Welcome to CannaBoston

pH is Important

The ideal pH for marijuana ranges from about 6-7. pH is the rating for how acidic or not something is. This affects your water, soil and plants. If the pH is too high or too low, your plants will have trouble taking in nutrients. There are pH testing and adjustment kits for purchase online or at your local grow store. 

And here’s the finger technique for watering. We found this very helpful. Stick your index finger into the soil up to your first knuckle or so. If the soil is dry in the first inch to inch-and-half, water. (This applies to medium sized containers and above. Sticking your finger in a small pot may damage the roots). 

Nutrients

You may have seen three numbers on the label of fertilizers and nutrients at your local grow store. Well, they stand for Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium, respectively. The number shows the percentage of each element contained in the fertilizer.

A solution high in Nitrogen is most commonly used for the vegetative phase (pre-bloom) of your plants. Phosphorus is good for root growth and flowering while Potassium promotes disease resistance and strengthens plant tissue. There are also what’s known as trace elements such as copper and iron which are usually available in most soils. Happy harvest!!

Clone vs. Seed

1. Cloned cannabis plants produce a fibrous root system. (A) Cannabis plants grown from seed produce a taproot. (B) A taproot anchors the plant into the ground by growing deep into the soil in search of nutrients and water. A taproot can also store precious resources. A fibrous root system is the opposite of a taproot system. It is usually formed by thin, moderately branching roots growing from the stem. Fibrous roots grow fairly close to the surface of the ground, which helps combat erosion by securing plants to the top layer of the soil.

1. Although seeds are fun, (well, for that matter so are clones) there are reasons for growing clones: like the need for medical and commercial consistency. Clones are exact replicas of the mother plant they were taken from, while seeds from the same plant will feature a slightly different genotype—a unique genetic code. This means there will be differences in height, smell, flavor, and yield.

1. And for the home growers out there, keep in mind there are costs associated with growing from seed, whereas clones are virtually free.

Pruning

If left to grow on its own, a cannabis plant will grow vertically, focusing its energy on one main stalk. The result is one long dominant cola with smaller stalks surrounding it. These smaller stalks will produce small buds that won’t be that good and the overall size and yield of the plant will be small.

Topping makes a cannabis plant bushier—by cutting off the main stalk, the plant will redirect its energies to the smaller side branches, which will grow out and produce bigger buds.