Cannabis plants are naturally hearty, sturdy creatures, and hence the name “weed.” The truth is, weed grows like crazy in the wild while requiring little to no special care except for the gentle nourishment provided by Mother Nature.
However, when growing cannabis, we are rarely satisfied with mediocre results upon harvesting, and that’s why marijuana cultivators put tons of knowledge, skills, passion, love, and efforts into making everything possible to help their cannabis plants feel like real queens.
But sometimes, it can be very hard to avoid some of the most common cannabis growing mistakes, no matter how hard you try. Problems can always occur but if you are equipped with the right bits of tips and know-how you can save yourself a lot of fuss. We have compiled this article with a mind to helping all of our fellow cannabisseurs out there to enjoy a healthy, happy, massive harvest, as well as to be able to deal with a few possible issues during their weed growing journey as possible.
Join us below and bring your cannabis cultivation know-how to the next level. Because, hey, is there a marijuana user who doesn’t simply adore indulging in a batch of top-grade, homegrown marijuana flowers!
#1 Cannabis Growing Mistake: Selecting Inappropriate Marijuana Seeds
So, you’ve probably heard of this a hundred times: nothing can outperform poor genetics. Or maybe something like: the seed is the thing.
Well, neither of these statements regarding your choice of marijuana seeds to grow is far-fetched. Growing marijuana from unknown seeds gives unknown results. But please, do not get this wrong: we love all things cannabis-related, and growing cannabis from random seeds can be a fun experiment and a wonderful learning experience.
However, since we are investing so much energy, time, money, attention, and care into growing cannabis for several months before we can finally harvest the sweet, resin-dripped fruits of our efforts (or in the case with cannabis, the flowers of our efforts), it is only fair to consider selecting quality marijuana seeds carefully and wholeheartedly as the most crucial part of any cannabis cultivation operation.
Working with marijuana seeds from reputable retailers allows you to know exactly what to expect from growing a particular strain in terms of average yields, ease of growing, average height/stretch of the strain, the time a strain needs to finish flowering, cannabinoid content, most common effects upon consumption, and more.
Some cannabis varieties emit a stronger aroma than others in the peak of flowering which can be an issue to some. These are all some tiny yet extremely important details that every grower needs to know in order to make the most from his/her cannabis growing adventure.
Each strain has specific demands, it has its strong and weak sides, depending on what a grower wants to achieve, so it is worth every minute spent in carefully selecting the most suitable strains to grow in your marijuana garden (yes, yours and not somebody else’s because the personal journey of every cannabis cultivator is unique).
For instance, if you are lucky to live in a region where the summer season is long and abundant in warmth and sunny hours, then you can confidently give a Sativa or Sativa-dominant strain like Acapulco Gold or the Jamaican landrace strain Lamb’s Breath a try as part of your outdoor cannabis garden.
Certainly, you can grow Sativa or Sativa-dominant strains indoors, too, but they will fail to reach the same massive size that they can when grown outdoors. Plus, you need quite some space to cultivate the tall, stretchy Sativa cannabis varieties as opposed to the much more compact Indica or Indica-dominant hybrids like the all-time favorite White Widow.
However, if you are an indoor cannabis cultivator trying to grow weed in a tiny space, then it is not only the naturally compact-structured Indica strains like Northern Lights that you can consider.
Nowadays, autoflowering cannabis strains have made the mission of cannabis growers all across the globe so much easier and pleasurable than ever before. Growing a super-short, fast flowering variety like Dwarf Low Flyer autoflower won’t get you massive yields but you will surely reap other benefits from this unparalleled modern-day hybrid thanks to the ease of growing, amazingly compact size of up to 2 feet and short flowering.
Don’t hesitate to grow all the strains you dream of enjoying from seed to harvest. Just pick wisely and skip the rush because selecting the right strains to grow from quality seeds with reliable descriptions provided by the retailers will shoot you miles ahead in your cannabis cultivation mission.
#2 Cannabis Cultivation Mistake: Improper Timing of the Growth Cycle
For indoor cannabis growers, there is barely any place for mistakes when it comes to improper timing of marijuana plants’ growth cycle. That’s because growing weed indoors puts you in charge of literally mimicking the most favorable environmental conditions that Mother Nature would otherwise provide for weed plants to flourish if the plants were to grow freely outdoors.
But for outdoor cannabis growers timing is key to every successful marijuana grow operation. Certainly, many possible issues related to improper timing of cannabis growth cycle can be avoided if growers select the right strains to grow based on the specifics of the climate in their area of residence, as well as based on the specific conditions that they can provide for cannabis plants to grow healthy and vigorous.
