Cannabis Growing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Let’s face it: it’s easy to make mistakes, especially when growing cannabis. This plant, in particular, is a finicky crop, and there are a lot of things that can go wrong between germination and harvest. We’re here to help you avoid as many mistakes as possible so you can enjoy a successful grow. 

Take a look at our list of common cultivation mistakes and how to avoid them so you can maximize your harvest!

Poor pH Management

Let’s start with something that growers of all skill levels need to be aware of: pH. Water pH levels vary based on the contents, from acidic to alkaline, and knowing the proper range for your plants can mean the difference between a thriving crop and a disappointing failure. pH levels have a direct effect on your plants’ ability to absorb nutrients. This means that if your pH is off, your plant could look like it has a nutrient deficiency even if there are plenty of nutes available.

So how do you avoid the pitfalls of a maladjusted pH? Get yourself a tester kit so that you can accurately check the pH of your water supply. For hydroponic growers, pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5, while plants in soil prefer somewhere between 6 and 7. Geoflora has a wide pH range of anywhere between 4.8 and 7.5. 

What if your pH is too high or too low? No worries. Commercial solutions are available to adjust your pH up or down, while natural methods include adding sulfur or phosphoric acid to lower your pH and lime or wood ash to increase it. Just be sure to add in a little bit at a time and retest after each adjustment--there’s nothing worse than trying to fix your pH only to find that you’ve overadjusted and you need to start over! 

Overfeeding

Another common beginner grower mistake is overfeeding. With traditional fertilizers, it’s easy to overfeed your cannabis and cause nutrient burn, even to the point of killing your plants. Nitrogen is a nutrient that is especially easy to overload your crop with, so take care to start your plants off slow and adjust the dose based on the plant’s individual needs.

It’s easy to tell if a plant is over or under-fed. Plants that have had too much will start getting crispy and brown on the edges of the leaves and even lose leaves and stems due to damage. On the flip side, hungry plants will look pale, stunted, and droopy. It’s essential to strike a balance when feeding to ensure your crop thrives--make sure your plants are getting enough to keep them deep green, perky, and growing strong without burning. 

Want to avoid overfeeding? Try using organic fertilizer. These break down over time, avoiding the problem of nutrient burn compared to traditional liquid fertilizers that are available to the plant all at once. Geoflora’s balanced array of nutrients and beneficial bacteria avoids nutrient burn while also ensuring that there are nutrients readily available for your plants over time, so they don’t go hungry. 

Overwatering

Overwatering is another mistake that new growers make. While it may seem like a good idea to make sure your plants have a ready supply of water at all times, keeping your growing media constantly wet can result in serious problems, including root rot. 

It’s easy to tell if you’ve been overwatering: your plants will start looking yellow and limp, and the growth media won’t dry out thoroughly. Your soil should not be overly wet or drip excessively when squeezed. If it does, be sure to adjust your watering schedule to match your plant’s needs.

There are a few ways to check in with your plant to ensure you don’t overwater. You can wait until the leaves start to wilt just slightly to show that your plant is thirsty, or you can determine whether the soil is ready by sticking your finger into the media. If the soil is dry to your first knuckle, it’s time to water! 

Poor Lighting

Cannabis plants need a lot of light to grow properly and can’t be plunked down just anywhere and expected to thrive. Many types of cannabis plants are autoflowers, which means that they don’t need a specific light cycle to flip to flower, but some plants require a specific ratio of light to dark to make it to harvest, so lighting can have huge impacts on overall yields and plant quality.

There are a few ways to tell if your plants don’t have enough light. For non-autos, a failure to flip to the flowering phase or a plant reverting back to veg can indicate that the lighting is wrong, while all plants can start to stretch too far in search of more light and leave a lot of space between nodes. If your plant looks pale, is stretching too tall, or just looks spindly, you may have a lighting problem.

