Although cannabis legislation continues to develop, growing outdoors is still too high of a risk for most growers. Fortunately, a combination of creativity and necessity has led growers to develop new techniques to grow cannabis successfully indoors and in smaller and smaller spaces. Most recently, micro-growing has become a popular way of growing your own cannabis without investing too much space or money. Read on to learn key tips that can help you maximize limited space on your micro-growing adventure.
The Advantages Of Micro-Growing
Micro-growing refers to the small-scale cultivation of cannabis. This technique presents a number of advantages over conventional growing. Growing cannabis on a large scale can be quite costly. Electricity costs to maintain climate control and proper lighting make up a huge part of this expense.
Fortunately, new technologies are constantly being developed to help growers cut costs and get a more reliable harvest. One major advantage of micro-growing is that a limited space and number of plants means less energy expended, with the increased possibility of getting a good yield from the plants you’re cultivating. Another advantage is that you can utilize a space as small as a cabinet—or even a closet! This means a more space-efficient, less smelly, and ultimately less conspicuous grow setup.
Below are some micro-growing tips if you don’t have much space.
- Choose The Right Space
With micro-growing, all you need is a small space coated with reflective surfaces to get started. You can grow in your closet, in a wardrobe, or even a large cabinet. But, to raise healthy, pest-free plants, you’ll need plenty of airflow and ventilation. Installing exhaust vents in your chosen grow space is simple enough, but a grow tent can provide better infrastructure for lighting, reflection, and ventilation with the same amount of space. There are plenty of mini and small grow tents to choose from to fit your lifestyle and growing needs.
- Pick A Small-Growing Strain
When starting out, you have to choose which strain to cultivate. Depending on the dimensions of your grow space, each strain will present different advantages and disadvantages. The main strains that micro-growers choose from are as follows:
- Sativa – Tall and slender, sativa strains can reach up to 20 feet in height. Unless you’re growing in a tall and narrow space, this strain tends to be an unwise choice for those with limited space.
- Indica – Short and bushy, indica plants tend to grow out rather than up. They typically mature at three to six feet, and have a shorter flowering span than sativa.
- Autoflowers – The smallest strain available, autoflowers are ideal for micro growing conditions. They mature as quickly as 10 weeks and tend to remain under three feet tall.
- Regulate Heat And Light
Even when growing in small spaces, your cannabis plants will need plenty of light to thrive. Most conventional HID grow lights will generate heat that can burn your plants at close quarters. LEDs and CFL bulbs will burn much cooler, but can still harm your plants if positioned too closely in such a small space.
- Try These Trimming Techniques
While beginner growers should exercise caution when trimming, many popular pruning techniques can help you maximize your plants’ yield while minimizing their size. Some useful techniques include:
- Topping – As with many herbs, cutting off the top of your cannabis plant will encourage it to grow new branches. Doing this gradually will encourage it to spread out and produce more buds.
- Scrogging – Installing a screen along the plant’s stem and tying new branches to it will encourage the plant to grow wider, rather than taller, and allow superior filtering of light to lower branches of the plant
- Low Stress Training – Tying longer branches down can encourage bud production on smaller plants
- High Stress Training – Best left to more advanced growers, HST involves breaking the main stem of the plant to encourage secondary branches to grow.
- Other Considerations
As with any other growing setup, to be successful you should be conscious of the following conditions:
- Growth Medium – Choosing a loamy soil will help your plants get the right amount of nutrients without attracting pests or preserving excess moisture.
- Air Flow And Smell – Even if you’re growing two plants, they’ll need plenty of air flow. Also, they’ll generate their characteristic scent. If you are worried about roommates or neighbors, consider investing in a filter for your ventilation setup.
- Pest Control – You may think you live in a bug-free apartment… until you start growing plants in your closet. The creepy crawlies may appear as from nowhere, so stay vigilant about keeping your plants clean and pest-free.
Conclusion
Growing on a small scale is more popular and more accessible than ever, especially for new growers. While some research and persistence are required to be successful, you’ll be surprised how much bud you can squeeze out of a few plants! Plus, saving on space and money will make your growing experience all the more rewarding.