Planning & Logistics

Things to Consider Before Starting Your At Home Grow

Pre-Production

Focus: 

• Grow room requirements

• Determining budget

• Acquiring the equipment you need to get started

• Choosing your strain and acquiring genetics

Purpose: 

In the Pre-Production period you'll determine the method of your grow. Use your available budget, scheduling constraints, and end-game objective to create the strategy of your operation. 

Before setting up your tent you're going to want to check the availability of power you have in your grow room. This will eliminate any issues such as shorting a breaker or not having adequate power to run all necessary equipment. In most residential homes each room will have one dedicated breaker. The breaker will most likely be 20 amps. 

There should be multiple outlets in the grow room. The total amount of outlets needed for the tent will be two. In one outlet you will have a power strip with (4 outlets). You will have the 2 fans, Co2 regulator /sensor, and can fan on the power strip. The humidifier will be on the same outlet as the power strip. The lights/ timer will be on another outlet along with the dehumidifier. There will need to be a minimum of 8 amps available for the tent’s equipment allowing 12 amps free for any other usage you may have in that room. You will need an additional outlet if a heater or AC needs to be used.

Logistics

Location

Before you purchase equipment, you’ll need to identify a location and confirm you have the infrastructure needed for your grow.

• For 6 plants, you’ll need at least a 4’ x 4’ tent with 8’-10’ of height.

• At a minimum you’ll need 2 available outlets

  • One outlet will solely handle lighting

  • The other outlet will support your fans, Co2 regulator, and carbon filter

• If you’ll need portable AC or heating, you’ll need an additional 3rd outlet

  • The ideal temperature range for your grow is 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit (21-29 degrees Celsius), so if your room temperature is outside that range you’ll need supplementary AC or heating

• It’s also important to have a sterile growing environment, so confirm your space does not contain contaminants or pests that will negatively affect your grow

  • Within the grow course there is a full breakdown of how to avoid and mitigate potential pest risks

Budget & Equipment

The budget for your grow has a wide range that will determine the quality of your light, tent, carbon filter and affect the output of your grow.

• The total cost ranges from $700-$2200, key costs including:

  • Tent: $200-$700

  • Light: $150-$900

  • Carbon Filter: $100-$250

  • Nutrients: $80-$150

  • Co2 Regulator & Controller: $120-$240

  • Additional costs include: Gloves, pruning scissors, pots, soil, light timer, hygrometer, shop vac, 5 gal bucket, PH/Ec meter, calibration solutions, reverse osmosis water, trellis netting, and trimming equipment.

• While it is possible to grow at a lower price range through lower quality lighting and utilizing a closet instead of a tent, this includes the following risks

  • Containing smell is impossible without a carbon filter, and difficult without a tent.

  • Lower quality lighting will provide less energy to your plants

  • It will be difficult to control your environment (humidity, temperature, lighting) if you do not have a tent-sealed environment.

• Ongoing costs include:

  • Power: $6-$12 per month

  • Reverse Osmosis Water: $12 per week

  • Co2 Refills: $15-$25 per month

Schedule (Time Requirements)

The length of your grow will be determined by whether you’re starting from seed or transplanting a clone, along the type of marijuana you’re looking to grow: Indica, Sativa, or Hybrid.

• The entirety of your grow from initiation to final product can range from 19-33 weeks

  • The Veg phase will range from 3-5 weeks

    • 3 weeks if you are transplanting a partially grown clone

    • 5 weeks if you are planting seeds to start your grow

  • The Flower phase will range from 11-14 weeks

    • 8 weeks if you are growing indica plants

    • 14 weeks if you are growing sativa plants

  • Drying your plants after harvest will range from 7-11 days depending on the temperature and humidity of your drying environment

  • Curing your product will range from 1 - 3 months

    • Marijuana increases in quality until 3 months of curing, at which time it will begin to degrade

    • Curing periods can be shorter, most dispensaries only cure for 7-10 days to create space for future grows, but it will negatively affect the quality if the product cures for less than 1 month

Strains / Genetics

The strain that you grow and the genetics you acquire will have formative effects on the quality of your product. When picking your strain, it’s important to determine the effect you’d like your marijuana to have, which will affect the method you use to grow.

• What kind of high do you want?

  • Sativa plants will have a higher THC percentage, and have more psychoactive effects for a “heady” high

  • Indica plants will have a comparatively lower THC percentage, and will provide more pain relief for a “body” high

  • The ways Marijuana affects your body is further outlined in the “High Science” section in the table of contents

• Consistency of strain within your grow

  • As different types of marijuana grow at different rates, it’s important to keep with the same strain and preferably genetic within your grow

  • If you use multiple strains some plants will be taller than others, and you will be unable to keep a consistent level of light across your canopy

  • As a result, smaller plants that receive less light would need to be fed less frequently, and larger plants that receive more would need to be fed more

  • We advise using genetics within the same strain, preferably the same genetic for all plants

Acquiring Seeds/Clones

• Ensure your purchase is legally compliant in your Country/State and city

  • Laws vary regionally, so it’s important to research legality for your area

• Understand what type of strains you are interested in-

• THC percentage: THC % determines the degree of psychoactive “heady” high you’d see. This is an indication of the strength of the flower when consumed.

• Effects of certain strains: Different strains of cannabis produce different effects, and thus can be used for different reasons. If you’re looking for pain relief, go with an Indica. If you’re aiming for more psychoactive effects, grow a Sativa.

• Terpene/Flavonoids: Terpenes are aromatic compounds that create the characteristic scent of many plants. Flavonoids contribute to the color/flavor of cannabis and have their own therapeutic effects. 

• Cannabis appearance: Different strains of cannabis may have different growing characteristics. Indica varieties will have less vertical height compared to sativa varieties whose natural form is much taller

• Flower time: Flower time is the amount of days the plant will receive a 12 hour on/12 hour off light cycle, during which time buds develop. This will range from 8 weeks to 14 weeks depending on strain.

• Feminized vs non feminized seeds: Unless you are trying to obtain pollen or seeds in your garden “feminized seed” will ensure your plants are female, and produce bud. Male seeds will not flower, and are likely to pollinate female plants creating buds with seeds.

Once you have a rough understanding of what strains interest you, you are ready to research different distributors for seeds/clones. Down below we have a few popular distributors you may be interested in. We suggest reviewing the photos and description of multiple strains to see what's best for you.

Our top 10 seed companies for quality genetics:

• Exotic Genetix

• DNA Genetics 

• Jungle Boys

• Brothers Grimm Genetics

• Grandiflora Genetics

• Green Bodhi

• Cannarado 

• Compound Genetics 

• Sirius Seeds 

• Dark Horse Genetics