How to Grow Marijuana in an Aerogarden: Definitive Guide for Beginners

All of us have learned that there are several modern gardening methods which are used for our Marijuana plants to cultivate them successfully and produce high-quality buds for our medical and recreational purposes. These methods were applied with efficient technological advancements to adapt to the increasing demands for the weeds around the world.

To further instill the culture of excellence in Marijuana planting, another hi-tech method was introduced- this is the Aerogarden method.

Knowing Aerogarden

Inspired by the increasing shift of gardening in the United States, the Aerogarden was invented to give an effective alternative for those who are struggling to set up their indoor gardens, especially in the regions where the temperature changes drastically, killing the plants grown through the pots. Despite its indoor setting, we must know that plants are sensitive to any changes and are susceptible to any damages it may incur, just like with the temperature movements.

Aerogarden has its technical properties that offer a stable environment for the plants, making them grow richly and healthily.

To efficiently know this apparatus, let’s take a look with its parts:

• Grow Bulb

This artificial light from the aerogarden offers the activation of the seeds’ germination until it matures and starts to do photosynthesis. Unlike the LED lights set for your indoor garden, this light of aerogarden automatically switches on and off, depending on the time that was set for your plant. This unique time limit has been added to ensure that your seeds will grow effectively despite its indoor setting.

• Seed Pods

The spots where you can put your seeds, these pods are set just like the hydroponics where the seeds are not exposed with soil, but with seed plugs and water. It has filter holes that offer spaces for the root growth of each seed as they germinate and start to sprout.

• Water container

Your garden will not depend on the traditional soil setting wherein you must place your seeds within the mixture. Instead, they are exposed to water. Your water container will be holding the sufficient supply of liquid solution with nutrients to keep your plants healthy as they mature during their vegetation and flowering cycles.

Growing your strains

 

Now that you have known the parts of an aerogarden, you should prepare yourself in choosing the plant which you can use on it. 

• Choose your seeds

Before buying the aerogarden apparatus, you should have chosen your desired Cannabis Seeds. Remember that your seeds must be suitable for Indoor growth. Aerogarden has limited space for every seed that’s why you should be able to choose your seeds wisely. Check the strain’s information first before buying and do some estimations for its expected height as soon as it reaches its flowering cycle.

For the seeds, it is recommended that a user should consider Indica strains or autoflowering strains to keep its height matched with what the aerogarden can provide.

Because of its origin that has cooler climates with shorter seasons, Cannabis Indica plants grow smaller than Cannabis Sativa, and a bit higher than Cannabis Ruderalis. An average Indica strain grows only from 2 to 4 feet. The plant’s vegetative cycle ranges from 8 to 10 weeks or 56 to 70 days on the average. Some strains have longer vegetation cycles, as reported by some growers.

Marijuana Strains such as Northern Light, Grape Ape, and Pineapple Kush are some of the renowned Indica strains.

The autoflowering strains have their roots coming from both Indica and Sativa plants. However, the strain has been strongly influenced by Cannabis Ruderalis.

Due to the harsh environment it lives, Ruderalis plants live with shorter vegetation cycles and flower automatically, unlike the earlier two types of Marijuana that need time to pause before flowering.

Their height naturally ranges from 1 to 3 feet tall and has thick and sturdy stems. Their leaves contain lesser fingers, has lighter green and relatively smaller compared to Indica strains.

Ruderalis’ vegetation cycle averages from 21 to 30 days, with some reports saying up to 40 days, depending on the plant’s variation. Ruderalis plants do not have a flowering cycle at all and this is because they automatically flower right after their maturation or if the right time comes earlier than expected.

On the other hand, Autoflowering Marijuana strains are the plants that automatically switch from vegetation to flowering cycle, without any gap in the process of growing. These plants begin to flower when it reached a part of the development with no window time to wait, unlike their regular counterparts. These plants, however, share the similarities with regular seeds, about where can they exist and grow, how are they going to be cultivated and how they should be harvested

• Electric Bill

Your aerogarden will consume low electric consumption while giving off the most suitable light content for your plants. These lights will work up to 12 hours a day, from your plant’s Day 1 onwards. Remember that the low electric consumption translates to a lesser electric bill.

There’s nothing wrong in choosing the lights with lower consumption rate, considering that you are going to use this product for months, even for years. With that, your household electricity bill will spike up because of the additional light consumption, that’s why a grower should choose budget-saving products.

On the other hand, it can also help you choose other which can use the least electricity charge to provide adequate lighting for your Marijuana plants.

• The Seed Plugs

Some aerogardens do not include seed plugs for the package. In choosing your seed plugs, remember that they must be made from organic ingredients which are suitable for your seeds. It must be a good absorber of water, has no synthetic chemicals embedded in its hole and is smooth.

Your seeds will be highly sensitive as soon as it starts to germinate. If the taproot has sustained an injury, it will not be irreversible and the damage will last forever, affecting your plant’s growth and potency. Also, one must avoid shaking the plugs to prevent stunted growth for the strains

To avoid this kind of incident, you should be careful in choosing the seed plugs and avoid shaking the apparatus during the first few days of your seeds’ germination.

• The nutrition

Your seeds will acquire the nutrition through their semi-permeable layers that can process the absorption.

Absorption is a chemical phase of molecules and atomic particles entering either liquid or solid materials. This process has been in effect since the foundation of life started on this planet. In the field of botany, this is where the plants gain their needed nutrition through their roots that take the important minerals which they can use for further growth and development.

The medium of this nutrition is the water. It is the universal solvent that can penetrate the permeable yet unique structure of the soils. From these soils, the roots of a plant will filter the presence of liquid nutrition through its internal structure that easily filters everything and is absorbed by the entirety of the plant. Your formulation for the soluble food must be made up of 13 minerals and nutrients, 6 of which are major components and needs to be taken in large servings.

Nitrate is the mineral which gives your plants the vibrant colors they grow in the future- from green, red, violet or other ecological colors through the chlorophyll production. Nitrate also helps your plant to develop strong and enduring foliage.

Phosphorus is the main factor that helps your plants develop good roots and flowers. It helps your plants endure the changing environmental concerns, such as drought and winter.

Potassium contributes to your plants’ early growth and development, as well as its water retention until it matures further for a few more weeks. It also helps them to fight diseases and harmful insect intervention. 

 Magnesium is also responsible for the color development of your plants, especially your leaves.

Sulfur helps your plants to fight many diseases that it may acquire through the air or water. Sometimes, it may acquire through human intervention. It also assists your plant to develop other important minerals like Amino Acids, Vitamins, Proteins, and Enzymes.

Calcium is responsible for the growth and development of cell walls of our strains. If well-developed, the cell walls of your plants will effectively combat the diseases it has to suppress and is necessary for the biological metabolism and nitrate uptake of your plant.

Go and create your Hi-tech Garden!

Aerogarden is indeed an amazing and effective tool for growing Marijuana strains healthily and far from any possible dangers in your home. Its properties are great, unique and the best of all these things- it is very easy to use.

This apparatus may come at an expensive price but in life, you have to risk for bigger chances to gain better results. This is greatly applicable to Indoor Marijuana strains. Enjoy gardening and use your aerogarden wisely!