Colorado is known for its beautiful landscapes, outdoor activities, and progressive cannabis laws. However, one of the truly legendary elements of the Rocky Mountain State is its rich and diverse cannabis culture! Cannabis was legalized in Colorado in 2014, allowing each Colorado resident to grow up to six plants in their home for personal use.
Cannabis enthusiasts and growers all across Colorado have dived into this exploration of growing weed at home. However, there are important considerations and regulations to keep in mind. Kind Love’s experts are here to guide you through the process with tips and helpful tricks to ensure you cultivate a bountiful home grow!
Growing Cannabis at Home in Colorado
Growing your own cannabis can be a rewarding experience, providing you with high-quality, personalized flower. As a conscious cannabis consumer and cultivator, it’s important to know the rules for growing cannabis at home in Colorado.
First things first, safety is crucial! Make sure your growing area is secure and out of reach of children and pets. Use lockable spaces if necessary, and consider installing security measures like cameras and alarms if you’re concerned about theft.
Choosing the right location for your cannabis plants is important. Cannabis plants need plenty of sunlight, ideally 12-16 hours a day during the vegetative stage. If your grow is indoors, ensure your space is well-ventilated and has proper lighting for growing plants.
Colorado Growing Regulations
Colorado allows adults 21 and older to grow up to six cannabis plants, with no more than three in the flowering stage at any time. These limits are per person, with a maximum of 12 plants per household, regardless of the number of occupants. Plants must be grown in a private spot on your property, not in plain sight for all of your neighbors to see!
Tips for Home Cultivation in Colorado
Growing cannabis at home can be incredibly rewarding in so many ways! When you’re ready to start growing cannabis, consider these tips from our experts at Kind Love:
Seeds vs. Clones
When starting your home cultivation journey, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is whether to grow cannabis from seeds or cannabis clones. Each option has its own set of advantages and considerations.
- Seeds offer genetic diversity, which can result in unique and potentially more resilient plants. However, growing from seeds requires more time and patience, as you need to germinate and nurture seedlings.
- Clones are cuttings from a mature female plant and offer the benefit of predictability, as they will grow into exact replicas of the mother plant. Clones also have a head start in growth compared to seeds, allowing for a quicker harvest. This also enables growers to expect consistent quality and characteristics.
Identifying the Best Cannabis Strain to Grow
Selecting the right strain is the first step for a successful harvest. Your experience level, growing conditions, and desired effects are all huge determining factors that can help you decide which cultivar you’d like to grow. There are numerous seed banks and genetic breeders who sell top-quality cannabis seeds for home-grown cultivations.
Choosing the Right-Growing Medium
The growing medium you choose for cultivating cannabis is ultimately one of the most important elements of your plant’s growth cycle. Growing mediums will influence your plant’s root growth, yield, and overall plant health. Here are some options for cannabis-growing mediums:
- Soil: This is the traditional growing medium and is great for beginners. It’s easy to use and forgiving, offering a natural buffer for nutrients. Living soil is a popular choice for cultivators growing outdoors, promoting the essence of the Earth, microorganisms, and nutrients to nourish plant growth.
- Coco coir: This growing medium is a popular choice for its water retention and aeration properties. It’s a more environmentally friendly growing medium option, supporting better root growth and plant health.
- Hydroponics: This method involves growing plants in a nutrient-rich water solution. Hydroponic techniques enable precise control over nutrients, which can lead to faster growth and higher yields. However, they do require more technical knowledge for measuring pH and nutrient levels in the water.
Cannabis Nutrients & Watering Cycles
Just like humans need a balanced diet of nutrients and vitamins, cannabis plants require the same!
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (referred to as ‘NPK’) are the three key nutrients all cannabis plants need to grow and thrive. Our experts recommend using high-quality, cannabis-specific fertilizers and following the specific manufacturer’s instructions for dosage and frequency.
In addition to the proper nutrients for cannabis plants, watering is also important. Daily watering of your cannabis plants, especially in their early vegetative stages, will keep your cannabis hydrated and happy. Watering you cannabis plants is a delicate process. You should generally water your cannabis plants when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch. It’s important to make sure that your pots have proper drainage to avoid waterlogging.
Be wary of overwatering, which can lead to root rot – and underwatering, which causes stress on your plants.
When Should You Harvest Cannabis Plants?
Once you’ve made it through your cannabis cultivation cycle, one of the last stages of the process is harvesting. This can be a tricky step for many cultivators, especially because it can be challenging to determine the perfect time to harvest your cannabis.
Harvesting your plants at the right time allows you to maximize cannabinoid potency, flavor profile, and yield. Look for these signs to determine when your plants are ready:
- Trichomes: These are tiny, crystal-like structures on the buds. Using a magnifying glass, observe the color of your plant’s trichomes. You should harvest your plants when most trichomes are milky white, with some even turning amber.
- Pistils: These are the hair-like structures on the buds. Pistils start off white and gradually turn brown or red. When about 70-80% of the pistils on your cannabis flower have changed color, it’s typically a good time to harvest.
- Overall Plant Health: A healthy plant will have vibrant green leaves and firm, dense buds. A plant will show signs of stress or disease first within the leaves – whether they’re drooping, curled, burnt around the edges, or showing unnatural symptoms. Be sure to catch and address any issues as soon as possible.
Growing Cannabis at Home with Kind Love Cannabis Dispensaries in Denver
With the right knowledge and preparation, home cultivation in Colorado can be a fulfilling and enjoyable experience. By following these tips from Kind Love’s experts, you’ll be well on your way to growing high-quality cannabis flower in the comfort of your own home.
Please note that the information provided above is intended as general advice and should not be taken as guarantees of specific results. The nature of growing cannabis is experimental and subject to numerous variables. Individual outcomes may vary due to factors such as environmental conditions, cultivation methods, and genetic differences. We encourage you to approach cultivation with curiosity and a willingness to adapt as you gain experience.
Shop our full Colorado dispensary menu to find strains to get you inspired for growing! Read more tips on cannabis cultivation & education on our Blog page!
*The contents of this blog are intended for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.*
