How to grow marijuana: See step by step how to grow it at home in a simple way!

You may have noticed that more and more people are growing their own weed. For both. Medicinal purposes and for recreational use. But, after all, how to grow marijuana at home?

Cannabis is not a plant like any other and needs some special care to make sure that everything goes well, both when planting and to ensure its safety.

Want to know more? Click on the topics and see how to grow marijuana:

Choose to grow indoor or outdoor
How to choose the marijuana species
How to germinate the seed
Items needed to grow marijuana
Growth Phases
Harvest time
Extra tips for growing marijuana!

1.How to grow marijuana: Indoor or outdoor cultivation

The first step for those who want to start growing marijuana at home is to plan your grow space.

It is possible to grow marijuana outdoors, in the open, like in the yard of your house. But you can also plant in closets, bathrooms, or even a greenhouse.

The important thing is to make sure that the plants receive the essential elements to develop: light, water, air, and a good soil with nutrients (substrate).

See the types of grow to grow marijuana:

Indoor Growing – It is more discreet because it is indoors. It has the advantage that it is possible to control the time the plants are exposed to light, making the photoperiod correct and providing the ideal temperature they need. Indoor cultivation requires greater investment in equipment and with the monthly electricity bill.

Outdoor Cultivation – It is cheaper, because the plants will take advantage of the sunlight to develop. It does not require the use of lamps, reflectors, and other equipment. If you have the space, it is possible to grow huge outdoor plants, with great yields. It is important to watch out for neighbors and other visitors in this case, as the plants are more exposed.
If you still have any doubts about which one is right for you, check out all the differences between indoor and outdoor growing.

Which marijuana to grow: Indica, Sativa, Hybrid or Automatic

Before you plant marijuana and do the seed germination, you must choose a cannabis species and this decision can be according to your goals.

See which are the main marijuana species to grow at home:

Cannabis Sativa – These are indicated for those who want euphoric, energetic, but light effects. It does not cause sleepiness and can be consumed during the day without affecting your routine. It is ideal for those who need THC. The plant can be identified by being tall with thin leaves and fine flowers.

Cannabis Indica – These are indicated for those who want a relaxing and sleepy feeling, useful as a tranquilizer. Therefore, it is ideal for those who have sleep disorders or need cannabidiol (CBD). The plant is usually low, with broad leaves and large flowers.

Hybrids – As the name says, they are hybrid plants, a mixture of the two previous species. Therefore, the feeling is relaxing and euphoric.

Automatics – These are the hybrid plants that flower faster than the previous species, regardless of the environment (between 2 to 3 months they make the complete cycle). Their effects may vary between Indica and Sativa and are therefore indicated for those who need THC and CBD.

If you cannot choose the species and will have to select the seeds from your press, place the seeds between your fingers and squeeze gently. If the seed breaks, it is bad for planting.

Does the sex of the marijuana matter: male or female?

Besides choosing the species of your plant, it is important to pay attention to whether your plant will be male or female, because this interferes with the quality of your cultivation. You want to grow the female plants, but you won’t have a way to choose that at the very beginning. Unless you are already growing with a feminized seed.

Otherwise, you will have to wait for it to show its sex and hope it is female, since it is the females that give the flowers full of trichomes and pistils. The male plants serve to fertilize, but do not produce flowers.

When your crop is in its 4th week or so, observe the following characteristics of the plants:

Female Plant – These are the ones that have pistils at their base, which are white hairs between the nodes.

Male Plant – These are easier to identify, because they have “little balls” at their bases, instead of white hairs.



If it is possible to choose plants before they germinate, give preference to seeds that have already been feminized. And now, let’s continue with the step by step process to grow your marijuana at home.

Germinating a marijuana seed

After selecting your species and seeds for growing marijuana outdoors or indoors, it is time to germinate your seed. This is the easiest step in the process. You can do this in several ways, including the most common way is to grow marijuana from cotton.

