Weed Seedlings: How To Care For Your Baby Marijuana Plants
As cannabis culture grows across the country, so does the demand for high-quality cannabis products. Weed seedlings are the first step in producing a plant that will grow into healthy and potent marijuana plants.
When caring for marijuana seedlings, there are several common mistakes that many beginners and even seasoned growers make. Keep reading to learn about the most common cannabis seedling mistakes and some tips for avoiding them.
Choose The Right, High Quality Seeds
One of the most critical steps in growing healthy cannabis plants is starting with quality seeds. When buying your marijuana seeds, choose strains that produce high-quality buds.
Getting the cheapest seeds available could likely lead to poor performing plants. Only buy your seeds from reputable sources that have expert breeders on staff to ensure the highest chance of success. We employ a number of top tier breeders that only bring high quality seeds to market.
Here are some other factors to consider before buying your cannabis seeds:
Are You Growing Indoor or Outdoor?
The first question you need to answer is whether you’re growing your cannabis seedlings indoors or outdoors. This question is vital because some strains of cannabis are better suited for one environment or the other.
If you’re growing your weed seedlings indoors, be sure to choose a strain of cannabis with a history of successful indoor cultivation. This step shouldn’t be difficult because most cannabis strains are well-suited for indoor growing, but it’s still crucial to research and find a strain that grows best in the environment you’re providing.
Choosing the right weed seed for your weather can be challenging, especially if you live somewhere with harsh or unpredictable weather. To avoid mistakes, do your research and choose a strain that is known for its resilience in outdoor conditions. On the other hand, if you’re growing your cannabis seedlings outdoors, be sure to select a strain known for its ability to thrive in outdoor conditions.
What Is Your Climate Like?
The climate of your growing environment is another important consideration when choosing the right cannabis seeds. Climate is broken into three major categories: wet, dry, and temperate.
Wet & Humid
If you live in an area with a wet climate, you’ll need to choose a cannabis strain that can handle high humidity levels. These strains are typically Indica dominant, which means they have a shorter flowering time and are less likely to experience mold or mildew problems.
Dry
If you live in a dry climate, you’ll need to choose a strain of cannabis that can tolerate low humidity levels. These strains are typically Sativa dominant, which means they have a longer flowering time and are more resistant to drought conditions.
Temperate/Mild
If you live in an area with a temperate climate, you’ll want to choose a strain of cannabis that can thrive in a wide range of temperatures and conditions. These strains are typically hybrids between Indica and Sativa, which gives them the thick structure needed to handle cooler weather while still producing potent buds.
By doing your research and handpicking the correct type of marijuana seeds for your growing environment, you can avoid many common cannabis seedling mistakes and grow healthy and robust plants. With the right combination of high-quality seeds and careful attention to your weed seedlings, you can produce some of the best cannabis on the market.
What Type Of Plants Do You Want To Grow?
The next step in choosing the right cannabis seeds is deciding which type of seeds you want to buy. The three most common types of cannabis seeds are regular, feminized, and auto-flowering. Your choice will directly affect how much light your marijuana seedlings need and how often you need to water them.
It is also good to understand what type of marijuana you like to smoke. Our guide on the differences between sativa vs indica will be a good place to start.
Regular
Regular seeds have the most diverse genetics and produce male and female cannabis plants. You’ll need to observe them carefully during the seedling stage to prevent the males from pollinating the females. We don’t typically recommend using regular seeds if you’re a beginner because identifying the sex of the plant takes weeks of growth.Â
For this reason, we recommend you go with autoflowering or feminized seeds, because you won’t have to spend time growing out your seeds just to realize half of your new grow is male, which will have to be destroyed.
Feminized
Feminized seeds have only female genetics, making them a popular choice for cannabis growers. These seeds produce only female plants which can save you a lot of time and space because you don’t have to wait 6 weeks to find out if they’re male.
Feminized seeds are a little more expensive than regular, but not by much and worth the investment.
Autoflowering
Auto-flowering seeds are a relatively new type of weed seed that produces plants with pre-determined flowering times.
These seeds automatically switch from the vegetative stage to the flowering stage after a certain number of weeks, so you don’t need to worry about changing light cycles or manipulating your plant’s growing period.
These are the bet types of seeds for new growers for their first grow because they do most of the work for you and are hard to screw up. We recommend new growers always start with either autoflower or feminized seeds.
Choose The Right Grow Pots For Your Weed Seedlings
Once you’ve selected the right cannabis seeds for your growing environment, the next step is choosing suitable growing containers. The type and size of your desired container will depend on several factors, including how many cannabis seedlings you want to grow and how much space you have available.
It’s essential to ensure that your containers have drainage holes in the bottom. These holes allow excess water to drain from the soil, preventing your cannabis seedlings from becoming waterlogged.
Next, you’ll need to decide what type of material you want your containers to be made from. Popular choices include plastic, fabric, and paper.
