Growing weed is easy only if you know how it’s done. The best thing about weed is that it can be grown both indoors and outdoors. But in this guide, we are going to focus on indoor weed growing.
Growing marijuana is both fun and challenging. It takes a certain amount of time, patience, and money to get the desired results. But before going through all the steps of growing weed, you must know the law in your state. This is because growing weed is still illegal in many places.
For first-time growers, getting started is the most challenging thing. From selecting the right place to arranging the required growing equipment, there are a lot of things to do. Let’s not forget, you also need to choose the best marijuana seeds.
To make things simple, we have provided a detailed step-by-step guide below. This will help you to grow and harvest your weed stock. So without wasting any time, let’s get to the details.
Step-By-Step Guide to Grow Indoor Weed Plants
Once you get high-quality cannabis seeds, you should follow the guide below to grow them indoors.
1. Choose a perfect place indoors
The first step is to choose a room or area to grow your cannabis indoors. You don’t need a particularly large space. Even a grow tent, spare room, or cabinet will do. Just keep in mind that there is enough space for you to tailor your plants and equipment.
Ideally, a place near a window will be great. This will allow you to vent air from the cultivating space outside. For those who didn’t know growing cannabis plants smell, especially when the plants enter the flowering stage. So you will need proper ventilation to avoid your house reeking of marijuana.
As a first-time grower, you should start with a few plants. Growing weed involves a steep learning curve, so there’s a high chance of making mistakes. But don’t worry, you will get the hang of things quickly.
Remember, weed plants occupy double the space as they grow up. So make sure to have enough space for your plants to grow in.
Another important thing is to keep your growing space clean and sanitized. You will not want your hard work to get destroyed by contaminants and pests. Leaving the growing space messy invites harmful bacteria, pathogens, and even mold. This is why you are recommended to follow a bi-weekly cleaning routine.
Cannabis plants are bio accumulators. They can suck up everything around them both from soil and air. So make sure to keep the surrounding of your plants clean.
When preparing your growing space, you will need to consider room for your plants, fans, lights, and other equipment.
2. Choose the right grow lights
Growing cannabis plants inside your house mean it will not get direct light from the sun. Because light source plays an important role in plants growth, you will need to arrange for the right grow lights. It is recommended to get a high-quality grow light because that’s what matters the most.
The most popular types of weed grow lights are:
LED grow lights: LED grow lights are considered the best source of light for marijuana plants. These light fixtures are highly efficient for growing indoor plants.
The good thing about these lights is that they are energy efficient and produces very little heat. These lights produce wavelengths across the light spectrum, which makes them suitable for both flowering and vegetative cycles.
Induction grow lights: This is another type of grow light you can use for your indoor growing. The process of generating heat from magnetic induction was invented by Nikola Tesla in the 19th century.
These types of lights emit bright light with little heat generation. This makes it a safe option for your plants.
Fluorescent grow lights: Fluorescent lights are popular because they are more affordable. These lights can be effective for plants with low yield expectations. Besides you can also use it for young plants.
Compared to other light fixtures, fluorescent lights are less powerful. They are best suited for first-time growers who are harvesting just one or two plants.
HID grow lights: Many growers use HID grow lights for DIY-style growing. These lights are not only cost-effective but also easy to operate. However, it does have certain drawbacks. Unlike other light fixtures, it requires several accessories to run it correctly. This spikes up the overall costs of installing these lights.
There are two main types of HID lamps. This includes metal halide, which is used during the vegetative stage. The other one is called high-pressure sodium, which is used during the flowering stage. The fact that these lights produce a large amount of heat, you will need to make sure that there is proper ventilation in the grow room.
3. Ensure proper air circulation
Your weed plants need fresh air and carbon dioxide to thrive. This means you will need proper airflow in your grow room. This will allow the hot air to move out of the space and let the cool airflow in. This can be achieved by installing an exhaust fan at the top of the growing space.
As the warm air rises, it will be sucked out by the exhaust fan. You also need to place a passive fan on the opposite side of the cultivating space to bring in cool air. This will promote complete air exchange throughout the entire space.
Without proper air circulation, it can be very difficult for you to grow your weed plants. It can change the humidity levels and cause CO2 depletion. All this can make your plants more prone to mold infestation, pest, or mildew.
You can also consider setting up oscillating fans for a constant flow of air in your grow room. This will make your plants grow stronger and healthier.
Position the fans in such a way that it provides even and direct airflow throughout the entire grow space. If needed, you should use multiple fans as well.
In case, your growing space is too humid, you may feel the need to install a dehumidifier. This will help reduce humidity and also increase the temperature levels. To keep the temperature in control, you will need to install more fans or AC.
Getting the right climate for your cannabis plants is very important. Installing so much equipment is bound to increase your electricity bills. This is why the cost of growing weed indoors is more expensive than outdoors.
4. Regulating humidity and temperature
Maintaining the right levels of humidity and temperature is very crucial for your weed plants. You will need to make sure that the temperatures remain between 70-85°F with lights on. And with lights off, the temperature should be between 58-70°F.
Some cannabis varieties like Indica prefer colder temperatures, while others like Sativa can tolerate higher temperatures.
Weed plants prefer different temperature levels at different stages.
