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Growing cannabis plants in your home may seem like a difficult task, but it’s much easier than you think. In this guide we will discuss what supplies you need to grow at home, as well as how to get from germination all the way to rolling up! So sit back, spark one up, and learn how to grow your own weed! Before going forward, always be sure to check your state’s cannabis laws and know with certainty that you are within the legal limits.
What supplies Do I Need to Grow Cannabis?
Depending on how hands-on you want to be, you may require different supplies than others. In this guide, we’re only talking about a beginner setup and the basics needed to successfully grow weed at home.
Supplies Needed
- Grow Tent – choose one that fits your available space
- Light – choice will depend on dimensions of growing area
- Nutrients – synthetic, organic, or a mix of both (synganic)
- Growing Medium – soil, soilless (coco coir), or DWC (deep water culture)
- Pots – we recommend fabric pots, size depends on available space
AC Infinity 3-Gallon Heavy Duty Fabric Pots
AC Infinity 5-Gallon Heavy Duty Fabric Pots
- Watering Device – use a pump sprayer, electric watering wand, automated system, or just the classic watering can
- Fans – air movement is very important
- Filter + Exhaust – neutralizes strong cannabis odor, prevents high humidity, and aids in circulating air throughout the tent
- Hygrometer – measures relative humidity, most also have a thermometer built-in
- PH Meter – correct PH is crucial for a plant to grow successfully
Apera Waterproof pH Tester Kit
- PH Adjusters – increase or decrease PH levels
- Trimming Scissors – for defoliation and trimming the buds after they have dried
- Storage Container – to store your buds after trimming. Recommended options are Mason Jars, Grove Bags, or CVaults
Optional Supplies
- Humidifier/Dehumidifier – aids in controlling relative humidity in the growing area
- Heater – not required if living in a warm climate. Oil heaters are recommended as they are safer and more energy efficient
- Gloves – for handling buds on the plant and for trimming (it gets sticky)
- Trim Bin – very useful during trimming to catch trichomes
- Trellis Net – great for plant training, specifically the SCROG or SOG method
- Plant Wire – used for training, typically LST
- Jewelers Loupe, USB Microscope, or Macro Camera – to look at maturity of trichomes
- Insect Traps – helps prevent pests from damaging your plants
You might be a bit stressed after looking at that long list because it seems like a lot of stuff (which it kinda is) but don’t worry! Relax, take a puff, and realize that growing your own will save you a TON of money in the long run. If you frequently consume cannabis on a regular basis, then the initial setup cost pays for itself pretty quickly.
Now that you have all your supplies, let’s start growing some weed!
Germination
Germinating cannabis seeds is a relatively straight-forward and easy process. Although there are a few different methods of germination, the one we use at The HighWay is simple yet effective. Growing weed at home starts with a successful germination. Learn more about our method of germinating cannabis seeds.
Germinating seeds is not a process that will always work 100% of the time, so don’t worry if you end up having a seed or two that are duds. Once you have a tap root showing about a quarter inch or longer, it’s time to plant it into your growing medium. You’ll soon see a tiny sprout popping above the soil, indicating that the plant is now in the seedling phase.
Seedlings
Cannabis plants are only in the seedling phase for about 3-7 days. During this time, they will not require any (or very little) nutrients. Once the shell comes off, you’ll see two tiny cotyledon leaves. Sometimes the shell may get stuck, but it is recommended to just wait until it falls off naturally or you can put a few drops of water on the shell to soften it.
Cannabis seedlings grow best in hot and humid environments, roughly 74-84°F and 65-80% relative humidity. Many growers will utilize a dome covering to keep the humidity high or a humidifier to reach the desired levels. Keep the soil moist for most of the seedling phase while allowing short dry back periods to prevent mold growth. Be careful not to drown your roots by using too much water. Seedlings need minimal amounts of water to thrive, so overdoing it will only negatively affect the plant.
