Vio_La_Grow

https://www.420magazine.com/community/threads/las-quick-guide-to-simple-backbuilding-technique-for-buds.209274/ Bud Backbuilding guide: Light Addict: Snip the tip of the cola Yes it is that simple :) Now the idea behind this process; My friend who had years experience told me it was like the bud hitting a barrier, such as another branch! He advised me to take 3 white hairs and a couple of the tiny green points off end of buds! I tried this and its way to fiddly etc. So I now simply snip the tiniest bit off each bud head. This just takes the very tip of stem. This sends the bud backbuilding, forming more dense buds, that are all of uniform shape! The actual cut is so tiny that it doesn't stall or delay the budding. It doesn't hurt the girl one bit. Just gives really appealing nugs. that are dense as hell! When to do it? Simply put you want to be past mid way of flower. Or whenever you believe the buds to be of a good developed size. (the pics above were just for demonstration) I've used this for years with no ill effects, so if ya fancy it give it a whirl! :)

Welcome, fellow cannabis growers! This Bubbleponics grow guide will show you how to go from planting your seed to actually enjoying your cannabis buds in just 3-4 months using an efficient hydroponic system that fits in your closet. I decided to make a tutorial about growing marijuana with Bubbleponics because I’ve found it is not only one of the best ways to produce consistently huge yields, it also allows for a quicker harvest than pretty much any other grow method! Two cannabis plants growing in a top-fed DWC (bubbleponics) setup under an HPS grow light Did You Know? One of the major advantages to Bubbleponics and DWC is actually the air being bubbled up through the water. The bubbles give your roots more oxygen than they could normally get in soil which contributes to getting significantly faster vegetative growth! 3 young DWC cannabis plants in the vegetative stage Before I get started, I want to give a quick shout-out to a gracious fellow named Roseman who, long ago in the vast reaches of the internet, wrote a tutorial on Bubbleponics that actually made growing cannabis in water seem accessible. That simple guide made it possible for someone like me (who’d never grown any type of plant before) to succeed and I’ve grown cannabis with Bubbleponics ever since! Over the years I’ve learned exactly what you need to do to get consistently great results (as well as what doesn’t work), so I decided it’s time to pass the knowledge on! Hopefully this step-by-step walkthrough will make growing weed with bubbleponics even easier for you to get into! If you follow the simple steps outlined in this tutorial, you will great yields on your very first attempt! Pros of Growing Cannabis with Bubbleponics: Yields – Very high yields compared to the amount of light/nutrients/time that goes into each plant Faster Growth – Super fast vegetative growth. (I’ve personally seen marijuana plants grow over 3 inches in a single day using this system). In particular, plants grow faster in the first few weeks of the vegetative stage than with any other method No Bugs – Much less likely to get bugs or other pests Potency – Perceived potency seems to be higher with cannabis grown in hydroponics vs. soil Big Plants – Larger plants can be supported by smaller containers since water takes up less space in the container than soil Simple to Maintain – Not hard to maintain once it’s set up; can be left alone for a couple of days Fits in Your Closet – Doesn’t need much room for cannabis plants to thrive Cons of Growing Cannabis with Bubbleponics: Getting Set Up – Setting up a bubbleponic reservoir takes a more time and effort than starting with soil Top-Feed is Most Effective for First Few Weeks – The top-feed takes the most time during the setup process, and can be skipped, but it’s recommended because it causes your plant to grow faster during the first few weeks of life. Unfortunately, the benefits of the top-feed decrease as the plants root system grows larger, and after a certain point the top-feed becomes unnecessary. Root Rot – Your cannabis roots are more likely to suffer from root problems like root rot when growing directly in water. However, root problems are easy to prevent with a little preparation! Most importantly, give roots tons of bubbles and don’t let heat and light get into the reservoir. Must Keep Heat Under Control – Maintaining a proper temperature is important for the fastest growth and healthiest roots in hydroponics. That means you will likely need a proper venting/exhaust system to control the heat if you’re using hot grow lights. However, bubbleponics works astonishingly well with high-powered lights if temps are kept under control! Smell – The smell of hydroponically grown buds may not be as complex as organically grown buds. Looking "under the hood" into a DWC reservoir “Bubbleponics” is just a fun word to describe a top-fed Deep Water Culture (DWC) hydroponic system, which is a slightly fancier version of DWC (Deep Water Culture). In DWC, your plant roots are grown in a reservoir of aerated nutrient water that’s been adjusted to the correct pH. The roots are allowed to hang with only oxygenated nutrient water as a medium in order to get the best access to water, oxygen, and nutrients. This allows your plants to grow much faster as a result! Bubbleponics/Top-fed DWC is basically the same thing as DWC except for one small, but important, addition. A small stream of that same aerated, pH-balanced nutrient water is trickled over the young roots of your cannabis plants. This encourages the roots to grow faster and reach the reservoir water in less time, making for faster growth during the first part of the vegetative period. The roots are allowed to hang with just aerated nutrient water as a medium in order to get the best access to water, oxygen, and nutrients.