Keep your plants happy by researching the light cycle your strain needs to make it to harvest. If you’re growing outside, be sure to pick a spot that gets adequate sunlight for the right amount of time per day and plant in the right season--don’t be afraid to experiment with small changes to get the best results! For indoor plants, you will probably need to purchase a grow light, so be sure to research which ones will work for you and your crop. 

Harvesting at the Wrong Time

It’s important to time your harvest to ensure that you’re getting the best product. With cannabis, harvesting at the wrong moment can mean a considerable difference in potency, flavor, and aroma, leading to a disappointing crop.

To ensure you’re harvesting at the right moment, pull out your magnifying loupe and take a look at your big, beautiful buds. You want to look for your trichomes to start to appear cloudy and amber in color, and for your pistils to shift from white to orange. When upwards of 70% of the pistils have changed color and all your trichomes are cloudy, your buds should be ready for you!

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How to Start Cloning

  1. Choose your mother plant. Look for healthy plants with traits you want to reproduce, including aroma, flavor, potency, height, flowering time, and yield. 

  2. Prepare the rooting media. This can be rockwool, a tray and water setup, peat, or even foam. Make sure the clones will have enough support while rooting and have plenty of access to water/rooting hormone.

  3. Choose a branch to cut. Pick one that is sturdy, healthy, and free of disease and pests. You’ll also want to make sure that the tip of the branch has new growth! 

  4. Use sterile scissors or a razor to cut above the node on the mother plant. 

  5. Trim the cutting at a 45-degree angle just below its bottom node.

  6. Dip the cutting immediately into a rooting hormone and then place it into the rooting media. 

  7. Remove unnecessary leaves at the bottom of the cutting. We recommend trimming back all but the top two leaves. 

  8. Keep moist over the next 10-14 days.

  9. Transplant when roots reach 1” in length. 

Tips for Successful Clones

Take cuttings from a mother plant when it is in the vegetative stage for quicker growth.

Don’t fertilize the mother plant leading up to the cutting, this can cause the cutting to put off leaves instead of roots.

Add perlite to the bottom of your tray to help retain moisture.

Trim the tips of the fan leaves on the cutting to promote photosynthesis and root growth.

Add a dome to your cloning environment to keep the humidity up and encourage root growth.

It’s common for clones to die in the cloning process. When they do, remove them immediately so that they don’t mold and infect the other clones!

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KNOW WHEN TO HARVEST THE CANNABIS PLANTS

Harvest time keeps growers excited, especially given all the efforts exerted to produce healthy and quality buds. However, cutting them too soon will defeat the purpose and waste all your hard work as the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content will be low. So, harvest them at the right time based on the following indications:

Trichome color: Trichomes refer to the appendages on the cannabis flower’s surface. They’re the ones that hold the plant’s natural compounds, like THC and terpenes. If half of them appear milky white, and the other half become amber, it’s a good sign to harvest. Looking for a wide range of OG strain seeds online like alien og seeds, og kush seeds and white fire og seeds.

However, if most of them are clear, that means the plants are not yet ready for harvest. As it’s a bit challenging to see the color of the trichomes, you might want to use a magnifying glass.

• Brown pistils: Another way to tell the right time to harvest is through the pistils. When they mature, they turn brown. Using a magnifying glass to check the color is also recommended here.
• Bud shape: Unlike the trichome color test, this one’s not a definite way to tell whether your plant should be harvested. However, it helps you determine whether the plant has matured. Aside from the shape, check whether the buds are firm and tight.
• Curling leaves: One common sign to harvest is when the leaves curl and dry. This is expected because when it’s almost harvest time, the plants will absorb less water.
• Leaf color: While the leaves turn green during the flowering phase, they become yellow when it’s about time to harvest them. Given that nitrogen is reduced, the leaves also start falling off.

