How To Do Planting Cannabis Indoors?

Gardening comes naturally to some, while others may just be using it as décor for their porch. Unlike the past decade, this year sees ample growth in the plantation of indoor seeds, with people cultivating gardens in their porches or patios. People are incrementally acquainting themselves with the ways of tissue culture as a means of breeding virus-free seeds, cultivating flowering plants to have sunflower or one of those perennials bloom in their homes, and endorsing vegetable gardens to thrive on organic, home-grown produce as much as they can. Check out Seed Pantry to avail exclusive discounts on seeds, plants, Compost discs, and much more!  

While flowering plants may be a natural choice (owing to their flamboyant charm) to those looking for creative yet natural home décor ideas, Cannabis is an excellent way to have a little fun and experiment with the methods to grow plants. Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants with three main species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.

Why grow Cannabis you ask? Well, apart from being a fun project, Cannabis is hailed not merely for a single part of the plant. Also known as hemp, its leaves can be used as vegetables, juice for medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug, and its fiber, seeds, and oils can also be put to substantial use. The cost of growing Cannabis is minimal as compared to the cost of buying its fully-fledged flowers, given that usually, the plants produce almost an ounce of Cannabis flower after curing, and under controlled circumstances, you can grow several such crops every year. This indeed requires a keen sense of appreciation for the green world, leading to a better understanding of what it takes to keep it brooding.     

Having a brown thumb is the least of your concerns with the procedure to grow Cannabis being easy and amusing, yet it requires close attention with some of the intricate measures. With the right steps conducted with due efforts at the right time, you would see your Cannabis plants reach the zenith of their youth in no time.

Germinating The Seeds: Easier Than You Think!

Choosing the right seeds

The first step towards growing your cannabis garden is selecting the seeds which are of a differing variety (with almost over 2000 Marijuana strains flogging the streets!) and you need to choose the kind which would be best suited to your growing conditions. A factor that you should verify while buying the seeds is that they appear dark brown with lighter accents and are mature. They must be firm with a coarse touch and not green or fresh which indicates that the seed has not fully matured.

Your Ideal seeds would have glimmer and intact shells and may range in color. Dark brown or nearly black seeds may be too old and not indicative of good health since these could be crushed at the touch of your hand. 

Germination

Germination or as it is otherwise known, 'popping' i.e. the growth of a plant from a seed in the dormant state is the next important step that you need to get right for healthy growth of the plant. For the process of germination to begin, soak the seeds in a bowl for 12 hours. You can use tap water to determine the viability of the seeds as the feasible seeds would sink at the bottom of the bowl while the less feasible would continue to float. Take the viable seeds out of the water after 12 hours and lay them on a towel. This pre-soaking stage makes the process of germination easier by palliating the out surface of the seeds. But if you wish to skip this stage, you can use clear plastic bags to keep the humidity high as a sine qua non condition for the seeds to germinate.  

You need to keep an eye to ensure that the seeds thrive in an environment with ample darkness, warmth, and moisture for them to sprout.

A caution would be to not pop the seeds unless you have convinced time availability and stable growing space for the seeds which can otherwise lead to under-developed or marred growth.

Wet a paper towel

Paper towels are used to retain the proper amount of moisture that the seeds require to germinate. In order to drench a paper towel in the amount that is needed, place it under running water just so it is soaked (damp) and not dripping.

Next, since paper towels are thick, you would need a plate that is strong enough to hold the towels and seeds intact in a way that is not too crowded. A ceramic dish or plate of moderate size would be the ideal choice since it provides the seeds with adequate space. Spread the paper towel across the dish or plate so that it covers it entirely.    

In case you do not have one medium-sized ceramic dish, you can take two smaller ones to spread the seeds evenly across the surface. Both the plates, then need to be covered by a wet paper towel.

Keep the seeds apart

The seeds must be laid at least half an inch (1.3 cm) apart from each other across the towel so that the blunt end (the end which is not pointy) of the seeds is in contact with the damp surface of the towel. It is important to ensure the distance so the roots of the seeds do not get entangled and have sufficient space to grow. Do not place the seeds in direct sunlight.

