Micro Growing: Art of Growing Small Weed Plants

I’m pretty sure that a lot of you growers out there always dream of producing a vast garden of amazing cannabis crops. Though you start out with small plants, the ultimate goal is to eventually start expanding! However, practicality would show that this isn’t always possible. It isn’t really a surprise to know that marijuana there is still negativity surrounding cannabis today. In fact, the majority of the world still clings on to the criminalization of weed! Despite the many studies that prove its health benefits and other countries that utilize it extensively, it seems that worldwide legalization is still a long way off.

Now, where does this lead us? Of course, many of the growers out there will still find discreet ways to cultivate their cannabis gardens. One very simple and effective way of doing so is micro growing. While it probably won’t bring the same yields and volume of weed buds, micro growing still brings a ton of benefits. Not familiar with this growing method? Read on! 

What is Cannabis Micro Growing?

Micro growing basically refers to a small, miniature version of a cannabis garden! As the name suggests, this growing method makes use of small plants to grow as well as small spaces. This, in turn, will clearly lead to smaller pots, lesser nutrients, a different watering amount, and even tweaking growing techniques! While micro growing will apply the same basic concepts as normal cannabis growing, there are gonna be some adjustments to it. 

Smaller can be better!

We always bring up the notion that bigger plants and cannabis gardens are always better! However, that isn’t always the case. If you are trying to plant a secret garden, then small plants are certainly better. Moreover, if cannabis is actually illegal in your area, then small plants are certainly more beneficial! 

It is very useful to know how to fit your small plants into tight spaces. As you might already know from growing, cannabis plants tend to demand open and spacious areas! So growing it in what is typically a less-than-ideal environment will take some skill and patience!

Advantages of Small Plants and Small Spaces

Whether it is up for debate or not, the case for using small plants is effective. Naturally, you shouldn’t expect the same output that you get from bigger and more robust cannabis gardens. However, with all the limitations set for micro growing, it might surprise you to see just how well small plants can grow. 

Here are some of the best features and advantages that come with growing small plants in tight spaces! You might find that using micro growing isn’t so bad, after all!

• Simpler and Easy to Maintain – Since you will be dealing with a significantly lesser number of plants, it will be much easier to keep your eyes on them. Additionally, small plants are also a lot easier to trim, top, and prune! Micro growing allows you to easily inspect each and every plant in the garden. You will also be able to freely walk around them with no problems! 

• Lesser Risk of Infestations – The congestion and large volume of clutter in a cannabis space is what usually attracts the attention of different pests and bugs. With a tiny growing space that you can easily look after, there is going to be much less of a risk for pest infestations in your gardens.

• Smaller Buds? No Problem! – Yes, smaller buds can make a big difference! For one, they are a lot easier to harvest. Since you will be able to reach out to the different parts of your plants (especially the top colas), chopping off your buds should be a breeze! Also, small weed buds are much easier to dry out and cure for consumption. Sure, you won’t have much to smoke but you can always grow more for future uses! You can also make sure that each and every bud properly dries out and cures under the right conditions. 

• Privacy is Key! – Perhaps one of the most attractive features that you can get from micro growing small plants is the fact that they are well hidden! You can easily keep all your plants out of sight. Fitting them into tiny spaces and small areas will easily make sure that you grow in secrecy. Is cannabis illegal in your area? No problem! Having them indoors inside the most hidden spot in your rooms is sure to keep you away from any trouble! Oh, and the small plants’ structures also guarantee that no passers-by or nosy neighbors take a peek at your cannabis crop. 

• Beginner-Friendly – Many beginner growers actually start off with micro growing methods without them knowing. Starting out small is always the best option for those who are new to cannabis. In addition to being simple and easy, this gives them the right feel of growing weed. Furthermore, beginner growers can also practice different training techniques using small plants. It helps them build on experience and get them up to speed with how marijuana plants behave.

• Better Quality Buds – It might be hard to believe since you’re gonna be growing it in congested places. But it’s actually a very simple concept: Smaller equals more control! Therefore, you are bound to get better quality buds! Sure, a lot of growers would choose quantity over quality. But as things stand, top notch buds may come from small plants. In fact, in many cases, marijuana strains that people submit for award shows actually come from micro grown gardens! 

Proper Growing For Small Plants: Micro Growing 

Like we said, you are gonna have to make a few adjustments in your gardens for a micro growing setup to work. Nothing out of the ordinary, though. You’re still gonna be using pots, soils, nutrients, topping, pruning, and all that good stuff! The only difference is that you’re gonna have to set them at a level that is small enough for your tight growing areas.

Now, to start things off, here are some important reminders for you when you decide to use small plants in your garden:

What You Need to Know: Factors That Affect Growth

Cannabis plants are naturally accustomed to the wild and outdoor environments. However, the success of their growth will depend more on the growing conditions rather than the space they are placed in. 

• Make sure that the small plants have just enough ceiling room – Just because they are small plants doesn’t mean they won’t grow! Of course,  you will want them to grow just high enough and still be discrete. Proper training techniques will help you adjust the height of your plants as needed.

