With more and more states legalizing medical marijuana, individuals are starting to branch out and grow their own cannabis. One of the most popular ways to do this (particularly if you live in a more urban area) is with growlights in growlabs. Others are looking at growing plants in a hydroponic system. Regardless of how you grow your plants, you need to know the basics about how to successfully grow them — what kind of nutrients they need, if they’ll need plant support mesh or trellis netting, what kind of light or humidity they require, and so forth. When it comes to harvesting the plant, there may be other equipment you need, such as a tumbler or trimmer. We’ll discuss the benefits of hydroponic systems and grow lights, why the surge in medical marijuana use, and what you should know about tumblers.
What are the Benefits of Hydroponic Crops?
When you use use a hydroponics system, you’re essentially growing plants without soil. Plants are put in a growing habitat that sends nutrients right to the roots. Hydroponics use less water than regular growing systems (farmers claim that they use as much as 90% less water) and also grow much faster (two to three times faster) compared to outdoor plants.
Furthermore, you can make a hydroponic garden pretty much anywhere and it takes up much less space. For example, you could plant four times the amount of plants in the same space with hydroponics, versus traditional soil farming. Hydroponics will give you higher yields, better quality, and you can grow plants at any point during the year.
Hydroponics are also becoming increasingly popular. According to Business Wire, the global market value for hydroponics is supposed to reach over $27 billion in 2020, from just under $20 billion in 2015.
What Should I Know About Grow Lights?
The three main types of lights that are mostly used for grow lights are fluorescent, HID (high-intensity discharge), and LED’s. LED grow lights tend to the most effective (compared to traditional lighting systems) and are also 100% recyclable! Furthermore, they consume 60% less energy to provide the same amount of light.
HID lights are the brightest of the bunch and twice as efficient as fluorescent lights, though fluorescent lights tend to be the most cost effective. However, the the type of grow light you’re using should be dependent on the plant — certain types of grow lights will play better with different plants’ light needs.
These are handy to have if you don’t have an outdoor space accessible, live in a dark area, or don’t get a lot of natural light in your home. It also means you can condense your plants in one area, instead of scattering them around to available light sources in your home.
What are Tumblers?
Tumblers can be used to dry and trim the plants and there are both dry tumblers and wet tumblers available for use. Depending on what kind of machine you purchase, they may suggest one or the other is better — and of course, this is dependent on what you’re trying to achieve.
Why All the Interest Now?
There’s always been interest in alternative or complementary medicine and today, almost 40% of adults and over 10% of children are taking some kind of alternative or complementary medicine. Medical marijuana has been shown as a viable form of pain relief and appetite stimulant.
Furthermore, it’s become more recreationally acceptable and many take it as a way to relax and unwind. In states where cannabis has become legalized in some way, the industry is booming, with a variety of strains, forms, and stores popping up.
And, because it’s becoming legalized, more people are trying it out. Those who maybe wouldn’t have tried it when it was illegal now have official government approval to try it without repercussions, which also helps the surge in interest.
If you’re interested in trying your hand at growing cannabis, there’s certainly a lot to learn, but there are also many helpful guides available online to help you out. With the right tools and materials, you can have your own supply of high quality, homegrown cannabis!