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The advantages of growing in soil indoors

The difference here is similar to the difference between indoor and outdoor cultivation. Soil growing requires less equipment, investment and, generally, less work to control the various factors influencing growth.

The only specialist equipment required for the simplest indoor soil set-up would be seeds, organic nutrients, a light and a timer. The remaining equipment – soil, pots, fans, reflective materials and such should be easily available in most countries.

As an organic compound, soil is less sensitive to changes and small variations than a synthetic medium like rockwool. It could be called a self-regulating environment. Thus, pH testing equipment is usually not required.

Similarly, organic nutrients are gentler to plants than the concentrated salts and minerals of hydroponic feed mixtures. Therefore, while it is still possible to over-fertilize an organic system, such a mistake is less likely to ‘burn’ or kill plants. An EC meter is not required for soil growing

In short, soil growing is easier and more forgiving of growers’ mistakes. Therefore it is a highly advisable method for the first time indoor grower.

The advantages of growing hydroponically indoors

Indoor cultivation allows more control over a plant’s life cycle than outdoor. In the same way, hydroponic cultivation allows the grower an even greater level of control.

Since plants in a hydroponic setup are growing in a synthetic, neutral medium the grower is able to dictate exactly which nutrients are given to a plant, and at what levels. Of course, this requires more care than organics and usually necessitates the use of a pH meter (to measure acidity in water) and an EC meter (to measure the level of nutrient in water by means of its Electrical Conductivity).

Hydroponic growing mediums are less bulky and heavy than soil, often easier to handle and possibly easier to dispose of. Pests and fungus are less likely to flourish in rockwool or similar mediums, and are almost never endemic to newly bought synthetic mediums.

Hydroponic nutrients, since they are highly concentrated, take up less space than organics, especially for large crops. They are usually pre-mixed and do not require the grower to supplement them or combine several different formulas. Also, they will often smell less than organic nutrients.

In short, the more in-depth control available with hydroponics, when managed effectively, allows for a bigger, more potent and sometimes even faster crop. While such systems are not recommended for first-time indoor growers, those who have experienced success with soil cultivation indoors may wish to try this as the next step in refining their technique.

The advantages of growing outdoors

Outdoor cultivation requires less equipment, expertise and labour.

For the first few weeks of life, outdoor plants need the same care and attention as indoor ones. However, once a few basics have been well established, outdoor plants may be left (in a good, sunny spot) to take care of themselves. They may need to be regularly watered and fed and, occasionally, pruned but most of their development will be accomplished simply by allowing them to grow over spring and summer.

This feature of outdoor cultivation is what makes ‘guerrilla growing’ possible. Established plants may be placed outside in remote or wild areas and left to their own devices throughout the growing season. The guerrilla grower need only visit them a few times in this period, or even just the once, at harvest time.

Outdoor plants will usually yield more than indoor ones. This is simply because they are able to grow larger. Few indoor setups are able accommodate plants larger than 180cm. Assuming that detection is not a problem, outdoor plants may comfortably grow to 2 or 3m in height. It is possible for a single plant of this size to produce 500g or more of dried bud.

Germinating seeds early in the growing season (March or April in the Northern hemisphere) will allow your plants a long vegetative period before flowering is triggered by the shorter days of late summer.

Some people prefer the taste and effect of organically grown cannabis. Many cannabis lovers insist they can easily differentiate between buds grown with soil and sun and those produced with hydroponics and grow-lights. This, however may simply be the result of their smoking over-fertilized indoor cannabis, or even the fact that indoor buds can taste very different, due to their containing an uncommonly high level of THC that is simply not attainable outdoors.

Cannabis is scientifically named as Cannabis sativa in 1753 by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus. So, it then classified into three major cannabis growing categaries:

Cannabis Sativa (Linnaéus 1753) or C. sativa L.
Cannabis Indica (Lamarck 1785) or C. indica Lam.
Cannabis Ruderalis (Janischevsky 1924) or C. ruderalis J.

The art of growing cannabis plants could be a lot of advantageous of all ‘indoor’ techniques. Growing cannabis allows growers to accomplish a lot of every changeable bulb and it’s an achievement that anyone can adroit with a little practice. Outdoor cannabis growers who carbon their plants are able to analyze gender aboriginal in the division and gather their variable plants during the sustained frondescence period. With low-powered bogus lighting, an able changeable can even be preserved for next year’s alfresco crop.

It is accepted affiliation with growing cannabis to be a twisty process. In fact, eradication could be added from the truth. Just as cannabis seedlings will yield advantage of the indigenous adventitious to cultivate, cuttings will bound achieve roots and become advantageous baby plants if a few altitude are met. The anomaly truth is agnate to the aberration amid calm and alfresco cultivation. Clay cannabis seeding necessitates beneath equipment, investment and, generally, beneath plan to control the assorted factors influencing growth. The unaided specialist accessories apposite for the simplest still clay start-up would be seeds, amoebic nutrients, a ablaze and a timer. The actual accessories – soil, pots, fans, cogitating abstracts and such should be calmly accessible in a lot of countries.

As an amoebic compound, clay is beneath acute to changes and baby variations than a constructed average like rock wool. It could be alleged an automated environment. Thus, pH testing accessories is usually not required.