Dry & Cure Cannabis Buds Like an Expert! by Nebula Haze Introduction Overview of the Cannabis Drying/Curing Process Harvest: Harvest cannabis when the white hairs have darkened and curled in. Too early can sometimes trigger anxiousness or headaches for some people. When do I harvest? The most common way to harvest cannabis is: cut down branches, trim off unwanted leaves, then hang branches upside down in a ventilated area. Drying: Dry buds slowly for 3-7 days. The amount of drying time will vary depending on your local temperature and humidity. Don't let buds touch each other during drying, especially in high humidity. Watch buds closely to make sure they're not drying to a crisp overnight (drying too fast), or parts of buds feel wet and don't seem to be drying (drying too slow). Drying is finished when small stems start to snap instead of bend. 1st Level Curing: Put buds in quart-sized glass mason jars for at least 2 weeks. Curing for 2-4 weeks will reduce “harshness,” the fresh-cut-grass smell of newly dried buds, as well as help prevent headaches and anxious effects. Open jars at least once a day for a minute or two. The outside of cannabis buds should never feel wet; if they feel wet then leave lid off jar for an hour or two until they feel dry again, and go back to curing. 2nd Level Curing: Continue curing buds for 2-6 months to further increase smoothness and potency (while buds "feel stronger," it's unknown whether 2nd level curing has any effect on the medical benfits of cannabis) Long-Term Storage: After 6 months, you should prepare your buds for long-term storage ​Review: Timeline of the Entire Drying/Curing Process Extra Tips and Tricks For a Perfect Cure Every Time Introduction This gorgeous and colorful cannabis nug was dried and cured to perfectionIt takes a lot of patience to wait for your buds to mature until they're ready for harvest. Many cannabis growers (especially first-time growers) have a tendency to harvest their cannabis too early out of excitement. To test your patience even more, after you've harvested your cannabis, buds still need to be dried and “cured” to achieve the proper taste, smell and potency most growers are looking for in high-quality buds. Drying and curing your buds improperly (or not drying and curing at all) will result in buds that are harsh, taste/smell bad, and actually seem less potent. Improperly dried and cured buds can also give you a headache or increase your chances of feeling anxious or paranoid during use. This article will give you hints and tips to achieve the perfect dry/cure every time so you produce the best buds possible with every harvest. Note: Read the full article with step-by-step instructions on how to dry/cure your cannabis buds here. This article provides extra tips and hints for the best cannabis curing results, but the above link will give you detailed step-by-step instructions. Sirius holding a bundle of buds! Why Do Growers Cure Buds After Harvest? Here’s what drying and curing cannabis will do for you… Dramatically improves taste of buds after harvest Gets rid of the unpleasant “fresh hay” or “cut grass” smell which is common on newly harvested buds Brings out the subtle flavors and unique smell of your cannabis strain Reduces “harshness” in buds; you’re less likely to start coughing or get a headache Buds that are dried/cured properly are less likely to cause anxiety, racing thoughts, or paranoia Increases storage time; you can store properly dried/cured buds for years and buds will retain a lot of their original potency Reduce the chance of mold growing on your buds Curing increases the perceived “potency” of your buds. Buds actually produce stronger effects! Detailed Breakdown of the Dry/Cure Process Harvest Harvesting your cannabis at the right time will dramatically increase the quality of your buds. When do I harvest? The first step of a great dry/cure is to harvest your cannabis the right way at the right time. This purple cannabis cola is ready to be harvested During harvest, you will cut the buds from your cannabis plant. How do I harvest the buds from the plant? For most growers, harvesting plants means cutting stems with buds on them away from the main plant. At this point, most growers will trim the extra leaves off their newly harvested buds. Leaves do not contain as much THC and other cannabinoids as the buds themselves, and leaving too many leaves on the buds will contribute to “harshness.” Trimming your marijuana buds - before and after How do I trim the leaves off my buds? Don’t worry, you can still use the extra leaves or “trim” to make hash or edibles (like Canna Caps, Cannabis Extract Oil or Dry Ice Hash). These processes extract the “good stuff” from the leaves of the plant, while getting rid of the inert matter in the leaves that can cause harshness. Some growers choose to trim leaves off the buds after the drying process, but please note that trimming after drying is much more difficult! I only recommend waiting to trim if you live in a very dry area (extremely low humidity), and absolutely need the leaves to help slow down the drying process. Otherwise