Here are the main ways to germinate your marijuana seed at home:

Paper towel – This is the most widely used and probably the easiest method. Just moisten a paper towel, without flooding it with water. Put the seed in it, cover it with another paper towel on top, and leave it in a closed environment.

Cotton – Just moisten a cotton ball like you used to do with beans in school and similar to the way you did with paper towels.

In the ground – Insert your seed directly into the soil/substrate you have chosen to grow. However, it is important to do this in a plastic cup or other small container before transferring to the pot.

Germination cells – This method is more unusual, but it is possible to use germination cells to receive the seeds. Known as Jiffys, they are cheap and useful for germinating the seeds and transplanting them right away.

Marijuana seed sprouting

After choosing one of the above methods, let the seed germinate for about 48 hours in a dark environment.

It is important that the temperature for growing marijuana is around 25 º C, until the seed germinates. Check that the seed is moist every 12 hours and, if necessary, soak it some more.

When you can see the white roots of the plant, it is time to transfer it to a pot.

At this stage, there is not much secret. You can transfer the seed to a large pot where it will grow over the next few months, or to a small pot if you don’t have a larger container.

If you choose the small pot, you will need to transplant your herb into larger pots as the marijuana grows.

How to choose the substrate for growing marijuana at home?

Now you must be asking yourself: after germinating, what to do with the marijuana? Now is the time to transplant, so let’s choose the soil used.

The substrate used to grow marijuana is a little different from the black earth that is usually used for other plants.

This common soil may work, but it will not guarantee that the plants will develop to the maximum they should, for lack of some elements and nutrients.

Therefore, when it comes to choosing the substrate, it is good to understand a little more about them, because each grower usually has his or her preference in this case.

The best substrates for growing cannabis can be organic or inert. And they can also be a mixture of several nutrients, as well as a predominance of one, as is the case with coconut fiber crops, which is growing a lot among growers.

Here’s how to grow marijuana with the ideal mixtures and substrates:

Mixture of Peat and Perlite (inert) – 50% Sphagnum Peat and 50% Perlite.
Inert mixture with coconut (inert) – 1/3 Sphagnum Peat, 1/3 Perlite and 1/3 Coconut Fiber.
Organic Mixture with Humus – 40% Sphagnum Peat, 40% Perlite, and 20% Worm Humus.

Organic Blend with compost – 40% Sphagnum Peat, 40% Perlite, and 20% compost.

If you still have questions on the subject, watch our video below on how to choose the soil to grow cannabis. Then, continue reading the article to continue your step-by-step on how to grow marijuana.

What equipment is needed to grow marijuana?

When it comes to growing marijuana at home, separate the following equipment:

Vessels
Substrate
Shears for pruning
Greenhouse for indoor cultivation
Lamps (indoor)
Reflectors (indoor)
Charcoal filter (indoor)
Fan (indoor)

As you can see, you will need some extra equipment if you grow indoors.

This type of cultivation is most beneficial for protecting the plant from pests and storms, and is ideal for those living in apartments. But if you can grow marijuana in an open place, only pots, substrates and a pair of scissors will do.

Marijuana Growth Phases

After planting the marijuana in the substrate, it is not necessary to add nutrients to the soil until the 15th day of cultivation.

For the first 15 days, you should maintain a cycle of 16 hours of light and water, then 6 hours of darkness.

A tip for watering the crop is to water the soil only when it is completely dry (be careful not to let the plant wilt).

After the 15 days, you can transplant the herb to a larger pot if necessary. From now on, it is time to nourish the marijuana with nutrients, starting with a low dose.

The vegetative (growing) period can take up to 4 months, and when it is time for marijuana to flower, it will shed small pistils (pre-flowers) between its nodes.

TIP: The longer your plant spends in the vegetative state, the higher your harvest is. However, if you don’t have much space at home, it is ideal to shorten the vegetative time, to control the growth of marijuana.

The life cycle of cannabis is well determined and easy to follow. Its photoperiod has two stages: vegetative and flowering.