DRY AND CURE CANNABIS PROPERLY

You may think you’re done once you harvest your cannabis. However, drying and curing are important steps to producing quality and tasty buds. First, drying helps reduce the bud’s moisture content to 15%. It also enables you to maintain its taste and the natural compounds in it, including THC. To dry cannabis properly, follow these steps:

• Cut down your cannabis plants. While most growers prefer to cut off the branches, some want to cut until the base and hang them upside down. Others will also cut off each bud and then place them on a drying rack.
• Trim to remove larger fan leaves. Doing so will contribute to your buds’ improved look. If you’re residing in a place with less than 30% humidity levels, trim fewer leaves.
• Begin the slow drying process. A temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 50% humidity is preferred. If it exceeds 80 degrees, the terpene content will go away. While hanging the buds upside down is the most common method, you can use a drying rack or cardboard to lay them out. Generally, you need three to seven days to dry the buds well.

After the drying process, you can now proceed to curing to preserve the plant’s cannabinoids or compounds and terpenes. Simply perform the following:

• Put the cannabis buds into mason jars with a wide opening. Other alternatives include plastic or wooden vessels.
• Secure the container in a dark and dry area. Humidity levels should range from 60% to 65%.
• Check the containers regularly. Open them at least once a day for two weeks. Doing so will remove extra moisture and accommodate fresh air.

While your cannabis should be ready for use in two to three weeks, keeping it for around two months is recommended for maximum results. Commercial grow operations may prefer to use chemicals to hasten production. However, the whole experience of users may be compromised.

CONCLUSION

There are multiple factors to consider when growing cannabis on your own. However, growing cannabis indoors step by step with our guide above will help you produce quality buds that you’re proud of.

Sugars in Cannabis Plants

Sugars in Marijuana Plants

We might think of sugar as an ingredient that we add to food, or as the reason fruits and some vegetables taste sweet. But did you know that sugars are actually a kind of carbohydrate? Carbohydrates as a group are one of four major classes of biomolecules. Biomolecules are the building blocks of all our cells, and the cells of most of the living creatures around us, including plants. That means sugars are as essential to living creatures as proteins, amino acids, and nucleic acid.

Carbohydrates, and by extension sugars, are all made of different configurations of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They have a general chemical formula of CnH2nOn, where n is any number between seven and three, and there are usually twice as many hydrogen atoms as there are oxygens. Biologically speaking, sugars are simple carbohydrate molecules that can be used by living creatures as a source of energy. In plants, they can also be stored and used to create new growth, usually in the form of more complex carbohydrates.

Sugars in marijuana plants are produced as a result of photosynthesis. They go towards creating new tissues in the plant. That includes leaves, stems, roots, stalks, buds, trichomes, and terpenes. It’s possible to measure the health of your plants by observing how vigorous its photosynthetic processes are. This is called measuring the brix level, and it measures the density of sugars when the juices of the plant are suspended in water. It sounds much more complicated than it is in practice.

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Growing Weed in The Woods

If you don’t have much room at home or a large garden, but you do have an adventurous spirit, a guerilla grow can be the answer. And it is also an inexpensive option. Here are some tips for growing weed in the woods, although, of course, such an endeavor is never guaranteed! Start your guerilla grow at the end of spring after the danger of frosts has passed and follow our advice. With a bit of luck, your hidden outdoor grow should produce enough buds to last you through the cold winter months.

Choosing the right location for your hidden outdoor grow

Planting cannabis in the wild is dependent on the correct growing location and is of paramount importance to the success of your grow. Whether you intend to cultivate a couple of plants or a good dozen, it is the location of your secret plantation that will ensure success. Try and grow indoor and outdoor big bud seeds, zkittles seeds and your favorite acapulco gold seeds.

Hidden outdoor grow: things to consider 

Your stealth outdoor grow should be well away from any public footpaths or boundaries to prevent curious eyes from stumbling upon your secret or even stealing your harvest. The ground should not be excessively wet, so avoid boggy marshes or any area that is likely to be flooded. Check that the available water isn’t too far away from the site – this could be a stream, well, pool or river or even a trough for livestock. If any of these are situated near the growing area, you should also make sure the water is not stagnant or unclean. Stagnant water can contaminate the nearest aquifer. Ensure that standing water is at least a dozen meters from the grow site. 