it's recommended that most growers trim their cannabis buds immediately after harvest. Here's some examples to help show you what I mean. Drying before trimming (not recommended unless you live in a extremely dry environment) The buds still have all of their leaves because they were not trimmed before being hung to dry Drying cannabis buds before trimming Drying after trimming (recommended) Notice how the leaves have been mostly trimmed away before the buds were hung up to dry These cannabis buds were trimmed first, before they were hung up to dry Drying: Dry buds slowly, for 3-7 days While “drying” and “curing” are usually thought of as two separate events, the "curing" process actually starts as soon as you cut your buds from your plants. Drying your cannabis buds slowly is a part of achieving the best cure. It’s important to leave just the right amount of moisture before taking buds down. If you dry the buds too quickly, or too much, it can actually halt the whole curing process so you don't get as much benefits or improvement from jarring your buds. When deciding when to pull buds down during the drying process, it's better to err on the side of leaving buds too wet than too dry. You can always dry buds more, but the curing process will not go as well if you've dried your buds too much. How do I dry the buds? A mesh drying rack can be used for drying buds, but it will tend to dry out buds faster than hanging them upside down by their stemsSome growers like to use mesh racks for the drying process. I personally believe most growers, especially small-scale growers, will get the best results by drying their buds hanging upside down with buds still attached to their stems. When using mesh racks, buds will dry quicker because you cut the buds off the stems (which contain moisture and help the buds dry slowly). Being horizontal (as buds will be on a mesh rack) also seems to make buds dry more quickly. Additionally, buds tend to flatten on the side that's lying on the mesh due to gravity and the softness of buds. Racks will help your buds dry faster (and prevent mold), so they are a great choice if you live in a high humidity area, and/or if you're drying a LOT of buds in a small area. If you're drying a pound or more of buds in a small space, you may want to invest in a mesh rack to make sure buds don't mold. Remember how we had to trim the buds earlier? Racks are also useful for those who have huge harvests because it is easier/faster to trim buds when they’ve been separated from the stems. Some growers even use trimming machines to trim buds, but machines need the buds to be separated from their stems. Trimming buds while still on the stems can be time-consuming. A rack allows you to dry buds no matter how they've been trimmed, even if they've been separated from the stems. That being said, I highly recommend trimming your buds while still on their stems, then hanging them upside down if possible. You want your buds to dry relatively slowly to achieve the best cure, and I've always achieved the best results by drying my cannabis buds by hanging them upside down by their stems. When I've used mesh racks to dry my buds, they've always tended to dry too quickly. Whether your hanging your buds or drying them on a mesh rack, don't let buds touch each other during the drying process! This increases the likelihood that your buds will get mold. Throughout the drying/curing process, it's a battle between drying too fast and the possibility of mold. One of the best things you can do to prevent mold is to never let buds that feel wet on the outside touch each other. Never let buds touch each other during the drying process (arrange them so buds don't touch) Never let cannabis buds touch each other during the drying process When it comes to drying slowly, it's good to aim for a drying process that has your buds ready to put in jars after about 7 days. That being said, growers have dried buds for only a few days, and up to a few weeks and still gotten great results. The most important thing to remember is to always take buds down and put them in the jars before they're too dry. If they're too wet, there's still a lot you can do to dry them out more, but you can't fix overdried buds. When are buds done drying? Your buds are ready to be placed in jars when the outsides of buds start to feel dry to the touch. At this point, some of the small stems will snap, though the thicker stems should still have a small amount of flex when you try to bend them in half. This flex indicates that there's still moisture contained inside the stems, which is what you need for the curing process. 1st Level Curing: Keep buds in glass mason jars for 2-4 Weeks When buds have just finished drying, they tend to have a "fresh cut grass" smell instead of the skunky or sweet scent they carried during the flowering stage. If smoked, newly dried buds which haven't been cured tend to be “harsh” and are more likely to cause headaches, racing thoughts or anxiety. 