In the picture above: Crop in the vegetative period, in the growing phase.

Vegetative Period (2 to 4 months)

This period is considered the infancy and adolescence of the plant. This is when they most need food to grow, and that is a lot of light and nutrients. During this period, leave the plant exposed to light
for 18 hours straight, and then leave it for 6 hours in the dark.

If you grow outdoors, you may find it difficult to provide this much light, but the important thing is to try your best to give them plenty of light.

In the vegetative period is when the female pistils and ramifications begin to appear, which can be even more considerable if the plants receive pruning.

Flowering Period (2 to 3 months)

Flowering is the adult life of marijuana, when the plants begin to develop their flowers and further display their aroma, colors, and trichomes with THC.

At flowering, the light exposure time is reduced to 12 hours per day. So it is in a cycle of 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark.

If you have any complications regarding the smell of marijuana, we recommend connecting a carbon filter, because at this stage it exudes a strong aroma.

If your plant is in an outdoor cultivation and is still in the vegetative stage, it is possible to force flowering by placing it in a dark environment when it is expecting more light. This helps her understand the change in photoperiod.

In the flowering process, you must change the nutrients and do the flush process, which is a soil washing technique. Thus, in about 3 weeks, your plant will be twice the size.

When the marijuana is at a good size, do some clean pruning, that is, remove small branches that are getting too little light at the lowest part of the plant.

Over time, you will notice some leaves yellowing and falling off, which is normal. Therefore, remove the yellow leaves to keep your crop clean.

As your flowers grow and become heavy, they can eventually topple over. So use some plastic stakes to support the plant.

⚠️ IMPORTANT:
At flowering, always check the humidity of your crop. If the environment is too humid, there is a risk that the marijuana will mold and you will lose your crop.

How to grow marijuana: Harvest time at home!

After the whole process of germinating, planting the marijuana and nurturing it, it is time to harvest its flowers. It is important to know the right time to pick your flowers.

The main characteristics of ready-to-harvest marijuana are:

Pistils Change Color – The female’s pistils change color as the plant develops, and will have other colors than the white hairs from the beginning.

Tricomes – Tricomes are the resin-filled glands that form in flowers. These take on a more yellowish coloration as they mature, becoming almost brown. Following this process makes it easy to know when to harvest.

Ideally, you should use a magnifying glass to do this.

If you have identified that it is time to harvest the flowers, don’t forget to flush, which is a cleaning of the plant.

In flush, you run a knife through the branches and twigs of the marijuana so that it absorbs all the nutrients from the soil/substrate. This is essential to ensure the flavor and potency of the flowers.

In the image above: See the difference between yellowish trichomes and transparent trichomes

How to grow marijuana: Drying the flowers

Even after harvest, it is not yet time to smoke the flowers, because the flowers are still moist and too alive to be eaten.

All buds sold in legal markets or consumed by growers go through a process of drying and curing the marijuana before they are ready for smoking, bonging, putting in food, or vaporizing.

There is no point in skipping the drying step because you are anxious to smoke.

So here’s how to do the drying of marijuana at home:

Place the branches in a dark place between 16 ºC and 22 ºC, with some ventilation;
Hang the stems upside down on clotheslines or use drying nets;
Let the marijuana dry for at least two weeks up to 30 days;
When you can break one of the branches and see that it is completely dry, the step has been completed.

It is important not to dry your buds on newspaper or cardboard.

This can end up affecting the flavor and aroma of the plant, as well as not being aerated – which makes it difficult for the marijuana to evaporate and increases the chances of mold.

At the end of the process, 500 grams of wet flowers will yield about 125 grams of dried flowers.
Below is an image of drying nets suitable for marijuana:


Drying the Marijuana Harvest

How to grow marijuana: Healing process

When your buds are dry, it is time to store and cure the flowers, an essential process to remove the bushy taste of the plant. It is at this point that your marijuana will gain more flavor and aroma.