- Seedlings: 75-85°F and 70% humidity
- Vegetative stage: 70-85°F and 40-60% humidity
- Flowering stage: 65-80°F and 40-50% humidity
You need to control both the humidity and temperature for the optimal health of your plants. For a beginner, it can be a little difficult to strike the right balance of humidity and temperature.
Turning up your dehumidifier will bring down the humidity levels in your grow space. But it will increase the temperature. In this case, you will have to switch on an AC unit or fans to lower the temperature. So you can see how both the factors are connected.
Tools you will need to measure humidity and temperature are:
- Thermometer: With a basic thermometer you can easily measure the temperature level inside the grow space.
- Infrared thermometer: This will help you to measure surface temperatures. It is not necessary to have an infrared thermometer. But it can give you some extra knowledge on how to regulate environmental conditions for your plants.
- Hygrometer: It is used to measure humidity levels or water vapor content in the air.
Remember, different lights generate different amounts of heat. Light fixtures such as HPS, fluorescent bulbs, and MH produce much more heat than LEDs.
To ensure proper airflow, you will need to remove warm air out of the grow space and bring in cool air. This can be done with the help of ducting and fans. For rapid cooling, you may need an AC unit. This is especially when the space is too hot and fans are not enough to cool it down. You might also need heaters for some gardens, especially during times when lights are not generating enough heat.
A dehumidifier can remove excess moisture from the air, but it also increases the temperature. This is why proper airflow is important. It moves moisture in and out of the garden and controls the humidity levels.
In case, the grow space is too dry, you can use a humidifier to increase the moisture levels if it’s too dry.
5. Choose the right soil for your weed plants
Soil is considered the best way to grow cannabis plants indoors. You can choose any high-quality potting soil. Just make sure that it doesn’t contain any artificial fertilizer, which is unsuitable for growing good weed.
Good soil for cannabis contains bacteria that help break down organic matter into nutrients for the plants to use. You can also use a regular soil mix and then add liquid nutrients to it.
For beginners, you should look for high-quality potting soil that contains enough nutrients. You will find pre-fertilized soil, which makes a great option for growing cannabis plants.
You can make this soil by combining bat guano, worm castings, and other important components and letting it sit for two or three weeks. But we recommend you to get it pre-made from a local grow shop or nursery.
The important components added in soil are:
- Bat guano
- Biochar
- Perlite
- Bone meal
- Glacier rock dust
- Worm castings
- Fish meal
- Peat moss
- Compost
- Plant food
Besides soil, you must also consider the type of growing container you will use. You should select a growing container depending on the size of your plants.
When buying pots for your cannabis plants, make sure that it has good drainage. After all, you will not want your plants to get waterlogged. You need to make sure that the pot you are using allows for proper root development.
Some of the popular options available are:
- Traditional plastic containers
- Fabric containers
- Ceramic pots
Caring for your weed plants
- When starting with seedlings, you will need to check your plants daily because they are sensitive and delicate to environmental conditions.
- To ensure healthy growth, you will need to adjust the humidity and temperature levels in your grow space. As your plants grow, they will need less attention. But it is important to check up on them every 2-3 days.
- When growing indoor cannabis plants, you will need to provide nutrients to your plants. Make a schedule, so you can keep track of the days you have added nutrients to your plants.
- Besides nutrients, cannabis plants also love water. But before watering your plants, you should check the pH level of the water.
- When adding nutrients, you will need to add more water to your plants. Make sure to provide the right amount of nutrients. If needed, you should check out nutrient guides for more information.
You will also need to check over your plants for mold, pests, or nutrient deficiencies. Check the underside and top of the leaves for discolouration or pests. Also, don’t forget to check the soil.
FAQs
Can you grow weeds indoors?
The answer is yes. It is possible to grow weed indoors, as long as your plants are receiving the things it needs to thrive. Although it is a challenging task, it is not impossible. Many people grow their supplies at home. All you have to do is get the right equipment and ensure that your plants are getting the right amount of light and air.
What is the ideal place to grow marijuana indoors?
The ideal place to grow weeds indoors is near a window, where they can receive air and light. Make sure that your plants have enough space to grow and thrive. Since marijuana plants smell in the flowering stage, you will need proper ventilation to avoid your house reeking of cannabis.
What grow lights should I use for weed plants?
Grow lights are extremely effective in growing weed plants indoors. There are different options available, including LED grow lights, fluorescent grow lights, HID grow lights, and induction grow lights. Out of all the options, LED grow lights are considered the best.
What type of soil to use to grow cannabis plants?
Choosing the right type of soil for growing cannabis plants is very important. The best option is good-quality potting soil with no artificial fertilizer. Just make sure that it has enough nutrients. Some important components to add to the soil are bone meal, perlite, biochar, fish meal, peat moss, plant food, glacier rock dust, worm castings, and bat guano.
How to measure temperature and humidity for indoor weed plants?
When growing indoors weed plants, you will need some important tools: a hygrometer, infrared thermometer, and thermometer. These tools will help you to measure the moisture and temperature levels of the plants. Make sure to adjust the temperature and humidity levels often.
Final Words
Growing cannabis plants indoors is a lot of work. So unless you are ready to commit, be happy ordering your supplies online. But if you are desperate to grow your stock, you should follow this guide word by word because even a single mistake can destroy your plants. The most important thing to grow indoor weed plants is to maintain the right temperature and humidity. Besides that, you also need to arrange for the light source. If you can manage all of that like a pro you are good to go.