1st level curing will reduce harshness and bring out the natural taste and smell of your cannabis. It will make your buds smoother and can actually increase the perceived potency compared to newly dried buds. The first step of 1st level curing is to place buds in quart-sized, wide mouth glass mason jars for at least 2-4 weeks. Use glass mason jars that are quart-sized with a wide mouth, like this: For cannabis curing, use quart-sized wide mouth glass mason jars. Never leave buds closed in jars for long periods of time if they feel moist or wet! You need to open your jars at least daily and monitor your buds closely for the first few weeks, and this gives you a perfect chance to check on the moisture levels of your buds. If you ever notice that buds feel moist or wet, you should leave jars open for 20 minutes to an hour (or until the outsides of the buds feel dry to the touch). If buds ever are left in jars while they feel wet on the outside, they are much more likely to get mold! Buds should feel dry on the outside every time you close them in your jars. During the first few weeks of the curing process, it's normal for buds to periodically feel wet as the moisture from the inside of the buds works its way to the outside. That's a good thing because it means you didn't overdry the buds, but this is also part of why it's so important to open jars at least daily for the first few weeks – you need to check on them and control the moisture levels. How do I cure buds properly? Cannabis buds curing in quart-sized glass mason jars 2 weeks of curing is generally considered the “minimum” amount of time for acceptable curing. 4 weeks of curing is a great goal. I personally do not start sampling my buds until they’ve been curing for at least 4 weeks. It’s crucial to open jars daily for at least the first 2-3 weeks of curing, and to continue to open jars regularly throughout the rest of the 1st level curing process. Even if you've overdried your buds, it's still important to open jars daily for the first few weeks to achieve the best results. Almost all growers agree that there are additional benefits to curing your cannabis buds past 4 weeks. In my experience, buds will continue to improve from additional curing for about 6 months. When I say "improve" I mean that buds subjectively seem to get "stronger" or more potent. Buds seem to get "smoother" after a long cure. The smell continues to change during the curing process, and most growers seem to agree that the changes in smell are a big improvement that brings out the natural taste and smell of your cannabis. That said, buds are good to go after 2-4 weeks. Getting to the end of the 1st level cure is the most important part of the drying/curing process, and the remaining benefits of further curing are all gravy as far as I’m concerned. 2nd Level Curing: Continue keeping buds in mason jars for 4 weeks – 6 months Continue curing buds for up to 6 months to further increase smoothness and potency (though it's currently unknown if 2nd level curing has an effect on medical benefits of cannabis). Yes, buds actually seem to get more potent if you continue curing past 4 weeks. The exact process is not well understood, but it's true. I encourage you to test your buds at all stages of curing so you can see for yourself! Once you hit 2+ months of curing, buds will begin losing some of their color. Bright greens and purples will become darker and less vibrant, though potency continues to improve. There is a common misconception that brighter or more vibrant colors indicates more potent buds, but that's not the case. This myth may have started because buds that have actually turned brown (not just muted green or purple) usually have been harvested at the wrong time, overdried and/or not stored properly. You don't want brown buds. Yet muted greens and purples do not mean the bud has lost any potency. Liberty Haze in a cup showing off some old marijuana scare tactics What do medical cannabis dispensaries do? I've noticed that dispensaries around here (in California) do a very short cure, only 2-4 weeks. I think this is because it's easier and cheaper to have a fast turnaround as opposed to doing a long cure. A fast cure allows businesses to get rid of their stock sooner, so they don’t need to store buds for as long. A quick cure also allows dispensaries to sell buds that are still bright green or purple. People like bright colors in their buds, even if the colors don't necessarily indicate a better product. After about 6 months of curing, I haven't really noticed more improvement in potency. Buds may continue to get smoother, but they stop getting stronger. So with a long cure, you gain potency and smoothness but lose some of the color. I recommend preparing your buds for long term storage after 6 months of curing to maintain the most potency. After a very long cure (12+ months), the buds begin to lose their potency and smell unless you've prepared them for long-term storage. Over-cured buds will tend to make you feel sleepy. Unfortunately, buds don't continue improving forever. Long-Term Storage After 6 months, you should prepare your buds for long-term storage. If it's just going to be a few months, this means storing your jarred buds in a cool, dry