Cannabis Cultivation Techniques

Cannabis Cultivation Techniques

Cannabis cultivation takes forms in so many ways, in this video we will talk about some of the benefits and drawbacks of inside versus outside. Soils versus non-soil methods.
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The focus of this video is to discuss the different cultivation methods and growing mediums for the floral hemp market. As well as give you a brief overview of all types.

Unlike high THC cannabis, hemp is primarily grown outdoors. Besides the growing medium and location (inside or outside), nothing else varies in the plant’s needs. It will need a light source for a certain amount of time during each cycle (vegetative and flowering), proper nutrient levels, appropriate amounts of water, and when necessary, it requires disease and pest management.

Indoor vs Outdoor

The goal for a floral crop is to produce an abundant amount of flowers laden with trichomes which takes a certain level of skill. Compared to the other hemp crops (fiber and seed), they require less cultivator involvement and skill.

Many people prefer to start their hemp plants inside and transition them outside in a field to finish out their life cycle, but growers can still manage a crop in an indoor facility. The reason growers like to start their hemp inside is to ensure a successful germination rate as well as to minimize plant loss; if they were to be directly sown in the field, the plants would be overrun by competing vegetation and insects.

For indoor grow operations, Cultivators have options, they can employ container gardening that can be broken into separate categories such as soil or soilless mediums (hydroponics and aeroponics). For outdoor growing, there is the option of putting plants directly in the ground or in containers. There are benefits and disadvantages to all methods.

Soil
Hemp wants to be grown in soil with a lot of sun. Until humans became more sophisticated concerning their cultivation methods, planting crops in the soil was the only way.

Many growers are (and should be) using organic soil and soil amendments such as compost and supplemental nutrients. These can be used to amend the soil before planting the crop to rejuvenate the native soil or when filling containers.

Utilizing soil as a medium can be very forgiving to growers for a couple of reasons. If one has over or under-watered their plants or given too much or too little nutrients, the plants will be fairly resilient to an extent.

Hydroponics / Aeroponics

Hydroponics: This method is a very common form of cultivation for crops of all kinds. That said high THC and high CBD cannabis varieties do very well in a hydroponic system. Hydroponics grows plants in water without the need of soil. Plants are submerged in a substrate like rockwool and receive all of their nutrients via the water. This method is very popular amongst seasoned growers and is quickly becoming a viable option for first-time growers.

Benefits of hydroponics are that they utilize water and nutrients efficiently, produce large yields, mature quickly, and save space. The risk of pest and disease infestation reduces greatly because most pests and diseases are soilborne. This method offers a lot of control which can be the technique that some growers are looking for.

Aeroponics: Aeroponics is a relatively new development in the agriculture world. This process is very similar to the hydroponic system. Aeroponic systems simply mist water onto the roots which are suspended in mid-air and recirculate the water. It will require all of the supplies necessary in a hydro system which are lights, nutrients, grow trays, and a water tank.

As the hemp industry is constantly evolving, it is safe to assume that growing techniques will also change. Cultivators will want to switch up growing methods, so as to find the method that works well for their experience, region, and plant genetics. There isn’t a one size fits all approach because there is so much variety to explore in terms of the genetics and cultivation techniques, not to mention the size of scale of the growing operation. It is recommended to try out a few different approaches to see what works well. These are living beings and they want to thrive just as much as you want them to. Be good to the plants and they will be good to you.
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