Over 50% of American adults favor marijuana legalization. And as legalization spreads globally, more people are choosing to grow weed at home.

Sometimes, bud can be sprayed with harmful pesticides or be exposed to other contaminants. It’s not good for anyone to light up tainted bud. And any extra contamination can be particularly harmful to those of us who smoke medicinally.

Growing weed at home gives you peace of mind that you are getting quality bud. With our top ten tips, you’ll know how to grow weed at home in no time!

Top Ten Tips for How to Grow Weed at Home

Growing marijuana at home adds a new dimension to your appreciation of pot. Marijuana enthusiasts love the control and connection they feel to their weed when they grow it themselves.

Continue reading for our top ten tips on how to grow weed at home.

1. Do Your Research

Use the experience and expertise of growers online to help you. Always do research before trying a new cultivation technique.

It’s common for new growers to get adventurous and kill their plants or decrease their yields. Avoid doing any ‘experiments’ with your plants before your first harvest.

2. The Cannabis Life Cycle

Marijuana grown outside only flowers once a year before dying. It begins with a vegetative state that lasts into the summer months when flowering begins.

The goal of indoor cultivation is to keep the plant alive for multiple harvests by artificially simulating the conditions of spring and summer.

Growing marijuana indoors gives you complete control over the temperature and light conditions allowing you to reap multiple harvests from the same plant.

3. How to Grow Weed with Seeds or Clones

Genetics play a huge role in the quality of your plants — begin a great grow with high-quality seeds and clones.

Clones are exact copies of an already flowering plant. Growers who use clones benefit from quicker growth and higher initial yields.

Seeds take longer to get started, but you are able to store them longer than clones. Seed banks make it easy to buy seeds online. Usually, they provide you with ample information about the strain and growing conditions.

4. Temperature Control

Temperature plays a huge role in the health and vitality of your marijuana.

Marijuana grows best at a warm room temperature, between 70-85 degrees. It’s important that the air is not too dry or humid. Grow tents are great for keeping temperatures stable. There are different optimal temperatures for each stage of life and near the end of the flowering temperatures drop.

Grow lights can give off heat and increase the temperature. Make sure your grow room has plenty of ventilation and fans to help minimize the lamp heat.

5. Male and Female Plants

Cannabis plants are either male or female. Female plants flower and produce buds, while male plants are responsible for fertilizing female plants and do not produce any flowers themselves.

Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if a plant is male or female prior to flowering. Determine the sex of your plants as soon as possible so you can dispose of male plants — male plants do not produce flowers with THC.

6. It’s all about the Light

Cannabis requires a lot of light to grow quickly and produce buds. Indoor growing requires specialized lamps. There are a wide variety of lights available and a grow light system for every budget.

Light is vital to start the flowering process in vegetative plants. Grow lights can be set to a timer to simulate the sun. When vegetative plants receive equal 12 hour periods of light and dark they will begin flowering.

7. Soil Cultivation vs Hydroponics

Growing marijuana in soil is much like growing any other plant. Weed grown in soil creates bud with, in some circles opinion, a better taste from the nutrient-rich soil. Hydroponic weed can be more potent, grows more quickly and has higher yields.

In a hydroponic system, the plant is suspended in water as opposed to soil. Hydroponic grow kits range in price, but they tend to be more expensive than soil-based kits.

8. Timing is Key to Potency

Weed that is harvested too early results in a stronger “head-high” that can leave users anxious and make them feel nauseous. This isn’t ideal, especially for medicinal users.

Mature weed results in a more pleasant and relaxing high. Marijuana is usually ready to be harvested within 2-4 months of flowering.

Different strains require different amounts of time. There is a two-week harvest window for the best bud, after which the weed starts to weaken in quality.

9. Curing your buds is vital to taste and potency

Curing is the process of drying weed to improve taste and potency.

Dried bud should be cured for at ten days up to four weeks.

Once you have trimmed and dried your weed put it in mason jars for the curing process. Tightly seal the container and store it in a cool dark place.

You will expose your bud to air for small periods of time to help with the drying process. Keep a close eye on your weed as it cures to prevent molding or over-drying.

10. Pots for Your Pot

Weed grows more quickly if its roots have access to fresh air. Fabric pots are a great option for growing weed because they provide ample air to the roots.

Drainage holes and run-off catchers are also important for your plant’s health. Never let your plant sit in stagnant water too long — it can change the PH of the plant. Standing water also attracts mold and pests, which will ruin your harvest.

Also, make sure your plants have enough space to grow. You should have at least 2 gallons of space for every 12″ of height.

Get Growing and Start Smoking

The best advice we can give new growers is to be patient. It can take up to 4 months for your indoor plants to be ready for smoking.

Some new growers shorten their drying and curing process due so they can light up sooner. Don’t do that! Drying and curing are key to producing a quality, potent bud.

Know that you know all the basics on how to grow weed, it’s time to get started! Leave a comment below to tell us about your marijuana gardening plans.