place. If you plan on storing buds for longer than that, it's recommended that you use a vacuum seal. Learn how to store your buds long-term Review: Timeline for Drying & Curing Harvest: Cut down your buds Drying: Dry buds for 3-7 days Start Curing: Put buds in glass jars and open daily for 2+ weeks. Continue to cure buds (while opening jars occasionally) for as long as you want, up to 6 months. After 6 months, you should prepare your buds for long-term storage After 12+ months, buds will begin to lose their potency and smell unless they’ve been stored properly Tips to Take Away Trim your buds to prevent harshness (leaves left on buds tend to be harsh). I recommend trimming leaves immediately after harvest (before drying) unless you need to leave them on to help buds dry slowly, for example if you live in a very dry area. It's much more difficult to trim buds properly after drying. Don’t over-dry buds or dry them too quickly – remember that drying is actually part of the curing process, and it's better to dry buds slowly. Mostly importantly, never dry buds in an oven, a dehydrator, or in the microwave. These fast-drying methods will ruin the taste and smell of your buds, and prevent them from ever being able to cure properly. Mesh Racks (or any way to dry buds horizontally) will help your buds dry faster, so they are a great choice if you… live in a high humidity area (faster drying will help prevent mold in high humidity) if you're drying a LOT of buds in a small area, or if you just can't make the time to trim buds on the stem. Otherwise… Trim buds on the stem and dry them by hanging upside down for a long, slow cure. It's the best way to do dry your buds! Never let buds touch each other while drying! When buds that feel wet on the outside are touching, it increases the likelihood of mold. Throughout the drying/curing process, it's a battle between drying too fast and the possibility of mold. One of the best things you can do to prevent mold is to never let buds that feel wet or moist touch each other. This goes for drying and curing. During drying, make sure you arrange your buds so that there is always some amount of air between buds that feel wet on the outside. During curing you will monitor your buds closely to make sure they never feel wet (more info below). Notice how none of the buds are touching each other in these pics (click for closeups) Don't let cannabis buds touch each other during the drying process Never let cannabis buds touch each other during the drying process 5.) Do yourself a favor and get quart-sized glass mason jars for the curing process. Don’t get larger or smaller sized jars. Paradoxically, jars that are too large or too small will both increase the chances of mold showing up. The specific seal you get from mason jars seems to consistently get the best results when it comes to curing. It's also important not to completely fill up your jars with bud; try to leave at least 1.5 – 2" of air space at the top of your jars. 6.) Cure your buds for at least 2-4 weeks (1st level cure) – trust me it’s worth it! You can always sample buds along the way to see for yourself how big a difference it makes. 7.) Open all the jars daily (at least) for the first few weeks of curing, even if you've overdried your buds. This is an important part of the curing process and will also give you a chance to check on the buds. 8.) Never place anything wet in your jars during curing to try to "fix" overdried buds. I've heard of people sticking a piece of potato or other things like that to try to get more moisture to the buds. It doesn't help the curing process, can negatively affect bud flavor, and may even cause mold. Even Humidipaks, which can help re-hydrate buds, will not improve the curing process for the first few weeks. If you've overdried you buds, just continue the curing process as normal for the first few weeks to achieve the best results. 9.) It's normal for buds to occasionally feel wet or moist during the curing process as moisture from the inside of the cannabis buds works its way to the outside. This is actually what you want because it means that enough water was retained during the drying process for a great cure! Because you are opening all your buds daily for the first few weeks of curing, you will be able to identify this quickly. If buds ever feel wet or moist when you open the jars, you need to leave the jars open for 20 minutes to an hour (or until buds feel dry on the outside again) before closing jars again. You should also check buds (by opening all the jars) a few times a day when buds have recently seemed moist. This will help dry out the buds so they never feel moist on the outside while inside the jars. This will prevent mold while allowing the curing process to continue perfectly. 10.) 2 weeks of curing is generally considered the “minimum” amount of time for acceptable curing. 4 weeks of curing is a great goal. Letting buds cure for even longer is better, Yet after 6 months of curing, you won't really see further gains. That's why it's recommended to prepare buds for long-term storage once you hit 6 months.

