Growing cannabis on a windowsill

Ways to keep your cannabis plants afloat if you are growing them on a windowsill

It happens that photos of unfortunate cannabis plants that stand in liter pots and on a narrow windowsill pop up on the Internet on forums and grower chats. The owners of these plants sincerely do not understand what is wrong and why their brainchild suddenly dies. Basically, this is posted by everyone's favorite and respected newcomers , who almost consider it a tradition. Of course, a flurry of emotions and indignation from more experienced gardeners will very soon fall on these photos. There are many such articles on the Internet, but there are also many users who continue to cultivate their cannabis on the windowsill and then destroy what they have purchased.

The first part of the article urges all growers, especially beginners, not to scoff at their offspring and in no case grow on the windowsill.

AND WHY cannabis plants afloat ?

Indeed, such a specific culture cannot simply be considered a houseplant. This is not a ficus or chlorophytum, which you just water and that's it. Remember: with cannabis everything is always much more complicated! And therefore, you need to think about a grow box in advance if you decide to buy hemp seeds.

Let's start with the fact that any cannabis, even the most unpretentious one, is, first of all, a light-loving plant, for which it is vital to receive enough lumens of light for normal development.

A cannabis bush requires a minimum of 7000-7500 lumens per 30x30 cm area.

LIGHT-ABOVE EVERYTHING

Of course, many growers who do this may claim that they have a very sunny window, a warm side, a high floor and all that, but this will not help. Like it or not, the sun that hits the window will be too little for the cultivation of cannabis.

Or there are such exceptions to the rule that people live in very warm southern regions, with huge windows, well, or grow on loggias, balconies.

After all, there are unique ones who use sublight for their plants on the windowsill. But if you already bother like that, wouldn’t it be easier to make a grow box with your own hands and buy a normal lamp?

The window and window sill are a spectacular place for passers-by.

Growing cannabis indoors is quite a difficult thing, not everyone will be able to give a suitable place for their green friend. Especially when the grower is trying in every possible way to hide his hobby. Then growing on the windowsill looks like a very dangerous undertaking if you do not want to be noticed.

People from neighboring houses can see it, or an ordinary passer-by from the street will notice it. Even a high floor and the absence of a house opposite is not a 100% guarantee that someone's neighbor's drone will not somehow fly past your window.

In general, no matter which side you look at, a window sill is a really bad idea.

Maybe even if no one finds a green inhabitant of the apartment, then the plant itself will suffer greatly with such growth.

WINDOWSILL

The window sill is not the ideal place for cultivation, but with the right approach, it is quite suitable for indoor growing. Many beginner growers got their first crop this way.

First of all, growing cannabis on a window sill is less troublesome and costly than growing in a grow box or grow room. The most difficult task for a grower is to recreate in artificial conditions the light with the most efficient spectrum for photosynthesis. But if the window is on the sunny side, then the plants can get enough light at minimal cost. Yu

In this part of the article, you will learn how to grow cannabis on a windowsill without risk to yourself and still get at least some harvest during the harvest.

WHAT TO PREPARE FOR

By nature, cannabis is a hardy plant that has been able to adapt to a wide variety of climatic conditions. It can be found both in harsh mountainous areas and in tropical forests near the equator. Autoflowering varieties ripen in cool Finland, Canada and even Alaska. Of course, in order for the harvest to be plentiful and of high quality, the plants must be in a stable environment, the parameters of which are close to ideal.

But not every grower has living conditions that allow even a small grow box to be placed in their apartment. And here the window sill comes to the rescue, which is certainly in any apartment.

Cannabis on a windowsill can get enough light and thrive as long as the windows face south and there are no trees or other houses in front of them blocking the light.

Also, not all varieties of cannabis are suitable for growing on a windowsill. If the seeds came from a friend or were found in a cone of an unknown variety, then this casts doubt on the possibility that it will be possible to harvest at least some kind of crop from the bushes.

4 TIPS FOR GROWING ON THE WINDOWSILL

1. SELECTING THE OPTIMUM LOCATION

Choosing the right place to grow marijuana on your windowsill is very important. The success of the event and the quality of the resulting product will depend on the quantity and quality of light.

If you live in a tiny apartment where there is only one window, then you have no choice. But often the windows of one apartment can face different sides of the building. Somewhere there will be very little light, somewhere more, and somewhere at all in the midday heat the bushes can burn out.

