Why is my homegrown weed weak?

Producing high potency weed needs some experience. However, if your weed grows weak, there are a few things you can do to correct it.

Provide Quality Light in Flowering Stage

Like all plants, light is also essential to Cannabis plants. The vegetative light cycle of Cannabis happens at the start of plant growth. It lasts between 3 to 16 weeks, and the vegetative stage needs a full-spectrum light for 18 hours and 6 hours of darkness.

Light is used to power the growth of buds and THC content. During the flowering stage, cannabis plants require very bright light. Therefore, use bright grow lights like LEDs in your indoor setting to produce high levels of Cannabinoids.

Red light spectrums are what move the needle most during the flowering stage.

Anyhow, many novice growers focus too much on light and forget how important darkness is during the flowering stage. Make sure there is no light at all bleeding into your grow tent when the grow lights are turned off. Otherwise, it might cause stress to the plants or even send them back into the vegetative stage.

Regulating pH Level

Values lower than 7.0 mean acidity and values larger than 7.0 mean alkalinity on the pH scale. A pH level of 5.8 – 6.2 is appropriate for Cannabis growing in soil or coco coir, but the recommended pH standard is 6.0 to 6.5. Cannabis plants attain nutrients within a small pH window, about 6–7. If the pH is lower or higher, your plants might not get adequate nutrients even if they are present in your soil or water. Nutrient insufficiency will cause weakness, leaf discoloration, and stunted growth. To monitor the pH of your cannabis plants, you can buy a pH tester such as a digital pH pen or pH Measurement Kit with drops or strips. We recommend this pH tester.

Providing Nutrients

Cannabis plants need adequate nutrients to grow healthy and produce good-quality buds. Macronutrients such as Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus are required as their primary nutrients. Some micronutrients are also essential such as Copper, Magnesium, Iron, and Calcium.

Usually, these nutrients are divided into “grow” solutions and “bloom” solutions. During vegetative growth, more nitrogen is needed. Therefore, giving “grow” solutions high in nitrogen is recommended. For flower development, “bloom” solutions high in phosphorus are recommended. Before harvest, start flushing by making sure to give your cannabis plants only water to avoid nutrient buildup in the buds.

Regulate Room Temperature

Proper temperature can enhance color, scent, density, and trichome production. Keep the temperature within 60° to 80° Fahrenheit (16° to 27° Celsius) during the flowering stage. Ensure the correct temperature and humidity during this stage to avoid molds, mildews, and bud rots. It is best to keep the humidity at around 35-45%.

On-Time Watering and Harvesting

Water helps your cannabis plants to absorb the nutrients from the soil. Watering your cannabis plants every two to three days is highly recommended.

Another factor that can affect the level of THC is harvest time. If you harvest buds too early, you might reduce their potency. To determine if your weed is ready for harvest, observe if the pistils turned into a darker color and curled.

Low-Stress Training

Light leaks during the vegetative stage can stress your plants and disrupt crop growth. To prevent this, you can try low-stress training (LST). LST is a technique that manipulates the shape of your cannabis plants to produce better yields. To do LST, gently bend and tie down the branches and stems of your cannabis plants. In this way, the Cannabis will grow at the same height and achieve better light distribution. Thus, it can create more viable buds and larger yields.