Revlo - What are your thoughts on Boveda packs during curing ?

Why do indoor cannabis growers want short or wide plants? For indoor growers, plants tend to yield more if a lot of the plant is kept just the right distance from the grow lights. This means trying to maintain a flat cannabis canopy under the grow lights and almost always using growth training methods like topping, FIMing, main-lining, ScrOG, etc. These training methods help make sure all the buds get as much light as possible, so you get bigger yields from the same grow lights.

Sea of Green is a related technique to 12-12 From Seed. The idea with Sea of Green is to grow many small plants instead of a few big plants. This allows a grower to make a sea of buds without having to do any plant training and can result in big yields that take less time. The main idea is to let seedlings grow for only 4-5 weeks before immediately switching them to the flowering stage. Since each plant doesn’t have to get very big, the time needed before flowering is reduced by several weeks. Many growers will also “top” their seedlings by removing the tips of seedlings when they have about 4-6 pairs of leaves.

Defoliation – Defoliation means removing leaves on your plant, usually only the biggest fan leaves. This might be done in the vegetative stage for various reasons, but the main “technique” is using defoliation in a certain way during the first month of the flowering stage in order to encourage buds to grow bigger. With this technique, the cannabis plant is defoliated right before the switch to the flowering stage, then another time or two during the first few weeks while the plant is in the midst of the explosion of growth known as the flowering stretch. Defoliation involves removing fan leaves in a strategic way in the first part of the flowering stage

Manifolding – This describes a sequence of topping the plant two times in a specific way so that it forms a wide “manifold” at the base of the plant. This is an easy way to achieve a lot of training without much time on your part. A benefit of training the plant with manifolding is buds tend to grow bigger, longer and more uniform than they would with some other training methods. The downside is topping your plant twice can add a week or two onto your grow.

Topping – The idea is to completely remove the top of the plant’s main stem as a seedling. This breaks its apical dominance, or tendency to grow one main cola, and immediately splits the plant into two main stems. As a result of being topped at a young age, the plant will naturally grow multiple colas even if you don’t do anything else.

Screen of Green (ScrOG) is a technique where growers use a screen over their plants and weave stems through the screen as they grow. When the plant starts making buds it’s already in a flat, table-top shape with lots of well-spaced bud sites under the grow lights. The screen also provides support for heavy buds.

No-Technique Plant Training – This is cannabis plant training in its most basic form. If it’s your first grow and you want to keep things simple, or if you don’t have much time and want to do the bare minimum to get results, this is for you! The main stem was bent over 90° when the plant was very young, so all the lower branches were able to grow up and become main colas. Bending the main stem was the only training done to this plant, no fancy techniques!

Supercropping – this technique is a more “extreme” kind of bending, and is used for stems that are too tall but have become woody and difficult to bend. With supercropping you “soften up” the stem first before bending it at an extreme angle. Supercropping can be incredibly helpful towards wrangling an out-of-control plant, and it has a few other benefits too because it can stress the plant in a “good” way. Supercropping involves extreme bending, but without hurting the “skin” of your plant

FIMing – A very closely related technique to topping. The idea of FIMing is to damage or “shave” the top of the plant instead of removing it completely. This can accomplish many of the same goals as topping, but has less of a chance of stressing the plant. The downside is it’s more likely to fail at actually breaking apical dominance (plant may still tend to grow one main cola).

Introduction: How to Train Indoor Plants for Bigger Yields Are you interested in increasing your yields when growing indoors? If so, you’re in the right place! Plant training is one of the easiest ways to increase your cannabis yields without having to upgrade your light or setup. It can be used to increase your yields up to 40% compared to not training, and it’s free! First off, what is plant training? “Plant training” means physically manipulating the plant so it grows more bud sites, resulting in increased yields indoors Example of an untrained cannabis plant vs a trained cannabis plant. The au naturel plant only has one long, thick cola, while the trained plant has many. Why not let plants grow naturally? Cannabis naturally grows in a “Christmas Tree” shape that is optimized for sunlight, not grow lights. Unlike the sun, cannabis grow lights do not rise and set every day, providing light from the sides. Furthermore, indoor grow lights have almost no penetration when compared against the sun; the light from a 1000W HPS is usable for a few feet while light from the sun is usable to plants after traveling 93 million miles! Even outdoors, lower buds tend to grow smaller than the top ones (cannabis is a wind-pollinated plant and favors buds that are higher up). But the lack of growth in lower buds becomes more pronounced indoors. With grow lights, the vast majority of the light produced is aimed straight down over the top of the plant, and in most setups the sides don’t get much light at all. Because of these reasons, the Christmas Tree shape can be really inefficient indoors, causing your plant to have just one big, top bud and many smaller ones that don’t weigh nearly as much. The main idea of plant training is to create several top colas to take the best advantage of indoor grow lights so less light is lost and yields are higher overall. Make many cannabis colas instead of just one! This cannabis plant was topped and then bent with low stress training (LST) to grow multiple colas, increasing yields dramatically! Three main types of marijuana plant training Bending and securing parts of the plant while causing little-to-no physical damage to the plant Damaging or removing parts of the plant in a strategic way to get it to grow in a more desirable shape Manipulating timelines to get faster or bigger yields Usually, growers will use more than one of these types of training because they can complement each other, but it’s also possible to use just one and not any others. For example, when growing auto-flowering strains you can’t manipulate timelines and it’s generally advised not to damage the plant since they have such a short life and that could result in stunting. So for auto-flowering plants, the main option is just bending and securing. Next: a breakdown of each plant training technique so your garden has tons of colas! Cannabis colas - although these plants aren't ready for harvest yet, the colas are huge, and there's TONS of them! Maximizing the amount of colas you grow will increase your yields! Bending & Securing Parts of the Plant Bending and securing parts of your plant is usually referred to as “Low Stress Training” (LST). General Low Stress Training (LST) – LST is the process of bending stems and securing them in place. The general idea is to bend tall stems down and away from the middle of the plant as it grows so the plant takes on a more flat and wide shape. This should be started when the plant is still a seedling since its young stems will be flexible, while the stems of older plants become rigid and woody. Some growers use the term “LST” as an umbrella term to cover all types of plant training, while others use it to refer only to bending. Plant Twisty Ties are commonly used to secure stems in place after bending them over, but lots of growers get creative (pipe cleaners, soft coated wire, etc). Just don’t use anything “sharp” like chicken wire because it cuts into the plant as it grows.

