Micro-cultivating marijuana simply means growing your favorite marijuana strain on a small scale. If you are a new cannabis enthusiast who would like to grow a few strands in your garden, micro cultivation might just be the right way to start. Micro-cultivation does not mean you are a novice in the cannabis business. Even established cannabis farmers try out micro cultivation many times.  To grow a new strain, they might simply experiment with a few stands. In addition to helping you decide on yield and quality, these methods also save you huge money on an investment. For starters, if you need to play the marijuana business safely, then welcome to micro-cultivation!

Micro-cultivating Marijuana –What you need to know 

Marijuana is way different from other plants. As one of the most popular plants ever grown by humans. Marijuana has survived thousands of years of farming history. No, it is not just by mere chance. The plant has learned to adapt, and humans have learned the best ways to cultivate it. From seedling to transplanting, tendering, and harvesting, many proven methods work best in marijuana cultivation.  If you are cultivating this same plant on a smaller scale, you have a lot to consider. In addition to learning how to scale down these methods, you will want to understand the basics of micro-cultivation. The basics should include parameters that directly help your chances of success. These include:

1. Securing a Security Clearance

This depends solely on the cannabis legislation in your region. For instance, in Canada, you are required to get a license for cannabis micro-cultivation from Health Canada. In some other countries, the licensing requirements might be different. Either way, micro-cultivation licenses give you legal backing to grow marijuana on a small scale. 

2. Secured Perimeter

Of course, you will want to safeguard your investment. Regardless of the number of marijuana stands you are cultivating, you need to micro-cultivate your marijuana in a secured perimeter. You can consider an indoor cultivation method if you live in a busy neighborhood and you cannot completely keep your plants safe. If not, investing in the right type of fencing and locks may just do with outdoor cultivation. 

3. Invest in a good Pesticide

You will need this. Since you are growing a few stands, your chances of crop failure significantly increase if your plant gets infested. A good pesticide will help you keep out pests and make sure you have a good harvest at the end of the growing season. However, you will want to be careful with your choice of pesticide. Using a pesticide that interferes with the characteristics of your weed might spoil your micro-cultivation experience. Therefore, it is recommended that you ask the necessary questions when you visit an agrochemical store to get one. 

Requirements You Need to Fulfil

Essentially, micro-cultivation is not exactly different from your regular cannabis farming procedures. It is just that you do it on a smaller scale. The requirements you need to fulfill with a large marijuana farming are the same here. You only need to scale down these requirements. Here are the most important requirements you need to consider before selecting your choice of marijuana strain for micro-cultivation. 

1. Space Set-Up

Although you need a small space, you will want to make sure you get the right space setup. Your space setup should give the plant enough light and air for growth. Your choice of growing areas is not restricted. Capered with large sale marijuana farming, you have more choice of growing space to consider. You might decide to use a cupboard, DIY tent, bar fridge, or an abandoned basement. The minimum dimension of space recommended for marijuana micro-cultivation is 35 x 35 x 75cm. The minimum space dimension allows you to make adjustments for lighting, watering, and ventilation.

2. Select the Right Volume of Growth Medium

Your best choice of growing medium for cannabis micro-cultivation is nutrient-rich soil. It is difficult to set up a hydroponic system in a confined space. Except you see other growing mediums sold online and specifically made for micro-cultivation, nutrient-rich soil is your best choice. Since your space setup is already small, you will want to use a small soil quantity with the right nutrients for your marijuana (Embed the link to the ‘Marijuana and Fertilizers' article).  

The root system is another crucial factor that can determine your choice of growth medium and volume. Many marijuana strains tend to occupy the same space below the ground as they do above. So, you will want to consider the root system, the mature plant's probable height, and the size of the leaves. As a rough guide, you can consider the different pot sizes we have below and their impact on the final height of your weed strain.

• 12L pots: ~1–1.5m

• 5L pots: ~60cm

• 2–3L pots: ~24cm

• 500ml pots: ~13cm

The final height of your plant chiefly depends on the type of strains you are cultivating. If you can make more space for your stands, that is not bad too. The chart above is only an estimate guide.  

3. Get the Right Grow Light 

With indoor micro-cultivation, you need the right growing lights. You won't want to have too much heat in your confined space. For the right growing light for micro-cultivation, you will want to invest in the right lights. 

• Fluorescent Tubes

This light source is relatively cheap, and you might get suggestions to use them. Fluorescent tubes offer an excellent light output. The main problem with this light type is that they produce too much heat that is required, and they are not generally a broad spectrum o; you will need to invest in a variety to suit your light needs.

• HPS/HPI

High-Pressure Sodium and High Wattage Metal Halide are other light options you might want to consider. They are lightweight and give off a large spectrum of light. However, HPS and HPI lights are not exactly suitable for micro-cultivation as they generate too much heat. In addition, you run the risk of drying out your plant by using these lights at a high capacity.

• LED Light

Light Emitting Diodes bulbs are common suggestions for a light source in micro-cultivation. They are compact, save energy, and let off a large spectrum of light. As a result, your plant gets the right spectrum throughout its growth cycle. The only disadvantage here is that LED light panels are expensive, but they are definitely worth the price. LED panels are especially good for this purpose; they generate almost no heat, occupy little space, and produce the right amount of light you need daily.

Since your growth size is small, you might only need to run the LED panels at only 25-50%. The percentage might differ as your plant grows. During the blooming stage, we recommend a 50-75% capacity.

4. Proper Place of Grow Light

The type of grow light you get is as important as your knowledge of light placement. If you don't know how best to place your grow light, you might miss out on the best yield your strain could produce. In large-scale cannabis plantations, you will find the grow light placed directly above the plants. But since you are working with a confined space here, you will want to improvise on this. If you use vertical space, you will get a lot done by placing your grow light along multiple sides of the plant. In addition to exposing different parts of your plant to light, this will also help grow a bigger canopy. Your skills in light placement might help regulate how tall or stretched your plant grows.   

The Best Marijuana Strains for Micro-cultivation

Have you selected the strains you would like to plant in your micro space? If not, we might have a range of options you can consider. 

Micro-cultivation does not limit your choice of marijuana strain. Since you are growing the plant on a small scale, all you have to do is adjust the growth parameters to fit your selected strain. However, we recommend starting with strains that stay small, offering good yield, and not growing too bushy. These qualities depend on the genetics of the seed. You can simply make inquiries about the seeds before you purchase them.

You will also want to select auto-flowering strains. If you are starting weed cultivation as a novice, auto-flowering strains are your best option. During their growth cycle, these strains automatically transition into the flowering period. This is independent of the amount of light penetration they have. Many marijuana strains in this category also remain small and grow good yields.

Final Thoughts on Marijuana Micro-cultivation

Micro-cultivation is an exciting journey for the 420 culture. You can easily monitor your plants as they grow, adjust the growing conditions, and make many choices along the way. There is no better way to prepare you for large-scale cannabis cultivation. You must learn how your plant responds to changes in growth conditions. Get the best growing technique, and don't forget to water your plants as required. If you do everything right, you should have a good harvest for personal use.