As a rule of thumbs, mind the summer solstice in the region where you happen to live in.
Outdoor marijuana plants start flowering when days start to become shorter, and the days start to become shorter right after the summer solstice.
And so, if you plant your green ladies outdoors in June (in this example we assume that June marks the real beginning of the summer season while July is when the summer solstice occurs), then your marijuana plants will have enough time to grow healthy and strong, and to enter flowering in the most favorable moment to ensure massive yields.
Sticking with this particular example, if a grower is to plant his/her cannabis ladies earlier than needed, the plants can spend way too much time in vegetation before summer days start to become shorter, thus, signalizing the plants to enter flowering.
Spending longer time in vegetation than needed should not be a big issue if you don’t mind the wait (and more importantly if the climate in your region is favorable enough to allow you to extended the cannabis growing season outdoors with a month or so).
In fact, a longer vegetation phase can even result in boosting yields provided you are experienced enough in growing your own green medication as to know how to act in the best way possible.
However, on the downside, cannabis plants tend to become too lanky when spending extra time in vegetation, and this can be unwanted, and even bothersome because of various reasons. Nonetheless, keeping cannabis plants for longer in vegetation can lead to other issues such as lack of nutrients (you may need to feed them some extra nutes), weak plants, and/or extra work for you such as having to add trellises, and having to think of additional protection for your plants from peekaboo neighbors or unfavorable weather, among others.
Then again, it is crucial to approach any cannabis growing example as merely an example and not some form of a golden rule because there are no two cannabis growers alike.
Back to the example shared above, if the grower is to plant an Indica-dominant strain like White Widow vs. a Sativa-dominant strain like Bruce Banner, he/she would definitely need to plan when to plant each strain accordingly based on the unique growth patterns of the different cannabis varieties and, nonetheless, the climate specifications.
In a nutshell, in order to avoid cannabis growing mistakes related to improper growth timing, just skip the rush and do your research as to get well-acquainted with both the strains’, as well as the climate specifications in your region. Ultimately, don’t miss out on getting well-familiar with the key stages of cannabis plants’ growth and you will be one step closer to a bountiful harvest.
#3 Marijuana Growing Problem: Under or Overwatering
It is very easy to under or overwater cannabis plants, and the truth is, such issues can happen even to experienced marijuana growers.
After all, different strains have (slightly) different demands when it comes to establishing the most beneficial and well-working watering schedule, so growing experience is a plus but is not a guarantee for success. Yet a 100% applicable ticket to successfully NOT under or overwatering marijuana plants is pretty straightforward: monitor your green ladies daily.
Now, the thin, slippery line with both under and overwatering-related cannabis plants issues is hidden in the way these particular growing mistakes end up exhibited by cannabis plants in quite a similar way. Simply put, you may not even know for sure whether you’re dealing with under- or overwatering at the very first glance!
However, both under and overwatering your marijuana garden is one of those mistakes that you can address very efficiently if you act in a timely manner. A good rule of thumb is to water your green ladies when the upper layer of about ½ to 1 inch of the soil feels dry to the touch.
Another way to check out if your plants are already watered well enough is to lift their pots and see if they feel light enough (meaning that there is no excess water stored inside the container) based on the container’s weight feel you get.
Remember, as long as you pay attention to the signs your cannabis plants are sending to you, establishing a well-working watering schedule is merely a matter of patience. Just do not fall into the delusion that feeding more water than needed is good for your plants because it is just as bad as under-watering: if left unattended, both of these issues can kill your green babies.
Overwatering can lead to root rot which can be irreversible at some point while under-watering for an extended period of time can cause the roots to dry off and die.
When trying to revive your cannabeauties from issues related to under- or overwatering, make sure NOT to feed them too much water at once (or to leave them thirsty for a long time in order to treat overwatering) because this can lead to water stress which can be lethal, too.
Last but not least, your choice of high-quality seeds, as well as the selection of the right strains to grow is crucial. Newbie growers who are more likely to get faced with issues due to under- or overwatering should better stick with strains that are known to be easy to grow such as Northern Lights, and get to growing strains that are moderately difficult to grow, such as Blueberry, later on.
#4 Weed Growing Mistake: Overfeeding Marijuana Plants
Like all living creatures, marijuana plants do also require a healthy dose of essential nutrients in order to flourish. However, it is very easy to slip into thinking that feeding more nutrients will give better results upon harvesting while actually, the (bitter) truth is on quite the opposite side.
