Growing Marijuana - an introduction
Lighting Systems & Techniques
Germination & Vegetative Stage
Flowering stage, harvesting & curing
Greenhouse
A greenhouse provides an environment that is warmer and drier than outdoors. This is beneficial
because the crop can be started earlier and flowered longer with less chance of an early frost
nipping the flowers. Flowering will still start at the same time as it would have done outdoors.
There are many varieties that will grow both indoors and in a greenhouse with good results.
If you are buying a greenhouse solely for the purpose of growing cannabis, a 6ft by 8ft aluminium
framed house will cost about £200; the same sum will buy you only 40g of good bud on the black
market so it should be viewed as an investment rather than an expenditure. Avoid the galvanised
steel framed type with stick-on flexible PVC covering if you want it to last more than two seasons.
Growing Indoors
Indoor growing allows the gardener to exercise complete control over the growing environment.
Length of day, levels of light, temperature, humidity and nutrient are all adjustable. Arguably
the best varieties are bred for indoor growing.
Setting up an indoor growing area Planning A space as small as the average wardrobe will provide
enough bud for personal use (including a few friends). Heavy tokers may want to create a larger
growing area - the following method can be scaled up to virtually any size.
Plan the grow room carefully before you start construction. Ask yourself a few questions:
Have I got access to several 13A sockets?
Can I get water to the grow room easily?
Will anyone be able to see light spillage?
Will anyone be able to hear the ventilation fans?
Will anyone be able to smell the plants (it's not called skunk for nothing!).
What can I do if I want to go on holiday?
Tell nobody about your horticulture unless absolutely necessary. Buy your supplies with cash and
don't give your name or address to the retailer; in the past, some retailers have been busted
and their mailing lists used by the police to raid growers.
Creating a space Find a suitable sized wardrobe or cupboard. If you want something bigger, construct
a box with roughcut timber covered with plywood, chipboard or plasterboard. The box could extend
from floor to ceiling, giving the impression that it is an integral part of the structure of the
house.
The floor of the growroom should be some sort of waterproof tray - if you bring down the ceiling
of the flat below, awkward questions will be asked! The floor (wardrobes and cupboards) should
be strong enough to support the weight of your plants, pots and water-soaked compost.
Make a door big enough to allow easy access to the plants and equipment inside. You could try
disguising the door of a floor to ceiling box such that it is not obvious that the growing room
even exists!
Line or paint the room with something reflective; matt white seems to work better than a mirror
finish. Remember that the inside will have to be cleaned periodically to remove dust, compost,
mould and algae.
Ventilation
Ventilation is very important; plants need CO2 for photosynthesis and the temperature and humidity
must be kept to an acceptable level. Louvres at the top and bottom of the space will sometimes
be enough but it is better to arrange for some forced ventilation. Electronics shops like Maplin
or Tandy sell 240v fans for around £15. Fans need to be kept running 24 hrs/day irrespective of
the length of lighting period. If you can, take the fan exhaust through an outside wall to reduce
the smell. Some growers report that an ioniser operating near the exhaust end of the air vent
reduces the smell considerably. A circulating fan inside the room is desirable but not essential.
Heating
For healthy growth, the temperature needs to be maintained at 15C to 30C. Cannabis will tolerate
temperatures as low as 5C and as high as 40C but these do not represent ideal growing conditions.
If your grow room is in an otherwise unheated area (like a cellar or garage) you will need to
install some sort of electric heating controlled by a central heating thermostat.
Disclaimer:
Much of the information contained on this website would be illegal were it to be practiced in
most countries around the world - including the UK. Our intent is to educate and inform NOT to
encourage anyone to break the law.
Copyright © 2002 SKD