Priority in choosing is best given to windows facing east and south.

The sunlight there is soft and diffused. But it is better to avoid western windows: closer to dinner, the light becomes harder, and you can easily overheat the plants.

To understand which window suits you, you can simply use the compass or a similar application on your smartphone. However, this rule only applies when there are no skyscrapers, large trees or other objects that give a strong shadow outside the window.

If direct light falls on the bush for less than 8-10 hours a day, then additional lighting can be installed. It can be ESL, LED or phytolamps. They will add some light, but may attract the attention of passers-by. The expediency of supplementary lighting is determined by the place.

2. SUITABLE POT

Wick irrigation system

Window sills are usually quite narrow and long. In this case, when using round pots, the space will be used irrationally. Square and rectangular pots will give a lot more room for root development, and they won't fall off the windowsill.

If the height of the windows allows, then you can take a fairly high pot. This will allow the roots to actively grow and enrich the plant with nutrients.

The minimum volume of a pot for small and medium-sized cannabis is 2-3 liters.

You can take large containers, but keep in mind that an increase in the size of the pot entails an increase in the size of the bush itself.

One of the features of growing hemp on the windowsill in winter is the high air temperature. Batteries are located under almost every window, and heaters dry out the air. This can cause rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, which will stress the plants. If you are growing cannabis during the heating period, it is better to buy pots with a wick watering system. In them, water is poured into the pan, and as the soil dries, it comes from an additional reservoir.

Even if for some reason you leave the plant unattended for several days, such a pot guarantees it access to saving moisture.

3. SOIL

From a grower's point of view, soils and soils are drastically different. There are inert substrates that are only suitable for hydroponics, and there are also the most comfortable soil mixtures that have optimal acidity for cannabis and are saturated with a huge amount of nutrients for plant growth and development.

It is important to note that the land from the nearest flower bed or forest is absolutely not suitable for growing hemp on the windowsill.

Together with the soil, you will bring many insects and microorganisms into the house. Some of them are able to destroy the plantation before the grower waits for the harvest, others (midges, beetles and ants) will bring a lot of inconvenience to the apartment. It is better to use ready-made soil from gardening stores or prepare the mixture yourself.

Good soil must meet the following requirements:

• Have an optimal pH (5.5-7.0). With significant deviations from the norm, the absorption of nutrients is difficult, which will affect the health and yield of marijuana.
• A good soil has a rich composition of macro- and microelements that cannabis needs during the growth process. The most important role is played by nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
• The soil should be intensively aerated. Through the pores in the soil, oxygen enters the cannabis root system and maintains its functioning. If, after watering, a dense crust has formed on the surface of the earth, it should be loosened.
• The soil should not contain pathogenic flora, toxic substances, debris or dirt.

4. GRADE

Choosing the right cannabis variety for window growing is half the battle. In such modest conditions, not all representatives of cannabis will feel comfortable. This will affect both plant health and yield. Hemp for the windowsill should be:

• Low. The size of the window is very limited, and at some point a huge bush will simply outgrow it, which means that the inflorescences will not receive normal lighting. In addition, masking hemp on the windowsill with such dimensions is almost impossible. The smaller and neater the bush, the less likely it is to be noticed.
• Stress resistant and resilient. Like it or not, but the light on the window is usually not enough. In addition, the side that faces the window is illuminated normally, and the inner side is in partial shade. And if we add here the problems with maintaining optimal humidity and temperature in the room, then the burden on the "shoulders" of cannabis falls a lot. Only the most viable varieties of hemp are able to grow and bear fruit in such conditions.
• Slightly smelling . Lack of ventilation system on the windowsill can make life in the apartment unbearable if the cannabis smells strongly during flowering. It is better to choose low-smelling varieties or those that have an uncharacteristic aroma for cannabis (floral, citrus, etc.). So it will be easier for the tenants of the apartment to breathe, and the neighbors will not sound the alarm because of a suspicious smell.

The perfect combination of all these qualities is found in autoflowering cannabis strains. They are hardy by nature, do not need to be adjusted in the light regime for flowering, have a compact size and a short flowering period. Autoflowers are deservedly considered the best option for growing on a windowsill or on a balcony.

*All information provided is for informational purposes only and is not a guide or call to action. All materials are taken from the Internet.