Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA November/December 2020 | Page 35

It’s 2020 and time to get your grow on, whether you are a
green enthusiastic first-timer or a veteran cultivator. If you
are starting an indoor grow-op from scratch, this guide will
help you overcome many of the fundamental challenges
all growers must overcome to successfully bring a top-shelf
cannabis crop to harvest. Also, I’ve included the details of
my own indoor grow-op and equipment configurations.
What Strain to Grow?
This question is related to how frequently you want to grow.
You need to figure out approximately how much of a stash
you require by estimating your annual personal consumption.
Then you can compare this with the projected yields
from the cannabis strains you are considering.
You must also factor in the flowering times of the varieties
you fancy. Moreover, if you desire cannabis concentrates as
your finished product, you must refine your selection criteria
to the most resinous strains with the greatest extract
potential. Furthermore, look for similarities in growth
patterns and feeding habits in addition to desirable traits
like a short flowering period, pest/pathogen resistance,
potency, and flavor.
Taking time to evaluate your own consumption, time
constraints, and several potential cannabis strains before
committing to a course of action with a strain is recommended.
Don’t rush to buy cannabis seeds and/or clones! A
little research will help you to customize your indoor growop,
produce bigger buds, and make the cultivation experience
more enjoyable.
I have a taste for dessert cannabis and I also covet frosty
purple weed, so I chose Purple Punch Auto by Barney’s
Farm to kickstart my 2020 indoor cultivation. The promise
of 18 percent THC, delicious purple nugs with a diverse
mouth-watering terp profile in as little as 50-60 days
from seed was too dank to resist. I’m looking forward to
savoring apple crumble and Kush flavors and fragrances.
Reputation is everything and you only want seeds from
master breeders and clones from artisan growers that care
for their cuttings meticulously. Genetics are the number
one critical factor of cannabis cultivation.
Where to Grow?
Well, if it’s an indoor grow-op it’s either a garage/spare
room/ basement converted into a growroom or a grow tent
set up somewhere in the dwelling. Grow tents are pretty
much standard kit for the indoor home grower. It comes
down to the dimensions of the area you have dedicated
and designated as a grow space. Other considerations
are access to fresh air, power sockets, ventilation, air
circulation, and air filtration. Sometimes a window cracked
open covered by a blind is enough to maintain airflow and
security. Other situations necessitate air conditioning, lots
of ducting to connect intake fans for fresh air, and exhaust
fans with carbon filters for stale air and odor control.
Grow-ops heat up when the lights are on and the more
heat, the more old-school the lamps with higher demands
on the ventilation system to maintain optimal temps
within the 68-82°F range. Then there is the downswing in
temps overnight or lights off period where heating may be
required to keep temps in the 65°F range and prevent relative
humidity from getting excessively high. As you might
have guessed a thermo hygrometer is an essential piece of
kit to monitor environmental conditions, and the good news
is they are modestly priced.
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