The thing is, being the hungry animals that we are, we often tend to think that just like more food helps human beings grow, so do more nutrients lead to a massive boost in both the quality, as well as the quantity of the precious cannabis flowers. It is often the case that newbie cannabis growers get to consider that the buds appear too small in size and/or that the plants don’t develop as fast or as healthy as they are supposed to.
However, you need to remember that feeding an excess amount of nutrients can literally make your cannabis plants burn themselves to death, and while feeding fewer nutrients than needed for healthy growth can lead to decreased yields, feeding more nutrients than needed can lead to killing your marijuana plants.
For those of your growing cannabis in soil, high-quality, rich, fertile soil can mean having to use 0 nutrients. In the case soil is poor and needs additional fertilization, stick with either organic or non-organic nutrient solutions as mixing these up won’t do any good to your crops.
Without any doubt, the best way not to overfeed your cannabis plants is to stick with organic fertilizers (all of which you can prep by yourself from scratch, apart from opting for readily-available fertilizers sold in stores). Organic nutrients can come from compost, manure, brewing various herbs, and more.
Hydroponic growers should mind that liquid, non-organic nutrient blends pack a mighty punch so it is always best to play safe and start with a small dose that can be gradually increased according to your plants’ reactions.
Ultimately, the key to not overfeeding your cannabis ladies is to go slow and low on extra nutrients. You can always increase the dose, so what’s the point to rush things up
Finally, make sure to check whether the nutrients you are about to feed to your plants (or the soil you have opted for) contain slow-release nutrients. Slow-release nutrients can be a ticking time-bomb if you decide to keep feeding more nutes without being fully aware of the presence of slow-release nutrients.
It is a fantastic idea to check out the grow journals of the particular strains you are about to cultivate as to get an idea of how other growers feed their green ladies the best way. But do remember that growing cannabis is a highly subjective, strictly personal experience, so following somebody else’s pieces of advice blindly is not the way to go. Instead, draw your own conclusion based on other growers’ experience and guidelines and apply only the bits of advice that correspond with your level of understanding the art of cannabis cultivation.
#5 Marijuana Cultivation Problem: Poor Climate Control
It really doesn’t matter whether you are about to grow cannabis in a greenhouse, outdoors, or indoors: poor climate control can spell disaster to your crops regardless of the growing methods you choose to apply.
Quintessentially, you need to mind both temperature and humidity and strive to keep these within the most favorable rates for your green queens to thrive.
As a rule of thumb, cannabis plants are pretty good at withstanding fluctuations in either temperature and/or humidity rates, however, if such fluctuations are to occur more than once, the related issues can deepen.
Cannabis plants feel wonderful when exposed to temperatures in the 75 Fahrenheit (23 Celsius) range. Anything over 85 Fahrenheit (29 Celsius) is not welcome for the sake of your cannabeaties’ well-being.
Balancing humidity levels is one of the secret keys to massive yields yet it is good to keep in mind that your major goal is to avoid high humidity levels of over 55% during flowering.
For the rest of the time, the better you monitor and balance humidity levels within the optimal rates (starting from 60% in vegetation and reaching 40% in late flowering), the better yields. However, your number one target should be keeping abrupt humidity fluctuations at bay. Mother Nature will do most if not all of this job for outdoor growers, while indoor growers will rely on suitable equipment such as a humidifier and/or a dehumidifier, a proper air ventilation system, heaters (if needed), and a hygro-thermometer clock.
Then again, mind that some strains will be able to recover from fluctuations in humidity and/or temperature rates better and faster than others, and that’s why it remains a must to select your strains wisely. For example, a sturdy Indica-dominant variety that is fairly easy to grow and quite forgiving to your possible mistakes such as Northern Berry autoflower might be a better choice than a more pretentious strain such as a sun and warmth-loving Sativa like Acapulco Gold that won’t flourish unless provided plenty of sunny hours with no abrupt spikes in temperature rates.
Ultimately, if you think that keeping high humidity at bay can be challenging in your area of residence, your wisest move is to opt for strains that are mold-resistant, such as White Widow.
#6 Weed Cultivation Mistake: Imbalanced pH Levels
Oh, for the sake of cannabis: keep imbalanced pH levels out of your way, bud buddies! Fortunately, we happen to live in an era when getting equipped with a suitable pH measuring device is not only super affordable but is also extremely easy to achieve, so why miss on utilizing this ultra-important tool for cannabis cultivation
Of course, hydroponic cannabis growers can simply NOT go without measuring the pH of the growing medium day by day yet this is the exact example that growers who stick with marijuana cultivation in soil should also follow strictly and cordially.
