Not everyone agrees “cannabis” is an essential business. But, if you are a medical cannabis user, it would be more than a luxury brand for you. Studies suggest there is nothing better than adopting a new skill to lower down your stress and keep up the momentum. And what’s better than creating your cannabis garden. To consume a better quality cannabis strain, first, you will need a medical marijuana grower license.
After that, you must concentrate on acquiring good quality seeds. Once you are done with basics, you can move ahead with the first step of cannabis growing, i.e., germination process. So, here are the three simple ways to get off a good start with your marijuana growing.
How to Successfully Germinate Your Seeds?
The best way to germinate cannabis seeds is to indulge in something simple and natural. Ideally, there are several ways to do that. But, we are providing you the top three most natural ways to germinate your cannabis seeds under the lockdown.
Place Your Seeds Directly in The Soil
It is the most common and the most successful method of all to germinate your cannabis seeds. Using this way would ensure the minimal interference of your young seeds since the soil protects your cannabis’s fragile roots. Again, without a second thought, it’s the most natural way to grow your favorite strains.
Place your seed into the soil by creating a 1.5 cm deep hole using your fingers or pen/pencil. And then cover it with the soil. If you are using a germinated seed, place the root downwards, and cover with the loose soil. Use a sprayer to moisten the soil. Avoid using a windowsill as you might be unable to maintain the necessary temperature. So, use the appropriate measure to maintain the temperature around 22° Celsius or 72° Fahrenheit. And you can achieve that using a fluorescent lamp.
Again, ensure your soil remains moist. Within a week of this procedure, you will see stems emerging from the soil. Congrats!! You have a seedling. So, wait until it becomes 5 to 10 cm tall, then transplant the plant into a larger pot.
Also, Read- How Do Cannabis And COVID-19 Affect Each Other?
But, while using soil, make sure you choose the right one. For that, you must have a mildly fertilized soil or a seed starter. The pH must be around 6. It’s because such soil will be enriched with spores and minerals essential for growing marijuana to thrive. Don’t use any substitute nutrients since the soil has enough to help the plant for the first two weeks. Beware of adding any more nutrients as it might result in an overdose.
Germinate Seeds Using Water
It might seem a bad idea as you require more water and light for using this method. But, experts believe that the technique is more than 90% effective. The trick is not to leave cannabis seeds in water for long. Ideally, 24 to 48 hours is enough. But you can leave them soaking for approximately 7 days. Germinating seeds in water will help to crack open the shell pretty quickly. Maintain the temperature around 18 degrees Celsius or 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Don’t add any nutrients. Drop two to three seeds into the water and look for any changes. Replace the water with fresh water every day. You will see the seeds splitting within two to four days. At this point, you can shift the seeds to the soil. But once the roots develop around 3 to 5 mm, plant them in a pot immediately. Though it might be one of the easiest ways for germinating your seeds, it has its downsides as well.
It’s because the seeds are delicate, and the roots are fragile. And handling such tiny creatures might be a bit challenging initially. Any failure would cost you a plant for which you made an effort to obtain a medical marijuana grower license.
Get The Support of Cotton Pads or Paper Towels
Another easier way to germinate your seeds is by using cotton pads or paper towels. This way, you can keep your seeds moist and protected. Although cotton pads are cheap and the best way to do that, you can use paper towels as well. All you need to make sure is using a single ply paper towel to avoid harming the roots of your cannabis.
The procedure goes like this. Place your seeds within two pads and moisten the setup using a plant sprayer. Try maintaining the temperature around 22 degrees or 72 Fahrenheit. And like the other methods, try not to use the windowsill for keeping your seeds. With two to five days, the seeds will split open with a tiny root. Place them in the soil when the seedling grows 0.1-0.2 inches long. If you are not careful, it will damage the cannabis’s fragile root. Studies suggest using fingers or tweezers to place the sprouts into the soil.
Points to Remember
Never allow your sprouted seeds to dry. Marijuana seeds require a combination of warmth and moisture to flourish into potent buds. If you don’t keep an eye on your fragile roots, your seedling will die eventually. For a happy and healthy plant, they need access to water the entire time during germination.
Another point is to make sure your seedlings are getting the required temperature to grow. Cannabis seedlings grow faster and healthier if they can absorb moisture through their leaves. And dry air can kill your seedlings. You can use an incandescent bulb and place it over the marijuana seed germination area to help keep things warm.
Also, Read- How To Practice Hygiene With Cannabis?
Final Thoughts
Due to the growing pandemic, stress levels are skyrocketing. So, adopting a new skill would help you outgrow the fear within. And cannabis growing is one of the best productive hobbies to divert your attention from the ongoing situation. But how does it help? For one, it will relieve your stress. And the other, you will have your desired cannabis strains without leaving your home. In a nutshell, you can protect yourself from contracting the virus. However, one must be careful with cannabis growing since it’s still an illegal drug. To begin with, it would be a better idea if you use a medical marijuana grower license to extend your growing limits. You can also go ahead with your medical marijuana card for the same.
The next element in line would be choosing the right seeds. Experts confirm dark cannabis seeds are most viable. Prevent yourself from buying anything pale or white as such seeds would not germinate. Remember, the health of plants depends on the health of the seeds. So, buy your seeds only from trusted sources. Once you have your seeds, make sure you have the space to grow healthy cannabis plants. So, don’t pop seeds inside a growing medium if you are unsure about your growing area.