CULTIVATION BY RACHAEL CARLEVALE
Anyone can grow cannabis, if you have the passion, and drive. It is a relationship we cultivate with the plant, and just like any other friendship, it takes time, practice, and presence for a successful coexistence to blossom. The question is not if, but when we make mistakes, let them serve as a lesson for the future. Keep a dated grow journal to log every input, plant responses you observe.
PREPARING YOUR SPACE
Review your local cannabis grow laws and abide by them. If you are renting, lease agreements may differ from the law, so ensure you are not putting yourself at risk. Before growing cannabis, take the time to prepare the environment. From cultivation to harvest, drying, storing, waste management, and knowing what you will do with your end product is key information that will light the way when making important decisions in your design process. Consider how you will mitigate smell, and if your location is in close proximity to neighbors who may be concerned. You don’t want to spend your time, money, and energy growing a garden that only has to be taken down due to some complaints. Water may be your most limiting factor, so think about where you will source it from, and test it to make sure it has a balanced pH and is clean. Water filters help eliminate any future problems in the garden. Plan your garden around your water source and prepare sustainable irrigation systems.
OUTDOORS
Cannabis is one of the worlds largest bioremediators. Its tap root draws up whatever is in the soil, be it heavy metals, toxins, or beneficial nutrients. For this reason, if cannabis is being grown outdoors, its highly recommended to test the soil to ensure quality. A trained eye will notice robust life thriving in the soil if it is fertile. If stable ecosystems are created and integrated pest management is in place, there will be no need to use any toxins of any kind. Consider your environment and decide if you want to plant directly into the ground, in raised beds, or a greenhouse. Be careful for cross-pollination from your neighbors, especially now that more and more people are deciding to grow cannabis.
INDOORS
There is no greater energy than the sun; however, current legislation has enforced that some regions can only cultivate cannabis indoors including in Colorado where the home grow law states that, “[Cannabis] plants must be kept in an enclosed, locked area that can’t be viewed openly. This means the plants can’t be outside.” Consider where you will be growing indoors. Are you going to frame out a room? Put up an indoor tent? Or use natural light by the window? Cannabis makes great house plants, and can be used to grow microgreens as well! How will you manage the temperature of the room? Do you need a fan, an air conditioning unit? There are no right or wrong answers, only solutions to your unique situation. One way to adapt to indoor gardening practices is to build living soil systems inside. This can be accomplished in pots, indoor raised beds, or other methods, depending on the materials you have available.
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