Any seasoned indoor grower will tell you that growing marijuana can be tricky, as with any crop. With so much time, money, and energy spent on caring for the plants, it helps to learn ways to increase your cannabis plant yield as early as possible.
Light Intensity for Fat Buds
If you don’t have enough light, the cannabis plants will start to stretch upwards to better reach the light. This causes the plant to become lanky. In extreme cases, the plants will grow so tall that they will topple over because they’re just too top-heavy. If your plants are tall and lanky, it simply won’t produce the big, fat buds that growers seek.
Increasing the light during the plant’s flowering stage helps to promote a greater cannabis yield. The light encourages photosynthesis which helps the plant create sugar to nourish the flower growth. During this time, you must also provide uninterrupted darkness so that the cannabis plant can manufacture the hormone florigen to successfully flower. Remember, the more intense the light, the larger and greater the bud production.
Pruning or Training to Increase Yield
If your cannabis plants are big and lanky, chances are they might be receiving uneven amounts of light. If only the top half of the plant gets enough light and the bottom half doesn’t, this will cause the top part of the plant to rapidly grow and makes it top heavier. Pruning your plants by taking off some of the tops of the plants is one method but can cause stress.
You’ll remove the cannabis plant’s growth from the end of its cola. The plant will then put all its energy into the other buds and produce a far greater yield.
Low-Stress LST for Growth
Another option for greater yield like pruning is the Low-Stress Training (LST). LST encourages the plants to grow in a flat and wide pattern instead of tall and thin. In order to be successful, LST must be started when the plants are young. You can simply use a plant net or screen on top of the plants to train them to grow flat and wide.
Nutrients Matter for Plant Growth
Too much or too little nutrients impact your cannabis plant’s growth. However, if you pay close attention to your plant’s appearance you can probably figure out what it needs. A cannabis plant that undergoes leaf discoloration, leaf death or curling is not getting enough nutrients. If the plant’s leaves start to dry out, it’s likely having a nutrient burn from too many nutrients. If your plant’s leaves are pristine green and robust, it’s receiving the correct ratio of nutrients.
Always avoid giving your plant too many nutrients as this can inhibit its growth and cause it to become weak, resulting in a lackluster harvest. During the marijuana plant’s last two to four weeks of growth do not be tempted to increase the nutrients in the hopes of fatter buds, as this will cause the buds to under-develop.
Controlling the Temperature and Humidity
If the temperature or humidity yield is at the wrong levels, your yield will show it. Temperatures that are too high destroy the plant’s cannabinoids and terpenes. Too much humidity can cause bud rot and wilted leaves (wilting can also occur from heat stress).
Controlling the humidity and temperature in the room will make your buds far more potent and tailor the smell. If your plants are too close to the heat of their grow lights, you will also notice browning or curling leaves.
Successful cannabis cultivation takes time and practice but eventually, you will learn exactly what is needed to cultivate robust, thriving marijuana plants.