To make the marijuana cure:

Place the flowers in a glass jar or other airtight container;
Leave the pot in a dark environment for another 20 to 30 days;

Open the container once in a while for the flowers to breathe a little.

That’s it! After this period you will have done the whole process of growing marijuana at home and now you can consume it as you see fit – smoking it, bonging it, eating it, etc.

Essential Nutrients for Growing Marijuana – NPK

Now that you’ve learned all the steps on how to grow marijuana, check out some extra tips for starting your home cultivation safely and ensuring healthy plants:

If you are starting to grow marijuana now you will come across the acronym NPK, which refers to the nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K).

Nitrogen is crucial for chlorophyll, the molecule responsible for the photosynthesis of marijuana. Therefore, this element is fundamental for the development of the stems and leaves of your herb. If your plant is growing slowly, it is probably low in nitrogen.

Phosphorus is responsible for the plant’s root development, that is, the roots. It helps create sugars and starches, and is essential to ensure larger flowers.

Potassium, on the other hand, is essential to ensure the strength and endurance of marijuana. Therefore, invest in potassium-rich nutrients from the very beginning so that it will become stronger. We do not recommend giving banana tea to the plant.

Carbon dioxide is key to growing marijuana

The common mistake beginner growers make is to forget that marijuana loves carbon dioxide (CO2).

This compost is fundamental to the flowering process of the plant in indoor cultivation, because it is what guarantees its growth.

If you want to grow marijuana and make your weed grow faster, increase the amount of carbon dioxide they receive.

By adding CO2, it is as if you are feeding the plant more, ensuring larger flowers, as you are increasing its ability to absorb light.

It is worth reinforcing that when adding more CO2, install an air intake to ensure fresh carbon dioxide and increase the light output as well.

If you only increase the amount of CO2, but do not increase the light output, you will not generate the sugars necessary for plant growth.

So if you decide to add the carbon dioxide, know that you will have more expense for the equipment, but you will also have larger plants.

⚠️ CAUTION: When using the extra CO2, ensure that the greenhouse is completely sealed, as high levels of carbon dioxide are harmful to humans.

Ideal temperature for growing marijuana

Marijuana is a plant that requires a constant temperature, but it is also okay if on a very hot day the temperature rises a little.

Ideally, the grow temperature should never exceed 30º C. Some growers usually vary the temperature according to the photoperiod, but the most common is to maintain a standard climate for girls, somewhere around 22ºC to 26ºC.

Understand more about the subject, including the ideal humidity for plants here.

How to grow indoor marijuana with the right bulbs

When it comes to choosing the bulb to grow marijuana at home, choose as follows:

HQI – They are very efficient metal vapor lamps for the vegetative photoperiod.

HPS – These are made of sodium vapor, and are usually widely used by growers. They are great for the flowering period.

LED – LED lamps and ready-made panels with several of these lamps are being used more and more by growers because they often emit less heat, and consume less energy.

How to prune to increase marijuana buds

Pruning is an essential process to ensure that your marijuana flowers get bigger and it yields more.

It is from pruning that you will be able to remove the useless shoots, ensuring that the plant can redistribute its nutrients to the flowers that really matter.

It is important that this pruning is done only in the vegetative period, when the plant is still growing, because it will need time to recover the leaves and get bigger.

After pruning, wait at least three days before forcing blooms. See more marijuana pruning techniques.

When to know the right time to harvest marijuana

Knowing the proper time to harvest marijuana is a common doubt of those who are starting to cultivate.

Ideally, you should harvest only when 70% to 90% of the pistils on your plant are brown.

If you notice that your herb is very brownish, with a very dark shade and on most of the pistils, it is past time to harvest.

In this case, the taste of marijuana is stronger and the effects of the buds will be narcotic, so harvest immediately.

One tip is that you can harvest according to the effect you expect: an earlier harvest will bring euphoric and energetic effects.

Late harvest, on the other hand, can bring a relaxing, sleepy effect, ideal for those who suffer from anxiety.