Wet another paper towel

Now wet one more paper towel (or two, in case you are using two dishes) and lay it on the seeds in a way that it is in due contact with the surface of the seeds. The ideal temperature to keep the seeds is 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29.4°C) for which the top of the refrigerator could serve as a good place (owing to the warmth).

Store the seeds

Make sure that the towel stays moist lest it will kill the seeds, which may then not be able to germinate. You could use a heat lamp to supply adequate warmth to the seeds but not so much so that it dries the towel. You can keep spraying the towel with water twice a day to maintain that it remains soaked. In case of extreme warmth or moisture, the seeds may die (not the best start to your Cannabis garden!). Keep checking until you see the seed case split and the emergence of a root.

Ready for planting

Generally, it takes around 48 hours for the Cannabis seeds to start sprouting as the water gets absorbed leading to the advent of a root or a 'radical' at the bottom of the seed and a tiny white shoot at the top. The appearance of the first roots can be marked within the next 10-14 days. The seeds which are not rooted within 21-30 days lack the potential for healthy growth and are probably not the best to keep.

The seeds are extremely vulnerable and should be duly tended to. You have to wait until the taproot is ¹⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂ inch (0.64 to 1.27 cm) long and ready to be transferred into the growing medium of your choice.

Sowing the Seeds: Do it with Care!

Although you could prefer any growing medium, garden pots serve as an optimum choice for indoor plants. You can buy these online or at your nearest garden supply store. Since the seeds have germinated well, the next step involves planting them in sustainable conditions.

Soiling the pots

Fill ³⁄₄ of the way up to the plastic garden pots with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of potting soil which should be loose, airy, and humid (not wet). In case this is not available, you could go for Jiffy Pots or Rapid Rooters which are available for negligible costs to plant your seeds. These are filled with peat or composted bark with a fabric outer layer that expands when wet and a hole at the center for the seeds to be placed and grown. The success rate of this method is substantially high since it provides just the right conditions to cultivate the Cannabis seed.     

Carve a hole

You need to incise a hole of ³⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) in the soil, at the center of the pot (unless you are using starter cubes). Do not try to push the seed from your finger, since it is very fragile and can be easily crushed. While carving (you can use a pencil or a think object with a pointy end), make sure that the hole is neither too shallow since if it is too close to the surface of the soil, the roots will not sprout, nor too deep which could lead to stunted growth of the seeds owing to the difficulty in reaching the surface. 

Drop the seeds

Refrain from touching the seeds from your bare hands and use a pair of tweezers instead. Lift the seeds with the tweezers and drop them in the hole so that the taproot is facing into the soil since this is the long root that will grow out of that end of the seed and needs space to thrive.

Watch your step around handling the seeds with tweezers as the slightest tug or pull can hinder the fine growth of the seed. Use water to slacken the grip of the seeds to the towel if they are stuck.      

Cover the seeds

Next, cover the seeds with ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) of soil in a gentle manner without pressing the seeds too hard to avoid hindrance in growth. In the case of starter cubes, simply pinch the top of the holes in the closed cubes. All there's left to do sit back and wait for the seeds to rip.

The Secret to a Radiant Cannabis Garden

1. Avoid keeping the plants in areas that are extremely warm like a windowsill or a heater so that the air doesn't run dry.
2. Maintain a temperature of 75° F TO 85° F (24°C TO 29°C) and spray fresh water on the soil twice a day to promote healthy growth.
3. Maintain adequate light for the Cannabis plants by using 3 to 5 watts of light for each plant and keeping them in a closet or the basement. You can use white glow lights or LED lamps for 12 hours every day to maintain a consistent temperature.

Nurture the plants with care and you would have an elegant Cannabis garden blooming in its prime. Check out Seed Pantry to avail seeds of indoor and outdoor plants and give your house nature's touch!