GrowSpecialist
Well-Known Member
[GrowSpecialist's basic tips for growing Marijuana]
1. Do not tell ANYONE that you are growing Marijuana.
2. Save your bagseeds. Remember: Dirt, shwag, shit weed is only shit because of the way it was handled after harvest.
3. You don't NEED Metal Halide or High Pressure Sodium lights to grow a lot of good bud. Fluorescent tubes or Compact fluorescent lights (CFL's) will do just fine and they are MUCH cheaper to purchase and run. However, the MH and HPS lights will make your yield even larger.
4. Make sure to plant your seedlings in a low-nutrient soil. Soil with a lot of nutrients will burn and kill seedlings. Do not give seedlings nutrients.
5. Let the soil dry out before you apply water. Over watering is a common mistake. Water your plants... and then wait until the soil is dry 2-3 inches deep before watering again.
6. During the vegetative stage, let your lights stay on 24/0. Plants love light and they (contrary to what others might say) don't need "rest". During veg, they need all the light they can get. If you do this, your plants will be short and wide... and they will be ready for flowering a lot quicker.
7. Top your plants. This creates more colas and bud sites. My method of topping is waiting until your plant is about a foot tall and then pinching off the newest leaves at their base. If you do this every now and then, you will create 2 colas where there would be 1.
8. During the vegetative stage, give your plants a vegging nutrient formula. A good nutrient formula for vegging is high in Nitrogen (which is the nutrient used by plants for leaf growth) and lower in Phosphorus and Potassium. For vegging, I use Miracle Grow All Purpose (24-8-6).
9. During flowering, give your plants a nutrient high in Phosphorus. Phosphorus is used by plants for flower growth. I use Miracle Grow Bloom Booster (15-30-15).
10. Let your plants get at least 1 foot tall before flowering. When you're ready to flower, reduce the light cycle to 12/12 (which is 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark).
11. Use a fan to blow on your plants. They need a fan for 2 reasons. One reason is to reduce the heat in the area. The second reason (and the most important reason) is because wind strengthens the stems. The thicker/stronger the stem, the bigger the buds.
12. Wait until 75% of the bud hairs are brown/orange before harvesting. Also, wait until at least SOME of the Trichomes are amber.
13. Dry your harvest properly. Hang them up in a dark, well ventilated, cool area until they feel dry on the outside.
14. Cure your buds after drying. This is an extension of the drying process and will make your weed taste delicious. Place the buds in air tight jars and open each jar every day to let dry air in. Move the buds around so that they all get some fresh air. Do this for a few weeks or until the buds feel like they are just as moist on the outside as they are on the inside. Remember not to pack them down in the jar. Packing them will damage the Trichomes. Now they are ready to store and smoke.
15. Store your finished product in air tight bags. Push excess air out of the bags... and DO NOT compact the buds.
16. Don't try too hard. Don't be so meticulous. Plants are happy as long as they get what they need. They have grown successfully in the wild for millions of years... and they didn't need babying.
Would give +rep to me if I could 
