Guide: Growing skunks

Curious about how to grow cannabis? Then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we have gathered everything you need to know about growing cannabis. You will hear about: How to choose the right cannabis seeds. Advantages and disadvantages of outdoor and indoor cultivation. What your cannabis plants need to grow. Does this sound like something for you? Then you can learn a lot more about growing cannabis in this guide.

CULTIVATION OF SKUNK AND HEMP

Skunk, hash, pot, hemp… As we all know, the baby has many names, and cannabis is no exception. In this article we use the term cannabis throughout. We do this because cannabis is the parent variety from which other varieties, such as skunk and hemp, derive. In other words: You can start from this guide no matter what variety of cannabis you want to learn more about growing.

WHICH CANNABIS SEEDS SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Let’s start at the very beginning: to grow cannabis, you first need to get your hands on some cannabis seeds. But the big question is which cannabis seeds to choose? It’s largely a matter of taste, but below you can find out what considerations you should make when choosing.

CULTIVATION OF FEMINISED CANNABIS SEEDS

Cannabis plants can be both male and female, and it’s the top shoots of the female plants that we need to grow cannabis. Especially the unpollinated top shoots, which do not contain seeds. To ensure you get these top shoots, it’s a good idea to choose feminised cannabis seeds that have been bred to develop exclusively into female plants. You can read more about how feminised cannabis seeds are produced here.

CULTIVATION OF AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS SEEDS

Besides the difference between male and female plants, it is important to pay attention to the difference between auto varieties and photoperiodic varieties. The photoperiodic varieties need 12 hours of darkness per day to start flowering, which means that this variety is dependent on the season and day length. With an auto variety, however, you have more power over when your plants will flower. Autoflowering cannabis seeds flower automatically when they are fully grown, which usually happens after 3-4 weeks of growth. See all our cannabis seeds and read more here.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GROW CANNABIS?

As we mentioned above, autoflowering cannabis seeds flower after about 3-4 weeks. However, this process takes a bit longer with photosensitive seeds, where the flowering phase only starts when the plants have a day length of 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. In the vegetative phase, the plant’s leaves and stems begin to emerge. This phase ends when you start to see the sexual characteristics of the plant. Then the flowering phase starts, which can be recognized by the fact that female plants start to develop white cilia and later top shoots. This growth process usually takes at least three months. In addition, you must add both drying and curing time, which is an additional three weeks.

INDOOR OR OUTDOOR CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS

You can grow cannabis seeds both indoors and outdoors. It’s very much a matter of taste what you choose, and of course it also matters what growing options you have in practice. Below, we’ve listed the pros and cons of growing both indoors and outdoors, so you can learn more about the options.

ADVANTAGES OF INDOOR CULTIVATION

You always have water available. You don’t have to take the weather into account. With the right equipment, the risk of being detected is small.

DISADVANTAGES OF INDOOR CULTIVATION

This can quickly become expensive in terms of equipment and power consumption. It takes up a lot of space in the home. This causes odours that can be difficult to hide.

ADVANTAGES OF OUTDOOR CULTIVATION

The plants require minimal care as they naturally receive light, air and (some) water. This is a cheap method, as you don’t have to spend money on electricity, for example. It takes up no space in the home.

DISADVANTAGES OF OUTDOOR CULTIVATION

There is a greater risk of being detected, for example because of the smell. Watering can be more difficult if you don’t grow in your own garden. Your plants may be exposed to pests. If you’re interested in growing outdoors, but don’t have a garden or the space to do so, take a look at guerrilla growing, for which we’ve created a detailed guide here.

HOW DO I GROW CANNABIS?

Now we’ve found the right cannabis seeds and decided whether to grow indoors or outdoors. In other words: The groundwork is done and we’re ready to grow. The points below can be used as a starting point, whether you grow outdoors or indoors.

FORSPIRING

You usually start your cultivation by pre-sprouting the seed. This is certainly the method we would recommend, as the germination process is quicker and there are fewer things that can go wrong. Once the seed has germinated, you can easily sow it in a pot. You can read much more about germinating cannabis seeds here.

PLANT IN GOOD SOIL

Now you’re ready to plant your seeds. In principle, you can use most types of all-purpose potting soil, but for maximum success, it’s a good idea to choose a good potting soil. The very cheap mixes may contain too few nutrients or not be airy enough. Aerated soil is important for proper root development. If you plant directly in the ground outdoors, it may be a good idea to loosen the soil at the bottom of the planting hole so that the soil is aerated.

SUPPLEMENT WITH EXTRA NUTRITION

Your plants need nutrition to grow big and strong. Plants absorb most of their nutrients through their roots, but you can also feed them through their leaves. There are many opinions on what and how much nutrition cannabis plants need. Our recommendation is to buy some fertiliser that is designed for hydroponic growing and follow the instructions. The most important thing, however, is to make sure you don’t overwater it. If you over-fertilise, the leaves often turn dark green and the tips turn yellow and curl up.

PLENTY OF LIGHT

Some plants need more light than others – and cannabis plants are one of those that need a lot. Outdoors they get plenty of daylight, but indoors a good rule of thumb is to get at least 400-600 watts per square metre.

FRESH AIR

If you grow outdoors, the fresh air comes naturally. However, if you grow indoors, make sure there is air circulation around the plants. You can do this with a suitable ventilation system or several fans to ensure that your plants get the fresh air they need.

SAVE ON WATER

You probably want to give your cannabis plants everything they need. But when it comes to water, less is more. It is important not to water too often and too much, as the cannabis plant is at great risk of dying if you overwater it. If necessary, wait until the soil has dried out before watering your plant. If the top centimetres of soil seem a little damp, wait until the soil is completely dry before watering.

WATCH CLOSELY – AND ENJOY THE PROCESS

Your plants are planted and they get light, air, water and nutrients. Now they just need time. Make sure you keep an eye on your plants and look after them regularly. Before you know it, they’ll be flowering and ready to harvest. Have fun!