• Ideal growing temperature – Regardless of how you choose to cultivate cannabis, you will always need to keep a close eye on the temperatures of your gardens. Keeping a well-designed heating system/air conditioners as well as a thermostat nearby will help you keep the temperatures under control. You’re gonna be growing indoors so this should be a lot easier.  

• Clean and green! – This is gonna be a much easier factor to keep in check especially since you will be using a small space. But do not get too overconfident! Regularly check your plants of any dead leaves or stray debris in the area. Keep the grow area dry, neat, and tidy! This keeps your plants healthy and significantly reduces the risks of bacteria building up. The last thing that you will want for your small plants is diseases and illnesses that will eventually leave you with nothing.
• Air circulation – Fans and vents should be enough to provide the proper air ventilation in your gardens. The presence of CO2 and air for your small plants will help them stay fresh and viable. 

Pots and Plants: The Perfect Pair

Remember, the main goal of micro growing is keeping the height of your plants at a bare minimum! You will want small plants. For that,  you should make sure that they are kept in spaces that will limit their growth. The first step to achieving that is by choosing the right growing pot.  

The roots of a cannabis plant tend to grow and expand based on the space that you give it. If you opt for a smaller pot, the roots will subsequently stop spreading. This eventually results in the stop in growth of your cannabis plant. Get the idea?

Now, the height of your plant will primarily depend on how you nurture it. However, the size of your pots will, more or less, help control the height that they reach! Here are the different pot sizes (based on litres) and the respective heights that plants will usually grow up to.

• 500ml to 700ml pots usually sprout 0.5 foot plants

• 2 litre to 3 litre pots, on the other hand, will allow plants to grow around ¾ to 1 foot

• 5 litre pots are a more common choice for your typical garden. Plants that grow in these can reach around 2 to 3 feet in height

• 12 litre pots can give plants room to grow 5 to 6 feet

Watering Small Plants

Watering small plants will pose the risk of overwatering them. This is especially true if you usually operate a larger setup. The trick with watering small plants is taking into consideration the space in between the plants and the soil! Since your plants grow a fairly small height, you might splash some water onto them. This is not good for them. The buds will tend to build up moisture and the success water content can lead to mold and bacteria development.

Place your potted plants in an area where you can easily reach out and manually lift them up for watering. In addition to controlling the water levels they get, you will also avoid making a mess. Remember, water invites bacteria and molds! 

Also, an automatic watering system is not a good investment for small plants. It is very costly and impractical, considering that manually watering a tiny space proves to be of little difficulty. 

Air and Ventilation

There is nothing worse than a moist and stagnant flow of air in the growing area. Not only does this weaken your plants, it will slowly kill them and cause unwarranted diseases as well. And since the tiny and tight spaces for your plants are already limiting, it will make it all the harder for them to breathe. 

But this shouldn’t be a problem since all you will need is a steady fan. If you are feeling fancy, go ahead and install a ventilation system as well! One fan should do the trick since your plants will probably be in just one corner. Make sure that your plants get the amounts of carbon dioxide that they need for energy production. 

Lighting Systems! Choose the right one

Your plants are small and you intend to keep them that way. For this, the best choice that you will have is an LED lighting system. These are very cost efficient and effective in maintaining the right growth of your plants. Fluorescent and HID bulbs, on the other hand, may be too bright. This can cause unwanted heat stress and even burning of your plants which drains them of nutrients.

A 130mm x 110mm panel of LED lights with only 15 Watts is the perfect choice for micro growing! It produces no heat waves whatsoever and is basically designed for small plants in limited spaces.  

Growing and Training Techniques for Small Plants

You’re gonna be coming up with small plants that will likely produce a fairly cute yield. However, that does not mean that we can’t help it any further! Yes, you can still use training techniques for your small plants in order to maximize the yields that they can come up with!

First off, you will need to learn how to defoliate  your cannabis plants. Since the tight spaces limit their growth, it is better to get rid of any tangled bunches of leaves! This gives them a cleaner and much more pristine vertical growing look. 

There is also the Screen of Green or ScrOG method. This allows your tiny gardens to absorb as much light as possible for more yields. However, when using this method, you should allocate a wider space. The horizontal canopy of a ScrOG should be spread evenly.

Lastly, we have stress-training techniques that can increase your yields! Low-stress techniques and high-stress techniques (like fimmin, topping, and pruning) are basically ways to expose your plants to minimal stress levels! With them, the growing patterns of the plants change, allowing them to absorb more light. This subsequently leads to higher yields, even for small plants in micro growing.

Small plants in tight spaces are a very practical and safe way of still coming up with top-quality weed buds! If you are a small-time grower that can make due with what you have, then this guide is definitely for you! 

Don’t worry about getting into trouble. These small plants are really easy to keep hidden! The ease and convenience of small plants will surely attract more growers all around the world to plant their own weed seeds!