If you choose plastic, be sure to select a food-grade material free of harmful chemicals. BPA-free plastic is a good option, as it won’t leach toxic chemicals into your soil.
Fabric pots are also a good choice for cannabis growers, as they allow your plants’ roots to breathe and prevent them from becoming waterlogged.
Finally, you’ll need to decide on the size of your containers. we recommend 5 to 10 gallon fabric pots because if you go smaller, your seedlings roots won’t have much space to grow, stunting the height (and yield) of your plants.
Understanding The Various Cannabis Seedling Stages
Weed seedlings go through several stages of growth, each with its own set of challenges and needs. By understanding the different stages of marijuana seedling growth, you can better care for your plants and avoid common mistakes.
Early Seedling Stage (1-2 Weeks)
During the early cannabis seedling stage, your plants will be very delicate and vulnerable. They will need a warm and humid environment with plenty of light.
You’ll also need to keep your cannabis seedlings’ soil moist but not waterlogged. Use a spray bottle to mist their leaves lightly with water every day.
As your cannabis seedlings grow taller, you’ll need to support them. Use bamboo skewers or toothpicks to prop up their stems.
Late Seedling Stage (2-4 Weeks)
During the late cannabis seedling stage, your plants will develop their first set of true leaves. They’re almost ready to be transplanted into their large pots if you started in a small cup or pot.
You’ll also need to carefully monitor your marijuana seedlings for pests, such as spider mites. To prevent these pests from infesting your plants, spray them lightly with neem oil once a week.
If you keep your grow tent clean, you shouldn’t have to worry much about your seedlings becoming infested with pests.
Provide Adequate Light
Seedlings need plenty of light to thrive and develop robust root systems. Make sure you place your weed seedlings in a location where they will receive plenty of bright, indirect light.
If you’re growing your cannabis seedlings indoors, use high-quality grow lights that mimic natural sunlight.
Plants need less light in the early stages of growth and more light once they reach the seedling stage and prepare for vegetative growth, where the majority of your growth will occur.
One thing to avoid during the seedling stage is getting your baby marijuana plants too much heat from lights. Don’t place the light too close to your plants or you could fry them. A simple check you can do is to hold your hand above the plant’s top leaves. If it feels hot it’s best to raise your lights until it doesn’t anymore.
Maintain Proper Temperature
Cannabis seedlings need a consistent temperature between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit to thrive. If your growing environment is too warm or cold, your plants may experience stunted growth or die altogether.
To avoid this problem, constantly monitor the temperature in your growing area and make adjustments as needed. We recommend buying a cheap thermometer to monitor the temperature of the environment, as well as a fan to distribute air and heat if you’re growing in a grow tent.
Watch Humidity Levels
Seedlings also need a relatively high level of humidity to thrive. If the air is too dry, your cannabis seedlings may experience respiratory issues and struggle to develop robust root systems.
You can increase the humidity level for indoor growing by setting up a humidifier or misting your plants regularly. Keep the humidity level between 60 and 70 percent.
If you’re growing your weed seedlings outdoors, make sure they’re in a location with high humidity levels and adequate rainfall. Or, ensure they’re getting sprayed with water every day.
We recommend buying an electronic humidity gauge if you’re growing indoors so you can maintain the best levels during the seedling stage.
Water Weed Seedlings Properly
Seedlings are susceptible to changes in their water levels, so it’s always essential to provide enough water. Your cannabis plants need moisture at their roots during the seedling stage but should never stand in water.
You can prevent this problem by using well-draining soil and pots with drainage holes. Water your plants when the topsoil is dry to the touch, but be careful not to let the roots sit in water for too long.
Cannabis seedlings need more water as they transition from the germination stage to the vegetative stage. A good spray from a water bottle each day should be sufficient to get them out of their most sensitive stage.
Avoid Fertilizing Your Seedlings
During the first few weeks of a seedlings growth, their root system can’t handle the shock of fertilizers. Although you may be excited to push their growth forward and blast it with the vegetative nutrients you just bought, patience is critical.
Allow the seedlings’ roots root system to develop and get stronger before adding in chemicals, because if you try and your measurements are off, making it too concentrated of a solution, your plants will die.
Wait until they’re out of this stage before attempting to hit them with nutrient solutions and you’ll increase your chances of success.
Enjoy The Process & Be Patient!
If you follow all of these steps carefully, you’re well on your way to a successful cannabis crop. Less is more during the weed seedling stage so be patient because your patience will certainly pay off.
Growing cannabis is a journey you’ll come to love and respect, so take it all in and enjoy the process. Your weed seedlings will soon become large, lush plants that will deliver big beautiful buds you can smoke and share with your friends.
We’re sure you’re going to love the process, and if you need a reputable seed company to provide you with premium strains that are both easy to grow and produce highly potent cannabis, check out our library of cannabis seeds while you’re here and geet growing!
