Growing Condition For Marijuana

Growing Conditions
Marijuana likes as much sun as it can get, and a moist but will-drained soil.
It does not do well in swampy and clay soils. The soil should be high in
nitrogen and potassium and medium in phosphorous. The pH should be at least
5.5; it will do better at 6.5 - 7.5.
At least two months before planting you should test and adjust the soil.
Needed nutrients should be added to the soil at least a month before planting
for the best results. This gives the fertilizer time to dissolve.
The pH can be raised by adding ground limestone, dolomite limestone, hydrated
lime, marl or ground sea shells.
Sandy and loamy soil can be conditioned just by adding fertilizer and making
pH adjustments. Nurseries carry several different fertilizer mixes. Select one
closest to your needs as determined by the soil tests. Some Agricultural
Colleges will do these tests for you.
Turn and loosen the soil and break up large clods of earth. Clear all ground
near the spot where you are planting. Add fertilizer and work it into the
ground. If it rains frequently in your area, the fertilizer will soak into the
ground by itself. If no, water the area so that is dissolves.
Clay soils can be adjusted by working in straw, manure, leaves and stalks,
compost, kitty litter or construction sand. These help to keep the soil loose
and aerated.
Swampy areas can be adjusted by building planting mounds about one foot high
and one foot across. The mounds will have better drainage than the surrounding
soil and they will not become waterlogged.
If the soil is very bad and you are only growing a small patch there are other
ways of changing soil conditions:
1. Buy topsoil and place it in holes where you are going to plant. This is
only for small gardens as it can be expensive and laborious.
2. Dig a hole one foot deep and one foot wide. Fill in six inches deep with
manure or compost sprinkled with lime. Fill the remainder of the hole with
soil.
3. Use a self-contained planting pot as described in Transplanting.
To get a longer season, you can start seeds indoors and transplant them
outside after the threat of frost has passed. This is especially helpful in
the Northern US, NZ South Island and Sunny Britain, where the growing season
is short. Seeds can be started as much as two months before the season begins.
There are several methods for starting seeds:
1. Planting Pellets. These are one and a half inch pellets which expand when
they come in contact with water. They come in several pH levels. Get either a
6.5 or a 7. These are the easiest units for starting seedlings. Just follow
the directions on the package. They should be used only if you are planning to
plant within a month.
2. Planting Pots. These pots are made of compressed peat moss. They come in
all sizes, but the best is probably 2" X 2". Fill with one of the soil
mixtures described in Indoor Cultivation. Try to prepare from the same soil to
which the plants will be moved later. Plant several seeds in each pot and thin
to one plant per pot. When you are ready to transplant outdoors, just dig a
hole and put the planting pot in it. The pot will disintegrate when the root
system gets big enough.
Tin cans and toilet rolls can be used instead of planting pots. Make sure the
cans have drainage holes in them and that the sides are scored so that the
roots can grow out of them. Do not use aluminium cans. They won't disintegrate
and the plants roots will be trapped.
3. Seed Trays. Seed trays are the most economical way of starting large
numbers of seedlings, but the plant's roots may be damaged when you
transplant. Fill plastic planting trays with one of the mixtures described in
Indoor Cultivation. Sow one seed every inch, but thin to one plant every two
inches when they begin to interfere with each other. When you are ready to
transplant them, slice the soil into squares and plant outdoors. Treat to
prevent shock.
4. Self-contained Soil Unit. This method should be used only when the soil is
unsuitable for adjustment. Use large cans. Fill with 3 inches of vermiculite
or perlite mixed with a slow release fertilizer, and then fill it the rest of
the way with a mixture of soil, perlite, vermiculite and sand. A mixture of
soil, manure, humus, and potash can also be used. Holes should be punched in
the bottom of the can for drainage. When you are ready to plant outdoors, put
the can in a hole in the ground.
Use the same methods in cultivating these plants indoors as you would if they
were to remain indoors permanently. If you are planning to keep the plants
indoors for more than a month, they have to be introduced to the sun's
intensity gradually. The plants need at least 40 watts of fluorescent light
per square foot to avoid shock. This will also build up the sugar supply to
help the plant avoid transplant shock. Other ways of avoiding shock are by
putting trays of seedlings outdoors for a few hours a day for a few days in a
partially sunny area before they are transplanted.
If you have indoor plants already growing, you can clip shoots about 3 inches
from the growing tip and put each of them in one of the containers mentioned
previously. They will quickly develop roots and start growing into new plants,
especially if a little hormone rooting powder is used. This is a good method
of obtaining high quality transplant stock.
The night before you transplant, water both the plant and the soil to which
you are going to transplant. Also, to prevent shock, transplants should be
made to and from soils with the same chemical or textural characteristics
(unless you are using the self-contained soil unit method).
Plant on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon. Never plant or transplant on a
bright sunny day. The sun's energy is too much for the plants to take at
first.