Indoor cannabis growing -

Nutrients and additives for mother plants

Cannabis cultivation and fertilization are two closely linked activities since the improvement in terms of crop yield is more than evident with the use of fertilizers. For this reason, and for decades, fertilizer and additive brands have been striving to create new formulations that are more efficient and cheaper than the previous ones. From rooting products to the most powerful PK boosters for the flowering phase, the offer in this type of product is as wide as it is complete. Normally, fertilizers are developed for a specific stage of the plant, that is, either growth or flowering. However, how should mother plants that spend months in a vegetative state be fertilized? Do they have the same needs as plants that will only grow a few weeks before flowering? Today we tell you everything you need to know to keep your mother plants in good condition and which products are the best for this purpose.

Cannabis in space: An increasingly closer reality?

The idea of growing plants in space is probably as old as the idea of visiting this harsh environment. In fact, since the beginning of the space race, in the middle of the Cold War between the US and the USSR, scientists and engineers had in mind the idea of growing crops in spaceships with which the crew could feed themselves and, therefore, open the door to further space travel. However, Kennedy's bet to reach the Moon before the end of the 1960s meant setting aside many projects to focus on a single objective: that an American astronaut land on the moon before a Russian cosmonaut. However, as you will see in this article, many trials have been carried out in recent decades in the field of growing vegetables in environments with microgravity, or what comes to the same thing, growing in space. From the first tests with control plants to the space lettuce salad eaten a few years ago by astronauts on the International Space Station, things have evolved a lot. They have even started experiments with cannabis...didn't you know? Keep reading...

How to increase the THC level of cannabis plants

Whether we are talking from a medical or recreational cannabis context, the cannabinoid content becomes more important with each passing season. From users who only want to consume flowers or products rich in CBD but without THC, to the most fanatical fans of strains with high THC content (and, therefore, highly psychoactive/medicinal), as time goes by consumers are gaining experience and are increasingly demanding in terms of knowing the amount of cannabinoids in the seeds or flowers they buy. Without a doubt, one of the most demanded cannabinoids today is THC. Logically, for a company that markets products with THC or isolated THC, it will be much better to start with plant matter that is very rich in this compound, so varieties that already have a high THC content will be chosen. But how can the total THC production in a cannabis crop be increased? What can be done to increase the THC production of a plant? Today we will tell you about several key aspects to take into account to get as much of this cannabinoid as possible.

LED or HID? Important points to consider

In today's article, we invite you to reflect on one of the most important aspects of indoor growing: lighting. If you are just starting out in growing, you will have seen that there are several options, not only in terms of lamp power but also in terms of the type of lights you can find. Well, today we will focus on the most popular ones, which are LED panels and traditional HID or high-intensity discharge lamps (HPS, metal halide, etc.). The intention of this post is not to claim that LED panels are better or worse than other kinds of grow lights, but that they are simply different options (with very wide price ranges) among which the grower will have to choose depending on his needs and growing conditions. However, given the improvements seen in LED equipment in recent years, it is very likely that this type of lamp will dominate the indoor growing market in the near future.

Cannaboom: quality nutrients, astounding results

Cannaboom is a Spanish company with 20 years of experience in the cannabis sector, dedicated to research on the cultivation and development of plant nutrients and additives. Founded in 2005, its main objective is to offer growers high-quality solutions for the nutrition of their plants at competitive prices and that, above all, offer results beyond any doubt. Today we want to introduce you to some of their products and tell you about their main characteristics to make it is easier for you to get the most from this fantastic range of nutrients and stimulators for cannabis. We're sure that you won't regret your choice!

Nutrients for growing cannabis plants in soil

How to use nutrients and additives for growing cannabis? Just as humans require an appropriate and balanced diet,< our plants need it too and this nutrition should be provided regularly and in a balanced way both in terms of quantity and quality. Normally, the fertilizers for cannabis plants are available in either liquid or solid format. Today we are going to tell you how to use these plant nutrients in the best possible way to have healthy plants grown in soil, with awesome results, and without nutrient imbalances of any kind.

Flushing roots, myth or reality?

For years, the belief that irrigating with just water during the last two weeks of cultivation removes nutrients from the substrate and, above all, from the plant, was a topic that few people would have dared to disagree with. The general trend claimed (without any scientific basis apart from subjective opinions) that if during this last period of ripening water only was used for irrigation and no fertilisers were used, the plant would consume the nutrients from the soil and, when these were finished, it would use the nutrients stored in its tissues, greatly improving the flavour and aroma of the finished flowers once dry. Thus, this technique - usually called "root flushing" - was given a series of benefits in terms of the quality of the final product: superior organoleptic qualities than in the case of not flushing, combustion without crackling, white ash and a long etcetera of properties that, although they had no scientific basis whatsoever, were commonly accepted without major reservations. However, over the last few years, a series of scientific studies have appeared that call these claims into question, which has only ignited a passionate debate between detractors and supporters of root flushing. Today, based on these two studies, we propose to enter into this debate and try to work out whether or not it is worthwhile to apply this traditional cultivation technique.

