Cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in all cannabis plants, including both hemp and marijuana. It has come into the spotlight in recent years thanks to an abundance of scientific evidence showing its usefulness as both a therapeutic agent and a general wellness support supplement. Modern cannabis growers have found ways to breed plants that produce more CBD, and seeds for CBD-heavy strains are now widely available. Growers who want to up production can read on to find out how to increase their yields of CBD-heavy marijuana.
Grow Indoors
There are a few benefits of growing indoors. For one, it allows growers to exercise an unprecedented amount of control over their crops’ environments by altering light cycles and intensity, controlling indoor air quality, and using hydroponic systems to create optimized nutrient schedules. It also significantly reduces pest problems and, if done correctly, completely eliminates issues with nosy neighbors. Want some help setting up an indoor grow? Novice growers like going to visit i49, not just as a high-quality seed bank, but as a source of valuable information about how to get things off the ground.
Manipulate Plant Structure
Growers can manipulate plant structure using a variety of techniques, but all of them have the same end goal. If performed correctly, plant training can create wider plants with more evenly spaced colas that will produce larger yields.
The best way to get into plant training is to start with LST, or low-stress training. This process involves forcing the plant to grow flat and wide by training its branches without breaking or cutting them, making it a relatively easy and safe method for plant manipulation. Start LST when the plant is very young and combine it with increased light intensity for maximum increases in yield.
Increase Light Intensity
The biggest factor affecting yields in healthy plants is light intensity. More intense light during the vegetative stage can create larger plants with bigger buds, which will produce more substantial yields. Greater light intensity during flowering will also drive the production of buds. The right grow lights will make it much easier to control light intensity throughout different growth stages.
Follow the Right Nutrient Schedule
Providing plants with nutrients creates somewhat of a Goldilocks scenario. Give them too little and the plants won’t grow. Give them too much and the plants will get nutrient burns. It’s important to ensure that plants are getting just the right amount.
Plant food and fertilizer manufacturers include information about how much and how often to feed the plants, but growers shouldn’t just follow the instructions on the plant food bottles indiscriminately. These suggestions don’t take into account the fact that growers will also be applying other nutrients. That’s why it’s a better idea to follow a detailed nutrient schedule and adapt it to each plant’s unique needs. It may take a while to get the perfect mix on the perfect schedule but, with some practice, growers should start seeing increased yields.
The Bottom Line
Every plan to increase yields should start with making provisions to ensure that the plants get everything they need to grow and thrive, including plenty of light, nutrients, and water. Techniques like LST offer a good place to start for growers who want to up the ante, while riskier procedures like supercropping, topping, and fimming should all be saved for those who already have the basics down.