These little plants don’t need much light to thrive, so be careful not to burn your cannabis plants with excessive light exposure. At this stage of life, cannabis needs 150- 250 ppfd, which can be reached by almost any grow light. The manufacturers manual that came with your light should have a PAR map inside stating the light intensity it produces at different heights and power settings. Alternatively, you can purchase a light meter or download an app called Photone which is popular among cannabis growers. For the first 2-3 days, we like to give it at least 20 hours of light to allow it to stretch more vertically. After a few days, we bring it back down to the usual 18 hours on and 6 hours off.
First True Leaves
Soon enough, you will see the first true leaves start to appear. Some growers will say the first day of the vegetative stage is when you see the very first leaves after the cotyledons, even though it’s only a single leaf. Others will start counting after they see the first fingered leaves, which usually have 3-5 fingers. We start counting after we see the fingered leaves, typically 3-6 days after it has sprouted above the soil.
Vegetative
The vegetative time for photoperiod cannabis plants can theoretically be however long you want it to be. Photoperiod plants will start flowering once the light schedule is changed to 12 hours on and 12 hours off, so as long as you keep it at 18 hours on and 6 hours off, it will continue developing new growth. During this stage, you will start feeding your plant with nutrients while also gradually increasing light intensity. In the early stage of vegetation, the plant should be getting roughly 300 ppfd. By the time you want to flip it to flower, it should be around 600 ppfd.
This stage of life is also the best time to begin training your cannabis plants. There are many ways to train your plants, but the most beginner-friendly techniques would be general LST with training wire, topping, and SCROG. Learn about these techniques and more in our cannabis training guide.
Be mindful of how much space you have available. Cannabis plants can grow extremely fast and will inevitably stretch once flipped to flower. Depending on the genetics, some strains may double or even triple in size during the first few weeks of flower. We recommend having a plan in place for exactly when you want it to begin the flowering phase so as to not outgrow your tent.
Flowering
This is where your cannabis plants start to shine and show their true expressions. This is the final phase of plant growth and arguably the most important phase of growing weed at home considering the flower is what people consume. No one wants to spend a month or more growing their plant, only to end up having to toss it because of undesirable buds or accidental pollination from a male cannabis plant or hermaphrodite.
There are so many different varieties of strains nowadays, all with different colors, aromas, and effects. Some strains will obviously be similar to others and this is typically because they share a common ancestor. If you have done research into what strains you plan to grow, I’m sure you have seen just how many possibilities there are… it’s endless! Don’t be surprised to see buds that look different than what you used to get back in the day.
Once your cannabis plant reaches flower, we recommend decreasing humidity to 50-65%rh and slightly lowering the temperature to 65-80°F. Lowering the humidity will help prevent any mold or bud rot from developing. Light intensity at the early stages of flower should be around 600 ppfd and gradually increase to 850-1000 ppfd by the time they’re in full bloom.
Be mindful of any stress you put your plants through as it risks hermaphroditism. One of the most common mistakes is not checking for light leaks. Cannabis plants require 12 hours of complete darkness during the flowering phase, so a tiny light leak really can ruin an entire crop. Other than checking the zipper and vents for light leaks, also be aware of any electronics you have in the tent that emits light.
The Final Weeks
During the final 2 weeks of flowering, we recommend slightly decreasing the light intensity day by day, ending at 600-700 ppfd. Many cannabis growers will also use this time to flush their plants, which is a debated topic within the growing community. At The HighWay, we don’t do a flush per se, but we water at the usual amounts, just with no added nutrients.
Deciding when to harvest your cannabis plant may take a few times to really understand the best timing. The trichomes are where you will look to determine the maturity of your plant. Cannabis trichomes will begin with clear heads, progress to cloudy, and then will turn an amber color as time goes on. Once the trichomes are all cloudy, you’re all set to harvest. Many growers will purposely allow 10-15% of the trichomes to turn amber, as it is believed that the more amber there is, the more intense the narcotic effect will be. A large amount of consumers use cannabis for relaxation, stress relief, and as a sleep aid, so it’s no wonder why a lot of people let it mature a bit longer.
Once your trichomes are all cloudy (or cloudy with some amber), then get ready to chop her down and hang it to dry!
