Maximum Yield Cannabis USA March/April 2019 | Page 34

4 expert tips for Rookie Growers Every cannabis grower has to start somewhere. While trial and error is a good way to learn, it can be mitigated to help save time and money. Kent Gruetzmacher points out four variables to consider when growing for the first time. by Kent Gruetzmacher 34 Maximum Yield C annabis is a relatively easy plant to propagate. After all, the species has managed to thrive in most of the world’s continents without human intervention. However, there are several pitfalls experienced by many novice cultivators when attempting to create ideal growing conditions for cannabis. These issues usually relate to light, water, airflow, temperature, humidity, nutrients, and pH. Indoor and greenhouse growers run into a clear majority of potential problems with environmental controls, and variances in troubleshooting techniques arise between indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor cultiva- tion operations. Obvious portions of this brief article, such as water and nutrients, apply to all forms of cannabis cultivation, while certain concepts are only applicable to indoor and greenhouse growing. The cannabis plant finds its evolutionary origins in the steppes of Central Asia, so the climate of this geography is rather telling concerning ideal growing conditions for the species. After all, thousands of years of evolution can teach one far more than any grow book. This region of Asia reports 250 days of annual sunshine, as well as dry summer weather averaging around 80°F. Looking world- wide, other famous marijuana growing climates, like those seen in California, are akin to the species’ evolu- tionary home in Central Asia. In other words, cannabis thrives in sunny and dry condi- tions. Growers attempt to recreate these ideal conditions in efforts to push their plants to their full genetic poten- tial. For novice gardeners, it is important to understand that all cannabis cultivators, no matter how advanced, are after this same goal. The best way to work towards this goal is by developing environmental conditions and fertigation techniques to which cannabis plants respond favorably. Here are four areas newbies can focus on to help grow the best buds.