https://www.amazon.com/Bluelab-Controller-Monitoring-Solution-Excludes/dp/B00QV852OO?ref_=ast_sto_dp Measures and controls (doser) pH in solution for acid or alkaline conditions to make precise up and down adjustments with lab quality glass probe used for the pool, drinking water, hydroponics, brewing, and growing EASY two point calibration and auto temperature compensation makes this digital meter a handy tool with backlit LCD display and calibration reminders 24/7 monitor for your ph level to maximize your grow and ensure plants get the balanced feed they need; high and low alarm when outside parameters with safety lockout Automated dosing with intuitive on-time/off-time for single-direction control, replaceable peristaltic pump, and data logging; KIT INCLUDES: pH and temperature probes (Connect Stick sold separately) Made in New Zealand and manufactured by Bluelab, the industry leader in hydroponic testing equipment; 2 Year Limited Warranty with proof of purchase Plant-safe green back lit LCD with adjustable brightness Easy to navigate menu to program and adjust settings Clever monitoring, dosing and data logging of solution pH levels. Made easy. Sometimes the more you know, the better. And when it comes to managing the pH of your nutrient solution, exact knowledge makes a world of difference. Bluelab's brainy pH controller connect constantly monitors and fine-tunes the pH levels for you. But more than that, it wirelessly data logs to your computer too, putting continuous information at your fingertips. Use the data to make system changes faster for the ultimate crop. You can also change the settings from your PC. ONE Bluelab Connect Stick is required, sold separately Local and Cloud data logging capability (download free Bluelab Connect Software) Adjustment of control settings from a local PC via Bluelab Connect Software Option to view data and current status remotely via Google DocsTM Automatic control and monitoring of system pH with reservoirs up to US 200 gal/760 L Plant-safe green back lit LCD with adjustable brightness Large, easy to read displays Easy to navigate menu to program and adjust settings Simple push button pH calibration with on screen guide Flashing high/low alarm with control lockouts Dosing lockouts to protect from over-dosing Auto resume dosing on restart after power loss Water resistant, wall mount design 13 foot (4 meter) acid/alkali resistant dosing tube supplied Use with undiluted Bluelab pH Up or Down International power supply Replaceable double junction pH probe Separate Bluelab Temperature Probe (for pH ATC) Replaceable peristaltic pump and tubes Compatible with Bluelab Connect Stick and Bluelab Connect Range Extender

4-5 Day Drying time is ideal for me in my current environment

Pro tip for hydro growers. Get a good PH/TDS meter. Not those cheap 10 dollar amazon ones :P

