Raising Cannabis: Part 1 of Harvest 2020
Some photos from the grow season this year
This was my first year growing, and it was sure of an experience. Being where we’re at now (near the end of season), I could already say that I am more than happy with even just the current yield of a single plant — seen below.
While growing the plant themselves took its own amount of commitment, I was able to thoroughly enjoy everyday the satisfaction of seeing new leaves, new growth, and changing colors of each of the plants.
On the other hand, some the challenges that I was less prepared for, and somewhat overlooked, was harvesting — and all the “other” work there after.
These are some notes for things I’d like to set up for for next year:
- Go full organic. This year, I was already prepared with soil that came from castings and compost that I had previously cooked up in winter. It was wasn’t until midway through flowering that general research guided me to believe that in organic soil, nutrients are harder to come by… In so, I took a short period to water my first plant with concentrated nutrients in which then led to possibly early yellowing and overfeeding. While there weren’t any very serious or very major defects, I think that year, I would have an easier time by just choosing a single watering method and sticking to it.
- Pest control. In the initial grow, pests were minor problem as everyday, you could see the girls quickly adapting and meeting to match its environment. In the later stages as the flowers matured, it became clear that being in the open led the plants to become targets the natural environment. Fortunately though, the most severe pest problem I had this time around were late season caterpillars, and their abilities to rot buds from the inside out. Surely disheartening at first to have to throw away buds that were once perfectly normal, I got used it with time — vowing only the next chance would be better.
- Following through on post-harvest — drying and curing. I can shamelessly say that I really started to grow just to see the plants grow from nothing into something. That the bi-products were a second thought to being able to say that I grew those iconic trefoils, and have the photos to show for it. Now though, I can say from experience that “the grow” isn’t over when the plants are cut for harvest, and that from here, there are still major factors in play. In post-harvest for next year, some of the things I’d like to do better include having harvest materials (cutting trays, cleaning soaps, jars, and scissors) ready before actually needing them and building a safer and more established drying space. Again, post-harvest wasn’t terrible this time, but for sure, could been much better.
With other things, the harvest is still going — seeing that 1/4 plants is being dried, and 2/4 plants are still sitting in pots! … So more to come!
This plant yield (1 plant in 15 gallon pot): 127g+ (or 1/4 lbs).
