The most fulfilling things in life are free, but only if we do them ourselves. In a cultivation field, to obtain the most satisfying harvests, one must know how to avoid the 10 most common mistakes of cultivation. When you are not very familiar with Cannabis cultivation can turn into a rather daunting activity. Between pH values, fertilization plans, lumen intensity and substrate quality, you can easily lose the basics needed to achieve optimal results. Remember that growing Cannabis is by no means a rocket engineering science. It is true that as time goes by, cultivation skills are refined, but by avoiding the most common mistakes right away, even beginners will be able to get healthy and robust plants by following a few simple tips.

FORGET THE BASICS

Cannabis is also called "herb" there is certainly a good reason: it is an extremely resistant plant, able to grow even with the most elementary cultivation tricks. However, with easy access to agronomic information on how to grow it (web, forums, books, websites, etc...), it is easy to get lost following advanced techniques and esoteric cultivation recipes. So before tackling pruning, ScrOG techniques, cloning, etc., make sure your plants get what they really need: temperature, light, pH, airflow and quality substrate.

SAVE ON THE GENETICS OF THE VARIETIES TO GROW

If you are willing to spend up to 900 euros to buy growing equipment, why save on seed quality?! It is always nice to have free seeds, but this should not become the goal of your cultivation project. There are higher quality genetics available on the market, so avoid saving money in this regard, especially when you want to get the best results (eventually you can always opt for cuttings)

USE POTS THAT ARE TOO SMALL

Whether growing indoors or outdoors, your plants need space to develop their root system. Once this has taken up the whole pot, the plants will no longer be able to grow and will no longer be able to express their full potential. The size of a pot is at least 10 liters, which is sufficient but not optimal. It is always best to use 15-20 liter pots, or, if you have the possibility, you can plant the seedlings directly into the soil, where they will be able to grow freely.

Defoliation can be beneficial to the plant by stimulating more vigorous vegetative growth. However, too aggressive pruning can stress or even kill a plant. In fact, pruning creates a state of shock that interrupts the vegetative growth for a few days, after which the normal development of the plant is restored, while prolonging the overall normal growth cycle. If you are a novice, know that simply removing the lower, underdeveloped branches is enough to help the plant concentrate its energy on the apical buds, the ones that receive the most light. Pruning the branches of a plant is not difficult, but if you are not familiar with the basics it is always best to avoid techniques such as "fimming", "lollipopping" or other exotic cultivation strategies. Never prune a plant in the flowering phase, as it could weaken irreversibly.

DO NOT MEASURE PH

An incorrect pH is one of the main reasons why a plant shows nutritional deficiencies during the growth phase. Always use pH measuring kits so you can monitor both the pH of the water and the pH of the substrate where the roots will develop. You should always repeat this process whenever you add fertilizers, always being careful and ready to bring the pH back to optimal levels. The goal is to keep these values between 5.8 and 6.5, as nutrients are absorbed by the plants depending on the pH in which they grow. If you use Biotaps fertilization kits you will not need to measure the pH.

EXCEED WITH IRRIGATION

Bringing excessive amounts of water to a plant is always more dangerous than leaving it "dry". Soil that is excessively saturated with water can cause the roots to rot in a few days and, therefore, kill the plant. The soil should only be slightly damp to the touch, but not soaked. Always use well-drained soil containing perlite and pots with holes in the bottom to ensure proper soil moisture.<br />

HARVEST TOO EARLY

When the buds are now covered with resin, it is quite difficult to resist the temptation to cut the plant. However, it is important to know that the Cannabis flowers develop at their best in the last two weeks of flowering. This means that an early harvest can drastically reduce the quality and quantity of the final product. To figure out the best time to cut use a 100x pocket microscope, with which you can check the development status of the trichomes (the small drops of resin on the flowers). To make sure you get the optimal THC levels, collect when most of these trichomes appear dull and some, but a few, amber in color.

The most common and most serious error is that of overfertilization. Overfertilization is the main cause of death of many plants. Adding large amounts of fertilizer is not synonymous with larger, tastier buds. It's about finding the right balance and the right amount. You will always be in time to add the fertilizer required by a plant later. Instead, facing overfertilization and its tragic consequences is almost always impossible. The recommended doses are indicated on fertilizer labels, but in most cases, the values reported are higher than the actual needs of the plants. Therefore, always try to reduce the values recommended by the manufacturers to 50% (a possible fertilizer intake can always be made later).

SPEAKING TOO MUCH

Joking aside, always try to maintain a certain confidentiality. Know that the more people will know about your plantation, the easier it will be to have problems with your neighbors or, even worse, with the cops. So, seriously consider how trustworthy are the people to share this great secret with. We are aware of how difficult it is to hide your most beautiful cannabis plants from your friends, especially when you want to share this immense joy with the whole world.