Good spots for a guerilla grow

• In the wood
• In the dunes
• In meadows

Adequate drainage is vital because cannabis needs plenty of water but does not do well growing in water as the roots will quickly rot, which means a speedy death for your weed plants. If you notice insects or larvae in the water, it means it is likely to be permanent, and is a sign that it is not the right location for a guerilla grow. 

• Getting the right spot for your guerilla grow
• Get started with your stealth grow!

Get the young seedlings ready in a tub, or, even better, biodegradable pots (made from a natural plant fiber such as coconut coir). Planting cannabis seeds directly in the soil is also possible if you live somewhere with a long growing season.

Watch out for areas overgrown with weeds, as they naturally prefer under the same environmental conditions as marijuana. Spend some time clearing this area, pulling weeds out by their roots, and using a garden fork to aerate the soil and remove any large stones. Although, there is no need to make the site perfectly manicured and completely weed-free, as this could draw unwelcome attention to the site!

Then it’s time to plant your seedlings in the ground. If the roots of your plant seem rather delicate, sink your tub directly into the soil, so that it is completely submerged. However, it’s a fact that during the transplantation process, your roots will probably sustain a bit of damage, no matter how careful you are. One tip is to use a pair of scissors to cut away the base of the tub to free the roots and then plant the pot in the soil – this technique is often used by tomato growers.

We recommend planting between 10 and 12 plants; a number which will lead to the probable harvest of 5 or 6 plants. Expect at least half of it to be lost to natural causes, such as insects or bad weather. Besides, eliminating male plants will also reduce the number of mature plants at harvest, although you could choose feminized seeds to avoid this.

If you don’t use feminized marijuana seeds or autoflowering seeds, you should remove any male plants before they have a chance to pollinate the female buds with seeds. However, harvest management will be quite challenging unless you visit the plantation to check the condition of the plants as often as possible.

The Process Of Light To Energy In Cannabis Plants

Cannabis, like all other green plants, powers its growth thanks to photosynthesis. Photosynthesis takes light energy from the sun, absorbs some of it, and uses that energy to power its processes. These processes include respiration and the development of new plant cells. Molecules called pigments are responsible for absorbing light, and they come in a variety of styles including porphyrins, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Each of these pigments absorbs and stores different colors of light and uses them for different purposes within the plant. The most active and important of these pigments is the green-appearing chlorophyll, which absorbs blue and red light to power photosynthesis. Carotenoids are orange, red and yellow, and they support chlorophyll. 

The colors of autumn leaves are because of carotenoids. They absorb blue and green light and help to dissipate free radicals within plants to help them avoid sun damage. Anthocyanins absorb green, yellow, and orange light for cannabis plants. 

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They do this partially to hold it for chlorophyll to pass to them later, but they also seem to store their own energy for other processes that scientists haven’t quite figured out yet. Depending on the pH of whatever they’re in, anthocyanins can appear purple, blue, or red. Anthocyanins are what people see when cannabis turns those lovely deep purple, blue and black colors when exposed to cooler nighttime temperatures near the end of their lives. All of these pigments absorb light and convert it to chemical energy to provide a purpose.

Chlorophyll In Weed Plants

Chlorophyll is a group of pigments in plants that facilitate photosynthesis by absorbing blue and red light. They’re the most important pigments for giving plants the energy they need to survive. The chloroplast, where all the chlorophyll in a plant lives, is the result of a cyanobacteria being consumed without being digested by a plant ancestor cell a billion and a half years ago. Thanks to that, all plants can photosynthesize. Crazy, isn’t it? There are three known types of chlorophyll, called a, b and c. Only a and b are in cannabis plants. Chlorophyll a generally goes around soaking up any strong red and blue light on either side of the spectrum, while chlorophyll b also absorbs the more ambiguous shades like orange and indigo light as well. 