LED Grow Lights LED grow lights are very popular among cannabis growers as an alternative to HPS grow lights. They tend to run cooler and also usually come with built-in cooling. They can often be plugged into a wall and simply hung over plants which is definitely easier than setting up an HID grow light. LEDs also have great penetration so they don’t need to be moved frequently like fluorescents. Simply hang an LED light over your plants and start growing! Pros LEDs almost always have built-in cooling that pushes heat up and away from the plants (unlike HID bulbs which beam heat down on your plants and need to be cooled separately). As a result LEDs run very cool and many growers are able to get away without venting heat at all. The smaller size LEDs can be plugged directly into the wall and hung up over your plant, without needing to do anything else. You can just plug them in and start growing! Some growers believe LEDs produce more resinous bud. Combining LEDs with HPS grow lights seems to be getting some growers really great results, though more testing is needed. Example of cannabis plants growing under an LED grow light Cons Although the LED lamp itself usually does run a lot cooler than a similar wattage HPS bulb, they still produce heat and the bigger sizes like 300W+ may need to be vented with an exhaust fan to prevent the grow space from getting too warm. Despite what some sellers may tell you, LEDs get slightly smaller yields per watt than HPS grow lights on average (LEDs commonly yield about 0.5g/watt, though some growers and lamps get better results than others!). There is a learning curve when it comes to getting the best yields from your LEDs, partly because each lamp is different and there are no “standards” to go by yet. A little experience with a specific lamp can improve your yields by a lot! LED grow lights tend to need a lot of space between the lamp and your plants, which means you need a tall grow space to get the best results. This is actually the main thing holding me back from trying LEDs more. Smaller LED panels should be kept 18″ or more away during the second half of the flowering stage to avoid light burning your buds (buds can be burned from too much light even if the temperature is cool), and some of the bigger models need to be kept 30″ or more away from the buds. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer! If you get very high-wattage LEDs, you may need to vent out heat to keep the grow space cool Example of an LED grow light in a tent with an exhaust system to vent out heat For growers who are looking to harvest 1/2 to 1 ounce of cannabis a month, LEDs may be your best choice. At this size, they are super low on electricity, run cool and need almost no setup! They get better yields than fluorescents but don’t run as hot as an HPS of similar wattage.

How to Perfectly Dry & Cure Your Marijuana Every Time What you need: Wide mouthed mason jars – 1 quart size. These are sometimes labled as “32 oz” jars. Place to Dry or Drying rack (optional) – I usually hang my buds from clothes hangers in my closet but you can hang buds from almost anything! String and creativity go a long way 🙂 It’s only recommended to use a drying rack if there’s high humidity or a lot of buds to be dried in a small space, because a drying rack can dry buds too quickly in average humidity conditions. Hygrometer (optional) – I like the Caliber IV Hygrometer because it easily fits inside quart mason jars. This measures the humidity of the air inside your jar, so you can make sure it’s not too humid or too dry for optimal curing. Humidipaks (optional) – Boveda Medium 62% packs are cheap and specifically formulated for storing cannabis so it does not dry out or get crispy

Drying (Cont'd) Tips If you’re laying your buds on something flat like cardboard, it can create wet spots, and will leave an imprint on the sides of your buds where they touched the flat surface. That being said, cardboard can be a way to help people dry buds if they live in a humid environment because it will quickly pull the water out of the buds. If buds are creating wet spots, you may need to rotate them every few hours so they dry more evenly. This is one of the reasons I prefer to use a drying rack if it’s humid, or hanging buds pretty much any other time. Cannabis buds hanging to dry after harvest - a beautiful marijuana yield with fat buds!If buds start to seem wet/soggy, or if you live in a very humid environment, you may need to use a small fan to create extra airflow in the drying area to prevent buds from getting too wet and causing mold. Never point a fan directly at your buds, only point it at a nearby wall. Even then, be careful of drying buds too fast with a fan! You should avoid using a fan unless it’s absolutely necessary because it can easily overdry buds. I’ve overdried an entire harvest by adding a fan before, so use with caution! For those who live in extremely humid areas (where the high humidity in the air is preventing buds from drying even with a fan), there are more resources at the bottom of this article on how to dry out your buds properly. Learn how one grower was able to dry his buds even with 85-95% relative humidity in his area. The most important aspect of the drying process is to dry them slowly, and in such a way that it’s easy for you to check on them regularly. So don’t hide them in the back of a closet that’s hard for you to get to. You need to be able to check on your buds every day, and more often is possible (especially during your first few harvests, until you know how buds dry in your personal environment). Drying your cannabis buds can be a beautiful sight to behold! Step 4: Continue drying until outsides of buds feel dry to the touch, and smaller stems snap instead of bend, usually 3-7 days. Buds will “snap” off without leaving a stringy trail. If buds are dry sooner than 3-4 days, it may mean you’ve dried your buds a little too fast, but that’s okay! Live and learn for next time. It’s difficult to get things exactly right at first because the size and density of the buds, and your environment can vary so much! Even if buds have been dried too quickly, they still benefit from the curing process, but it may take a little longer than normal for buds to be fully “cured.” If you accidentally remove all moisture from the buds (dry your cannabis for too long), the curing process slows down dramatically, or may even come mostly to a halt. However just like buds dried too quickly, overdried buds will still cure, but it takes longer. When to jar cannabis buds? When hanging your buds upside down to dry, your buds are ready to be placed in jars when the outsides of all the buds are completely dry to the touch, but not brittle.The bigger stems will still be bendy but the smaller stems will snap when buds are ready to pull down.