When pH levels are well-balanced within the optimal rates for marijuana plants to thrive, your green ladies can fully absorb the entire spectrum of nutrients they need to develop healthily and happy. If you fall outside the optimal pH range for growing cannabis, your plants will start exhibiting signs of nutrient deficiencies, and while nutrient deficiencies can be treated successfully, doing so will take a lot of energy and will also inevitably affect your harvest adversely.
Mind that both the pH level of the growing medium, as well as the pH level of the water that you feed to your cannabeauties should be kept under control.
You want to feed water which comes in between 6.00 – 7.00 on the pH scale for best results.
Luckily, pH levels are effortless to maintain and will require only several minutes of your spare time for routine check-ups. You can purchase readily-available additives to raise or lower water’s acidity, thus, balancing pH levels, or you can opt for filters that are made to maintain specific pH rates stable throughout your cannabis grow mission.
#7 Ganja Growing Problem: Inaccurately Installed Electrical Setups
And so, it might seem like no brainer that all the electricity-related systems concerning your marijuana garden should be functioning properly, and should be installed properly to start with.
However, it is often the case that marijuana enthusiasts get lost in their desire to get down to growing cannabis and enjoying the ride instead of focusing on important yet commonly boring and/or time-consuming details to fix.
Just a kindly reminder: no matter how well you think you have done your homework regarding the safety and reliability of your electrical system, it is always best to consult with a qualified electrician. This gets even more relevant if you are not available to monitor your cannabis plants hour by hour (which is a scenario in which the majority of cannabis growers fit in).
After all, you do not want to expose your life, the well-being of your marijuana plants, as well as your property’s sake to risks that can cause irreversible damage which is exactly what malfunctioning systems and electrical fires can do.
#8 Pot Growing Mistake: Harvesting too Early or Too Late
Many cannabisseurs tend to neglect the cannabis harvesting point by considering it as one of the most crucial parts of cannabis cultivation.
Well, don’t be the person who gets to underestimate the importance of harvesting your marijuana garden in a timely, well-informed manner because doing so greatly affects the quality of the green medication. This means that if you harvest your green ladies too early or too late, the months you have spent showering your precious cannabeauties in love, care, and attention, can be quite a waste of efforts.
So, here’s the deal: skip the rush and harvest your cannabis plants depending on the type of effects that you want to reap from consuming the green medication.
When 70% and up to 85% of the pistils become brownish and curled up instead of being white in color and perky in posture, you can harvest cannabis with the greatest amounts of THC. When 90% of the pistils have turned brownish, THC will start to rapidly decrease in favor of yet another beneficial cannabinoid – CBN – which can be extremely helpful to those trying to fight with insomnia since it is known for its calming, sedative effects.
Anyway, mind that the pistils’ method is not the most accurate way to determine the harvesting point precisely.
It is the change in color of the trichomes that gives the most precise perspective on knowing when your marijuana ladies are ready to be chopped down as to reward you with the exact array of effects that you want to experience later on.
When it comes to harvesting autoflowers which are known to possess different growth patterns than regular strains, it is best to give gradual harvesting a try as to let the less mature buds take the time to reach full potency.
The Most Common Cannabis Growing Mistakes: Final Notes
Well, it really doesn’t matter how you choose to refer to the issues you may face during your marijuana grow operation; call these cannabis growing mistakes, problems, concerns, mishaps or however you wish, just remember that nobody is born a marijuana cultivator!
As you get to think of it, we can’t upgrade our skills if it is not thanks to the mistakes that help us understand the right way vs. the wrong way to go so that we can become better at whatever we do as we gain more experience.
When it comes to growing weed, every single concern you may have to deal with can teach you invaluable lessons about cannabis plants because these complex, enchanting creatures give mankind such profound blessings that it is a nothing less but a privilege to get to know their secrets better.
We hope that the list of the most common cannabis growing mistakes we shared will be of your utmost assistance, and that you have managed to find informative, educational, and meaningful bits of friendly advice to help you out.
Keep a positive mindset, take the time to choose the right strains to grow from quality seeds and the rest is only a matter of letting your marijuana plants become your friends. Communicate with your green ladies and you will never regret getting into growing cannabis because every single weed plant you grow is like a new, unforgettable, faithful friend you get to know and love with each cell of your entire being.