Drying
By this point, you might think you have it all down and start getting super excited about all this weed you’re about to have. We hate to disappoint you, but there’s still some work to do. Drying your cannabis plant is just as important as when it was growing. If done wrong, it can dramatically impact the way your buds smell, taste, and smoke. In some cases, it may even totally destroy all the hard work and time you put into growing these buds. You don’t want that! The drying phase is a crucial part of growing weed at home.
For an optimal drying process, we recommend chopping the whole plant down at the base. If you live in a region with high humidity, cutting off each branch separately will likely be a better process. After chopping down the plant, hang it upside down to dry. You can hang it in a tent or another area where you can ensure complete darkness.
Once the cannabis plant is hanging, it should stay that way for 7-14 days. Many growers will say that the longer the dry, the better it will be, but we will let you decide that for yourself. To achieve this duration, the tent/room should be 55-65°F and 50-60% relative humidity, along with constant airflow (not directly pointed at the plant).
Know When It’s Ready
So how do you know when the plant is actually ready to come down and trim? Many growers utilize the “snap” method, which says the plant is ready once branches start making an audible “snap” noise when bent, while not actually breaking off. Another method is simply feeling the buds and deciding to take it down to trim after they start to feel like a normal consumable flower. Here at The HighWay, we use both these methods to ensure we take down the plant at the best time. We take them down after we hear only a few branches snap, as going longer can lead to over-drying.
Trimming
You have now successfully harvested your cannabis plant, congrats! Now it is time for… TRIM JAIL! Don’t worry, it’s not actual jail but it sure can feel like it sometimes, especially with a very large harvest. If you happen to have a big harvest to trim through, you may want to look into getting a trim bowl or trim bag which makes this process much quicker, although you risk losing some usable plant material and trichomes. Most people growing weed at home will opt to use manual trimming scissors since home growers typically aren’t harvesting pounds at a time (respect to you if you are though!)
Once you have taken down your plant from drying, cut each branch off individually and set aside to start trimming. We highly recommend investing in a Trim Bin. You simply trim your cannabis buds in the bin, and the built-in sifting screen will allow any fallen trichomes to be saved. Furthermore, you can save the trimmings and continue to sift at a later time to get even more trichomes! The resulting product is often referred to as kief or hash, which can be added to bowls, joints, or whatever else you smoke out of.
Ultimately, how you trim your buds is up to you. Some growers prefer to just get it over with quickly, resulting in buds that may still have some sugar leaves and other plant material attached. Other growers like to have their buds nicely manicured and looking the best they can be, so they spend more time on it. After spending hours and possibly even days trimming your harvest, you’ll find out quickly if you want to spend more time making the buds look nice, or if you’d rather just be done with trimming.
Curing
To properly cure and store your freshly harvested cannabis buds, you’ll want to invest in high-quality storage containers such as Grove Bags or CVaults. These will help maintain proper humidity to ensure the buds don’t lose their aroma, taste, or potency. Additionally, you’ll want to keep the container in a cool and dark place. The ideal temperature should be 55-65°F with relative humidity 54-62%. To be safe, you can put one or two Boveda Packs in with your buds to aid with maintaining moisture. Keep a hygrometer in each container to keep track of these metrics.
If humidity ends up being below the ideal range, you can cut a leaf or two off of a living plant and add that into the container to raise humidity. We recommend only keeping these cut leaves in the container for only 2-3 days, and replacing it with a fresh leaf if needed. Contrary, if the humidity is too high in the container, open it (referred to as “burping”) and allow the humidity to decrease. Depending on how high the humidity is, it may be required to do this multiple times to get the desired humidity range.
Mason jars will need to be burped daily for the first week or two, then a few times during the week in week 3-4. Burping should only last roughly 30 minutes, and you can then close the container. Past week 6, you should only be burping the jars about once a month. Ultimately, if you see the relative humidity increase over 65%, you should burp the jar. This is the final stage of growing weed at home.
Learn more about long-term cannabis storage.
Smoke up!
You are finally done and ready to consume the cannabis you grew all by yourself! Roll it up, pack a bowl, make hash, or do whatever else your heart desires! Now is time to enjoy the fruits (or rather buds) of your labor.
Join us on The HighWay.
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