (many of them high-paying) within the cannabis industry. If you like to work with your hands and want to be closer to the product, a job growing cannabis is another great option you may want to consider.

If you’re thinking about entering the cannabis industry as a professional grower, keep reading. Everything you need to know about how to grow cannabis is explained down below.

Reasons to Start Growing Cannabis

Perhaps you’re not quite ready to jump in and start growing cannabis. If this is the case for you, consider all the benefits that come from becoming a cannabis grower before you decide whether or not it’s the right career path for you:

Growing Demand

More people are turning to cannabis for medical and recreational use than ever before. This is especially true among populations like entrepreneurs, who enjoy the relaxing and creativity-sparking aspects of cannabis consumption.

Produce High-Quality Products

When you grow your own cannabis, you can ensure you’re creating a high-quality product. This will set you apart from other growers if you decide you want to sell to distributors later on.

Create New Strains

You can also channel your inner scientist and work on creating new strains.

This also gives you a leg up on your competition if you decide to sell. You can also create a strain that works perfectly for you if you’re growing for personal use.

Develop a New Hobby

Even if you have no intention of selling your cannabis after you’ve grown it, it’s still a great hobby. Many people find the process of tending to their plants to be relaxing and satisfying.

Essential Cannabis Growing Supplies

If you’re ready to start growing cannabis, you’ll need to start by making sure you have the right supplies at the ready.

You don’t need too much to grow your own cannabis, especially when you’re first getting started. There are some essential pieces of equipment you’ll need, though, including the following:

  • Containers for your plants
  • Grow lights (if you’re growing your plants indoors)
  • Soil
  • Watering can or another watering device

Of course, you’ll also need your cannabis seeds and an indoor or outdoor space to grow them.

The Basics of Growing Cannabis

Now that you have all your equipment at the ready, it’s time to get into the basics of growing high-quality cannabis plants. Keep the following tips in mind as you get started:

Indoor vs. Outdoor Growing

First, decide if you want to grow indoors or outdoors.

Growing indoors allows you more control over your environment, and it makes it easier for you to protect your plants from insects and other potential issues.

Growing outdoors can save you a lot of money, though, and it saves you from having to monitor and change your air supply. However, plants that grow outside tend to take longer to fully bloom.

Consider the Climate

If growing outdoors appeals more to you, make sure you live in an area with the right climate.

Outdoor growing works best in a somewhat breezy area (especially if you live somewhere with high temperatures), and you should ensure you’re growing your plants in an area that has a lot of natural sunlight.

Choose the Right Space

Whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors, you’ll need to think about your growing space. Make sure you have enough room for your plants to grow unencumbered.

Think About Genetics

What kind of plants do you want to grow? There are tons of different strains that you can grow depending on your needs or the type of market you hope to cater to should you decide to sell.

Gather Your Supplies

Once you’ve chosen the type of plants you intend to grow, it’s time to stock up on additional supplies. This includes growing containers, grow lights (if you’re growing indoors), soil, and fertilizer.

Water Your Plants

Make sure you give your plants enough water, but also avoid over watering. A good way to avoid this is by watering them thoroughly, then holding off on water until the top one or two inches of soil is totally dry.

Protect Them from the Elements

If you’re growing your plants outside, take care to protect them from the elements. Set up windbreaks to protect them from strong gusts, and consider a covered or enclosed greenhouse to shield them from sudden drops in temperature.

Common Mistakes for New Growers

As a new cannabis grower, you’re going to have to go through some trial and error to figure out which techniques work best for you.

You can’t avoid the “error” of trial and error forever, but you can minimize the number of rookie mistakes you make. Listed below are some of the most common mistakes new growers make:

  • Not recording enough data — take notes and pictures, even if things are starting to go south, so you can learn for the future
  • Not keeping track of timelines — remember that you’ll need at least three weeks to dry and cure your buds after you’ve harvested them
  • Not monitoring pH — the pH of your soil and water plays a huge role in the health of your plants
  • Overdoing it on nutrients — your plants need nutrients in order to thrive, yes, but don’t get carried away thinking that more is always better

If you avoid these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to a great cannabis crop.

You Know How to Grow Cannabis: Time to Get to Work!

As you can see, there’s a lot you need to keep in mind when it comes to growing your own cannabis.

If you’re ready for a challenge and want to dive headfirst into a booming industry, now’s your chance. Remember these tips on how to grow cannabis as you begin your journey and you’ll have a leg up on your competition.

Don’t forget to check out some of our other cannabis-related articles, as well, if you need more advice or inspiration.

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