Vertical farming and cannabis

When growing cannabis indoors, the classic approach is to grow horizontally (or flatbed), generally using square or rectangular trays (depending on the shape and size of the grow tent or room), with the pots containing the plants placed side by side. Horizontally, one grow light is normally used to illuminate each square metre; and the plants are usually arranged in a “stadium shape” to take better advantage of the light: with the shortest plants placed in the centre and the highest around the sides. However, every experienced grower knows that the maximum light output is still not always achieved and that many plants do not receive the amount of light they should. For this reason, vertical cultivation is an excellent tool for those who want to make the most of their resources indoors. Because vertical growth, when done correctly, can increase yields and maximise efficiency. In many ways, it is a game-changer as the boundaries of innovation are being pushed upward. Vertical growing techniques provide opportunities that are unimaginable with traditional horizontal cultivation, particularly in more mature markets such as the USA, where commercial cannabis growers seek to improve yields, reduce costs and maximise space. Vertical farming: less is more The vertical cultivation technique is the practice of growing plants in vertically stacked layers or sloping surfaces; It consists of placing the cannabis plants on shelves, walls, or in columns, with the light source placed in the centre or on each individual shelf layer. In this way, it is possible to take better advantage of the space and ensure that more light reaches all the plants, thus achieving a higher yield. It's all about maximising harvests while using the minimum available space.

Green lights for growing cannabis

Normally, when growing indoors, we use blue light for the vegetative growth phase and red light during flowering. Selecting the type of light and its appropriate colour temperature (usually known as its spectrum) is vital when it comes to getting the best results from an indoor grow. However, there is another type of light that is still unknown to a lot of growers and, although it doesn't directly influence the development of plants like the ones we just mentioned, it can be really useful for growers to prevent potential plant problems: green light.

Electro conductivity and cannabis cultivation

What is EC or electro conductivity? In this post we will focus on explaining the concept of EC or electro conductivity for cannabis cultivation and we will explain the importance of EC to obtain good results in our home grow.

Sustainability & Cannabis cultivation

Although as a grow shop we sell all kinds of products related to cultivation, from the most modern hydroponic systems to ranges of completely organic nutrients, at Alchimia we know that caring for the environment is very important and we always try to offer you not only the products necessary to carry out organic farming but also the information on how to ensure that your cultivation has the least possible negative impact on nature. As with almost any other type of cultivation, cannabis farming is not exempt from bad practices and can potentially be disastrous for the environment, much more damaging than if other types of methods are followed. Growing sustainably isn't simply a matter of switching to a specific type of substrate or fertiliser, but of analysing our growing practices from start to finish, taking into account the carbon footprint of each product, input and even of the techniques that we use. We've already examined our own methodology from this point of view, and we'd love to share the conclusions we have reached with you. By protecting the environment we are protecting ourselves, and as you'll see, it's easier than you might think!

Tissue Culture for Cannabis

Micropropagation is one of the most widespread uses of in vitro plant cultivation. These techniques and tissue culture methods are used to multiply genetically identical plants (known as clones) on a large scale, in reduced spaces and short periods of time, combining some of the advantages of both systems of plant reproduction. This method of in vitro plant propagation is one of the plant biotechnology cultivation techniques that has shown a huge rise in popularity in recent years, as it allows growers to obtain thousands of identical plants from very small sections of a mother plant, called explants. The success of any micropropagation will depend on the ability to acclimatise high-quality plants from in vitro conditions to ex vitro conditions, thus producing new plants from these explants. In this article, we'd like to take a closer look at the fascinating world of tissue culture, outlining the possible applications that this technique offers to cannabis cultivation which, as you'll see, are quite a few!

How to choose the extractor fan for your indoor grow room

When setting up your first indoor grow, the first few things to consider is the space you have available - whether it's a room or a grow tent - the lighting system needed, and the number of plants you can fit in that space. Many times, people don’t take into account the relevance of proper air exchange and how vital it is to achieve a successful harvest. This article will help you to understand this important factor, and to decide which exhaust fan is more adequate for your grow room, so it works as efficiently as possible without wasting power.

Choosing a humidifier for your indoor grow space

Environmental conditions play a vital role in successful indoor cannabis grows. It goes without saying that the right temperatures are essential for growing healthy plants, but if you want to further optimize your indoor growing space, you shouldn?t ignore the importance of relative humidity in relation to the plant?s life stage. The right humidity levels allow a faster plant development, which translates into shorter growing periods, but also into healthier plants thanks to better nutrient absorption and assimilation. It?s a great way to make the most of your indoor setup and get maximum yields.

When to transplant cannabis and how to do it

Whether in an outdoor indoor cultivation, transplanting cannabis is a sensitive phase in the life of your plants, which need enough space to develop an extensive root system in order to reach their full potential. A plant with little room for its roots will never perform as well as another with a well-developed root ball! For this reason, it?s a very important moment for the plant growth, and you must transplant your marijuana at the right time and into the right pots. Today we are going to take a closer look into this operation, which must be carried out with utmost care in order to minimize the stress caused to the plant. If you do it right, you will be able to make the most of the available space, save substrate and nutrients, reduce the risk of fungi, accelerate plant development, and obtain maximum yields... It?s worth trying, don?t you think? Let's do it!

Selecting cannabis mother plants

Although many cannabis growers use seeds on each and every crop, whether growing under artificial lights or outdoors, some of them prefer to keep their mother plants in an indoor grow space and consistently take cuttings to get them to flower whenever it suits them. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages; on the one hand, when cultivating from seeds you get a greater variety of flavors, aromas, and effects than when you grow from cuttings. In addition, plants cultivated from seeds are usually more vigorous and productive. However, when using clones, you obtain identical plants, with exactly the same flavor, aroma, and effect. In some cases, if you are looking for a particular flavor or high, it?s the easiest way to achieve it. For this reason, many growers cultivate from seed in order to choose the best specimen to keep as a mother plant for their future crops. In this article, we explain how to do this.

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