Preparing to Plant
Hello there! As the season shifts into something a little less subarctic, it’s planting season for everyone who has a green thumb. However, there are tons of people who want to plant and grow cannabis but aren’t sure where to start and might need a little extra advice. That’s where your friends at Circa 1818 come in, especially now that we have seeds and nutrients available for purchase. If you’ve already read our first growing post on germination, it’s time to get to the pre-planting stage. If not, feel free to check out our tips for germinating your seeds so that you get the most out of your grow. For everyone else, there are a few things we’re going to need to consider while getting ready to plant our seedlings.
Take stock of your climate
A huge determining factor in the ease of your grow and the quality of your plant is going to be the climate in your area. Plants that are too warm will stop growing, while plants that are too cold will whither and die. There are of course some exceptions to this rule, since cannabis has been bred and developed in all kinds of conditions, but generally you would want to aim for a temperature between 15 to 25 degrees Celsius to grow a nice, big trichome heavy plant.
Cannabis also thrives under lots of light, requiring at least 6-10 hours of direct sunlight every day to reach its full potential. Some strains require even more direct sunlight than that, so make sure to read up on the type of seeds that you’re planting to ensure you’re providing the right amount of light for your little buddy.
The Planting Area
You’ll also want to make sure that the area you’re planting in has enough room for the plant to grow. Cannabis plants can grow to be taller than a full-grown person and can take up quite a bit of space width wise depending on the strain, so setting aside a good little chunk of your garden or securing a decently sized planting pot to give your plant some room to breathe is a good idea. Something in the 10 to 15-gallon range is sufficient if you’re planning on planting it in a pot, but some people like to go even bigger. It all depends on the strain and how big you ultimately want your plant to get. If you end up planting in a pot, remember to make sure it has a drainage function, because we want to make sure excess liquid not absorbed by the plant has somewhere to go.
You’re also going to want to consider the type of soil you’re planting in. If you’re using a pot for your plant, some potters soil should be more than sufficient, however there is specialized soil known as loam that can be purchased from most gardening stores that is ideal for cannabis growing. If you’re planting in your garden, you’re going to want to take some steps to enrich your soil through fertilizers and nutrients. It’s even possible to get your soil tested for a reasonable price to determine the efficacy of planting in a particular location
Anything else?
There’s so much more to this that we’re not going to be getting into in this post, but one thing that I would be silly not to mention are nutrients. Nutrients, like fertilizers, are used to enrich the soil that you’re growing in while also providing the plant with everything it needs to produce a high yield that’s rich in trichomes. Making sure you have the right combination of nutrients to give your plant and the soil it’s growing in the extra oomph it needs will make the difference between a successful grow and a tragedy.
Not sure where to get your seeds? Come on by Circa 1818 and check out our variety of different seed strains!
