If you look into cultivating marijuana indoors, most of the information that you will find is on how to do so with artificial lights. This is not the only way to grow weed inside. All you need is mother nature’s help to provide the cannabis plants with enough light from the sun instead of spending on expensive lighting. With the high availability of marijuana seeds for sale out there, it is very easy for those who wish to start breeding to get started. All you need to know is the right way to do so.
The importance of light exposure for cannabis plants
The need for proper light exposure for cannabis plants is something that is very critical for them to grow. Like all plants, they need to be able to gain enough energy from the lights to be able to engage in photosynthesis. This is the process in which plants convert the energy they receive from the lights into chlorophyll that gives them the energy to grow. Simply put, no light – no life for the plant.
The lighting that some people buy are pretty expensive and are basically there to simulate natural light. Yes, they are more consistent than the sun and they can produce high-quality products. However, you don’t really need them. Solar energy is free and powerful, and it is as good and as effective as HIDs or LEDs. Here are some tips to cultivate your cannabis with natural light:
Location
If you are planning on stealthy growing your marijuana plants, it is important that you figure out a good spot for them to crop. There are ways to be more discreet such as placing a plastic film or using crystal paint on your windows. These can be found in pet fish stores and are easily bought.
Location is key, you can choose to grow them in a greenhouse or a spare bedroom just as long as you make sure that the plants are able to get as much sunlight as they can since this is their main source of light.
Marijuana seeds for sale
There are many varieties of marijuana seeds for sale available for breeders nowadays, and choosing the right one will set the tone on how difficult or easy your cultivation will be. If you are planning on using the sun as your primary light source, it is highly recommended for you to get autoflowering cannabis seeds over the other varieties.
Why? Because unlike regular or feminized cannabis seeds, autoflowers are plants that don’t rely on their photoperiod or light exposure to flower. They bloom depending on their maturity and require just a minimal amount of sunlight to be able to thrive. Another great thing about these seeds is that autos are really low maintenance.
However, if you do choose to go the more conventional route with regular or feminized cannabis seeds, expect that you’ll have more work to do in caring for them as they grow.
Places you can grow your weed indoors with sunlight
There are a lot of options indoors where you can successfully cultivate cannabis plants with sunlight. All you need is to find the right one for you. Here are a few places you can choose from:
Greenhouses – This is one of the best options available for indoor growing without the need for artificial lights. Not only do they get maximum sun exposure, but you can also easily control the environment your plants are in like with humidity. You basically get the best of outdoor and indoor growing if you use these structures.
Patios – These areas of the house are great as long as the patios have translucent roofing to be able to provide enough sunlight for your marijuana plants. They usually have easy to clean floors and are generally a more practical part of the house to grow weed in. The downside is that they provide only a minimal amount of protection to outdoor elements like rainstorms and strong winds.
Sunrooms or Solariums – These two, although both part of the main structure of a home, are also very different in some ways. Solariums are mainly an area of the house that has glass roofs and sides making it better for sun exposure. Sunrooms are areas that are enclosed but provide tons of natural light with all the windows around it. What they both have in common are that they are perfectly controllable environments that provide enough sun to grow your cannabis plants successfully.
Courtyards – if you are lucky enough to have access to a courtyard to be able to cultivate your cannabis, then you should go for it. This is pretty much like a greenhouse with no roof. Your plants will be protected on all four sides but they will still be open to environmental factors like wind and rain since courtyards don’t have roofs.
Lighting supplements
Now, when it comes to growing marijuana indoors with natural lighting, there will be times that you may need some form of artificial lighting to supplement your grow area when needed. This all depends on the amount of sun exposure the cannabis plants have. This is especially true when you are growing them during the winter months.
For a more cost-effective way of getting some lights to supplement your plants, there are many options to choose from. You can choose to buy used lamps and just change the bulbs, but this can still be somewhat expensive. You can also just use some fluorescent lights that are around 10 watts, these are more than enough since you aren’t using them as your main light source.
If you wish to save more on your energy, you can choose to go with some LED lights. Not a lot, just enough to make sure that all your cannabis plants have enough light. LEDs are more energy-efficient and last longer than most light bulbs out there.
Heat and Circulation
Cannabis plants require a certain humidity and temperature to be able to flourish at their best potential. The proper air circulation is essential for them to be healthy. Plants need carbon dioxide (CO2) to help create the sugars they need for their energy. Having a stale room can’t be good for them.
There will be times that the room that your plants are in may be too cold or too hot for your plants. Being too cold will stunt their growth while getting too much heat will kill them. Keeping your plants in the right temperature is one of the main factors that indoor growers should look out for.
You can easily help with the air circulation for your plants by simply opening up a window or installing an intake and exhaust fan in the room they are growing in. This can also help with the temperature control of the room. However, if you are growing cannabis during the winter or in colder climates, there may be a need for you to get a heating lamp to keep your plants warm and snug.
Reflectors
Having the right amount of reflective surfaces to help spread the sunlight to all your plants can really help. If you do this right, you may not even need to get some supplement lighting for your cannabis plants at all. With that being said, it is also known that the likelihood of increased yields go up 30% if you use the right reflective material. Here are a few that you can choose from:
Mylar – Rolls of Mylar are available in most grow shops. These are highly effective with at least 90% of light getting reflected throughout your grow room.
Foil – This is the cheapest way to get reflective surfaces for your plants. It is done by placing the dull side of Aluminium Foil around the areas you want to be reflective. They can reflect at least 50% amount of light and are quite fragile to use so you should be careful of your placement.
White Plastic Sheets – Using these are cheap and quite effective reflecting 80-90% of light. It can make the room hotter so you should remember to keep an eye on the room’s temperature.
Orca Grow Film – This is the latest and most expensive of reflective materials you can use for your cannabis cultivation. It is highly effective with over 90% reflection rate but should be lain properly and carefully so there won’t be any bumps.
White Paint – This method is the easiest and most cost-efficient way to create reflective surfaces. It also works great with about an 80-90% reflection rate.
