Growing cannabis may seem to be intimidating. The thought of buying the necessary equipment, supplies and tending the garden may be overwhelming. However, growing your plants in a greenhouse may help you to cut costs.
Your marijuana needs excellent conditions for growth. To maximize your harvest, you need to buy the best strains from an online shop like i49. You must also ensure that your crops are in the right environment and have the right temperature and light. A greenhouse can help you control all these variables. That’s why it’s a popular choice. This article highlights some tips for building a greenhouse for your marijuana plants.
Why You Need A Greenhouse For Your Cannabis
A greenhouse has many benefits, though the main ones include environmental control, less energy consumption, pest control, and better flavor, potency, and aroma.
Growing cannabis in a greenhouse will enable your plants to get sunlight. That means you’ll save more on electricity costs. Also, it offers you the opportunity to control your plants’ air circulation, temperature, and humidity. Apart from that, it enables you to use your skills to create a strong aroma, potency and flavor. Most importantly, greenhouses also reduce the chances of pest infestations.
Tips For Building A Greenhouse For Cannabis Growing
- Gather The Required Supplies
For you to erect your greenhouse within a short period, you need to collect suitable materials. If there’s a dollar store near your residence, you can collect all your supplies from there. Some things you’ll require for your greenhouse include a transparent Myler-style sheet, a hula hoop, thin ropes, allocate strings and flexible cables. You can find Myler sheets in the camping section of a dollar or agricultural store. They usually cost about $1.
The hula hoop you buy should have a large diameter to accommodate your grow lights. It’s recommended to have at least one hula hoop for each tent.
- Choose A Greenhouse Size And Design
Greenhouses come in many sizes, designs, and shapes. Though you can use all of them to grow your cannabis plant, the one you select will depend on your budget, space, and the number of plants you intend to grow. Some common types of greenhouses you’ll find on the market include outdoor greenhouses, polytunnel greenhouses, walk-in greenhouses, and pop up greenhouses. These greenhouses come in standard shapes.
Your location will also determine the greenhouse that you buy. You should select one with dimensions matching your grow space. It’s also advisable to buy a greenhouse that has some free space to allow you to move around comfortably. The space should be in a location that receives the most sunlight.
Your plants’ security is essential. Your greenhouse should lock the plants from prying eyes and pests. It should only allow you, your family members, or close friends to access the plants.
- Set Up A Watering And Ventilation System
One main challenge you’re likely to encounter when growing your plants is high humidity. Humid conditions may be ideal for seedlings, especially those from feminized seeds. However, they may affect mature plants and create a breeding ground for fungi, pests, and bacteria. You want always to ensure that you have a hygrometer and thermometer to keep track of your greenhouse’s relative humidity and temperature.
You may also want to invest in oscillating fans to give your plants fresh air and minimize temperature and humidity. Select fans that can freshen the whole greenhouse. If you have a larger greenhouse, you’ll need more fans, and if you have a smaller greenhouse, you’ll need fewer fans.
When installing oscillating fans, place them under and above the canopy to prevent old air from getting trapped within the greenhouse. The fans should ensure that there’s a consistent flowing breeze throughout the space.
Your watering schedule may also prevent your plants from facing humidity problems. You need to have a watering schedule to guide you and prevent you from overwatering and underwatering the plants. Outdoor plants are exposed to a lot of fresh air and direct sunlight, which cause a faster evaporation rate. However, plants in a greenhouse don’t go through the same conditions. As a result, you’ll water them less frequently.
To prevent you from guesswork, it’s best to install an automated water system. Most growers prefer using drip irrigation systems because they provide plants with the right amount of water consistently. They also minimize overwatering and prevent fungi and bacteria from growing.
- Add Lights To Your Greenhouse
Growing cannabis in a greenhouse allows you to tap into the sunlight. If you’re living in areas with consistent sunny conditions, this might work well for you. However, if you’re living in regions having temperamental conditions, you may have to install grow lights.
There are tons of grow lights on the market, and you need to do some research and shopping before landing on the right set up. However, most people prefer using LED grow panels. If you choose to use these lights, use four hundred watts of light per square meter. That way, you’ll get the best results. LED lights are more popular because they’re more affordable than HID lights. They also give less heat.
- Install Coverings
You may need coverings for your greenhouse when your plants reach the flowering stage. Marijuana plants naturally flower when days are shorter. You can either let your plants grow as they would naturally and wait for them to flower or force them to flower in a greenhouse. If you choose the natural method, you may need to exercise patience because your plants may take longer to flower. However, if you’re in a hurry, you can install covers or blinds in your greenhouse to prevent light from penetrating, thus forcing the plants to flower. Most people like using blinds because it gives them more control over the plants.
Other covers you can use to force your plants to flower include installing tarps. You can buy a custom black tarp and fit it over the greenhouse’s exterior. That way, you’ll minimize the amount of light that your plants get every day. Tarps are best used in small greenhouses.
Final Words
Greenhouses provide many benefits to cannabis plants. But it’s vital to know how to set them up to maximize your yields. These tips can lessen the hassle of building a greenhouse for growing marijuana.