Similarly, amoebic nutrients are gentler to plants than the concentrated salts and minerals of hydroponics augment mixtures. Consequently, while it is still accessible to over-fertilize an amoebic system, such a aberration is beneath acceptable to ‘burn’ or annihilate plants. An EC beat is not appropriate for cannabis growing.

Medical Marijuana Indoor Growing Media

Greenhouse or indoor Medical Marijuana,  has some special concerns that are often quite
different from their outside siblings. Rapid growth is tantamount of indoor
crops, as the plants may be on a short vegetative cycle. Thus, the growing
medium must provide conditions that encourage growth. One other requirement of
indoor cultivation, is that the plants are uniform, having the same growth
rate. A dynamic garden is one where plants grow at the same rate, in a uniform
medium.

The growing medium serves several important functions in the
growth and development of the plants, such as:

* Moisture holding capacity and aeration – The growing medium should provide adequate moisture for plant growth, while retaining sufficient air space for root development. If plant roots are not given adequate air space for exchange of gases, growth will be slowed, and the target date for harvest will be missed..

* Nutrient holding capacity – The growing medium should provide nutrients for plant growth. The pH of the medium needs to remain fairly stable throughout the life of the crop so that nutrients are available to the plants. The ideal medium pH for most greenhouse/indoor crops is 5.5 to 6.5. Also, the medium needs to be able to hold the nutrients against leaching so plants do not have to be fertilized as often.

* Support for the plants – The growing medium needs to have sufficient bulk density to support the top portion of the plant. Lightweight growing medium may not provide sufficient support. The plant may easily fall over on the bench due to improper support or the roots may become damaged during shipment because the top flops about. In hydroponic culture, or plants grown in nutrient solution, gravel or some other means of artificial support is provided.

Reproducible and available – Many growers want to have their
own secret growing mix that produces gi-normous plants. However, the
ingredients need to be readily available for the next crop and they should be mixed
in the same manner each time so the routine is consistent.

Most growers have gotten away from soil based medium in greenhouse/indoor
pot plants. SOILLESS medium is a medium that doesn’t contain topsoil. Several
organic and inorganic materials may compose various soilless media. Some common
ones are:

* Peat moss – Peat moss is a moss plant that grows in heath bogs. Peat moss may vary depending on the source. Sphagnum peat moss is the best. It has a high moisture and nutrient holding capacity:

* Bark – It is best to use aged hardwood or pine bark. Bark may be used as a substitute for peat moss or in tandem with peat.

* Sand – Sand is often used in combination with organic matter, such as peat moss, to increase aeration and drainage. It has a low nutrient holding capacity. It increases aeration to the medium.

* Vermiculite – Vermiculite is heat-treated mica that has high nutrient and moisture holding capacity. It is lightweight and should be used only with organic matter.

These components, along with fertilizer amendments, are
formulated into mixes. They can be mixed by the grower or commercially prepared.
Peat-lite mixes and bark-based mixes are some old school commercially prepared
ones, available at most greenhouses.

Soil sterilization may be necessary for controlling insects
and diseases in growing media.

Some sterilization equipment uses steam as the heat source.
Other soil sterilization equipment contains electrical heating elements to heat
the growing media to a set temperature. Don’t forget, grow American!

Joyce

Don’t even think of growing Medical Marijuana on Federal Land!

There are millions of acres available on Federal land for hiking, fishing, camping, and just grooving on Nature. In the past, many individuals saw the free land as an opportunity to cultivate Marijuana, avoiding the risk of arrest for growing on their own land. Soon, a plant here or there, became an acre or more worth millions of dollars in high grade weed. Now, an average medicinal toker, may look to the woods for some herbal relief, don’t!

The woods, forests, hills, and mountains are for the clandestine criminal element, just as in Prohibition days of the Rum Runners. The movie, “Homegrown” pointed out elements of these operations, and in reality, the growing of pot on Federal land is illegal, unsafe, and eco-unfriendly. Once Marijuana is legitimized, perhaps as in Prohibition days, the Federal land thing will subside- until then; one should avoid the Redwoods for several reasons.

First, the farming element in the woods is of a criminal nature. These individuals, many linked to organized drug cartels, are using shotgun trip-wire, booby traps, automatic assault weapons, lions, and anything else to protect their investments. One Northern  Cali inmate on a forest-fire response team states, “the fires aren’t anything compared to the hazards surrounding the crops of these pot farmers on Federal land.” Many innocent hikers have come face to face with an Eagle .50 caliber pistol in their faces, just for venturing too close to the buds.

Secondly, the eco-system of the rural environment is very fragile. There isn’t much that we can do, once an imbalance has been created by our ignorance. Herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers are being imported into the woods at alarming rates, ruining many eco-systems and threatening wild life as well. Bambi cannot sip from water tainted with concentrations of fertilizer, and live happily ever after. Many streams are dammed, or diverted to illegal crops for a water source. Down stream salmon can only wonder why spawning has become so stressful, and people expect unadulterated H-2-0 also.

Finally, growing Medical Marijuana away from your land, or “guerilla farming”, is not for the faint of heart. An indoor garden, greenhouse, or inter-cropped back yard, will provide all of the Medical Marijuana your little heart desires – or whatever your State limit on plants is. You do not want to contribute to the destruction of America’s natural resources while growing American, plus you’ll eliminate the paranoia of your crop being “out there” for grabs.

Joyce