7 big mistakes when growing marijuana

1- Lack of light

Whether it's outdoors or in an indoor grow room, marijuana likes light. A very common mistake with outdoor crops is choosing a bad location where the plant doesn't receive enough hours of direct sunlight. If you have an indoor crop, you might be trying to save money by reusing the light bulbs too many times (we recommend that you change the bulb after two harvests, that is, after around six months), or maybe the ballast is too old (more than two years) and this can cause a reduction of the amount of light reaching the plants. Make sure that the reflector is free of dust and that the light is reflected correctly. We recommend using the so-called Adjust a wings.

Consequences: a lack of light causes the nutrients to be used irregularly, photosynthesis slows down and the plants becomes spindly (the stems stretch in their search for light and growth is weak); the final consequence is a significant reduction of yield.

2- Lack of ventilation

A very common mistake in indoor growing is a lack of ventilation. Make sure that the space, whether it is a cupboard or a room, has a good air intake and exhaust system and that it works correctly. Having one or several fans (depending on the size of the crop) is also important so there's proper air circulation and so that the wind they create makes the stalks grow harder and more resistant.

Consequences: Without enough ventilation, the plant doesn't receive the necessary amount of CO2 for proper photosynthesis, causing growth to slow down. Another factor to bear in mind is that without proper ventilation, we're creating the perfect environment for fungi to spread.

3- Incorrect humidity levels

If the humidity in your marijuana grow room is too high, your chances of seeing fungi appear in your crop rise significantly. In turn, if the humidity is too low, the plants can suffer stress because this forces them to use too much water and they'll be stifled.

Ideally, humidity values should range between 40% and 50% during the flowering phase and between 50% and 60% during the growth phase. You should prevent the humidity levels of your grow room from diverging from these parameters.

4- Temperature

This is a vitally important factor for your crop; both if it is too high or too low, it can cause serious problems for the development of the plants, hampering a correct metabolic process. If the temperature is too low, the plants won't develop; if it's too high, the yield will fall and pests and diseases will appear. The ideal temperature is between 21 and 27 ºC.

5- Incorrect irrigation

Irrigation must be suited to the needs of your plants and the amount required will depend on several factors, from humidity and temperature to the type of genetics (some strains require more than others).

-Excessive irrigation: when there's too much water, the substrate is waterlogged and aeration is reduced, the roots are blocked, preventing the correct absorption of nutrients, deficiencies emerge and the marijuana plant becomes weak. If there is a significant excess of water the roots could even rot.

-Lack of irrigation: it causes the nutrients to not reach the plant's system adequately, so it becomes weakened and nutritional deficiencies appear: the foliage looks sickly and the roots can die from the dryness.

6- Burns from lamps

Burnt foliage is more prone to disease and more susceptible to the attack of different pests. If you're cultivating indoors make sure the lamp is at the correct distance: around 30 cm with 600 W lamps, 25 cm with 400 W lamps and 40-50 cm with 1000 W lamps.

7- Exposed roots

Roots need darkness, if they're exposed or they receive light through the container or hydroponic system they'll turn green and their functions will be significantly reduced, thus affecting the correct absorption of nutrients.