These pigments absorb light as electromagnetic waves that are turned into chemical energy, called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP for short. This basically charges up chlorophyll molecules and creates a chain reaction among them. This chain eventually reaches the carbon dioxide and water that plants take up through their roots and stomata. They take that buzzy ATP energy and use it to rearrange into a carbohydrate and, typically, an off gas of oxygen. This is the source of both new plant material, in the carbohydrate, and the source of atmospheric oxygen that plants provide. This process is reversed during respiration, which releases ATP and creates water again from the breaking of the same sugar molecules made during photosynthesis. This is how plants build their tissues.

Accident Reconstruction Specialists Useful to a Claim?

It may be easier to establish a cause and determine fault for some crashes compared to others. However, determining liability for most crashes is rarely straightforward. Typically, there are multiple versions of what happened in an accident.

In Maryland, if evidence is not sufficient to prove the other driver was 100 percent at fault, the insurance company will likely deny your claim. An accident reconstructionist could be useful by providing clarity in a dispute about negligence, enabling you to seek compensation for your damages.

Below, Goldberg Finnegan explains more about what an accident reconstruction specialist is and when this type of expertise may benefit some car crash claims.

After a car crash that causes you or a loved one harm, our auto collision attorneys in Silver Spring are here to help. We have decades of experience representing injured victims, and we know what it takes to establish a strong case for negligence. Find out if you may have a valid claim. Initial consultations are free, confidential and carry no obligation to hire our firm.

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What is Accident Reconstruction in a Car Crash Claim?

Accident reconstruction is the process of using scientific techniques and specialized knowledge to recreate how a collision likely happened. Accident reconstruction specialists are considered experts in their field and often have a background in engineering or applied science. Sometimes reconstruction experts are law enforcement officials who have been specially trained in accident reconstruction.

What Do Accident Reconstruction Experts Do?

An accident reconstruction specialist gathers data about the events leading up to the crash, much like others who initially investigated what happened. However, before reaching any conclusions, the accident reconstruction expert takes things further by determining:

• The speed and movements of vehicles involved in the crash
• Physics that impacted the collision
• Driver errors that may have led to the crash, such as not applying brakes
• If the occupants were wearing their seatbelts
• Whether a vehicle accelerated seconds before the crash
• The force and speed of the vehicles at time of impact
• Visibility issues, such as bad weather or poor road signage
• Other considerations, such as poor vehicle maintenance

How Could an Accident Reconstruction Expert Benefit My Claim?

After analyzing their findings, accident reconstruction specialists create 3-D models and generate computer-simulated crash reenactments to provide visual explanations of how a crash likely happened. This evidence, combined with the testimony of a recognized expert carries considerable weight with insurance companies, as well as judges and jurors.

You do not always need an accident reconstruction specialist. However, the credible testimony and scientific/visual evidence may create the “tipping” point in your favor when negligence is being disputed. It is harder to argue visual evidence and the credibility of an expert. In short, an accident reconstruction specialist could be the difference between being able to seek compensation or being barred from any recovery.

When Do You Need an Accident Reconstructionist?

If a qualified attorney is handling your car crash claim, he or she should know when hiring an accident reconstruction specialist may be necessary. This level of expertise is not cheap, so your attorney is only likely to recommend bringing in an expert when he or she believes it is the best strategy for your claim.

Specific circumstances that may warrant hiring an accident reconstruction expert include when:

• Fault is either not immediately apparent or otherwise difficult to prove
• Involved drivers are unable to recall enough useful details about the crash
• There are no credible eyewitnesses who can vouch for how the crash happened
• Involved drivers sustained serious or fatal injuries in the accident
• One or more vehicles were severely damaged and beyond repair
• Drivers provided significantly different versions of what led up to the crash
• Other relevant evidence or details that could provide insight about the crash are missing

The team of legal professionals at Goldberg Finnegan has extensive experience representing car crash victims. We understand the importance of ensuring you are not assessed any amount of fault. Under Maryland’s contributory negligence law, that would bar you from being able to recover any of your losses.