Marijuana seeds are not widely available in Florida, as growing marijuana within the state's borders is illegal. However, with no specific law banning the purchase of marijuana seeds, you can purchase marijuana seeds from online seed banks. The State of Florida considers the possession of un-germinated marijuana seed as an adult novelty.
The State of Florida does not issue a license permitting the growing of marijuana to private cultivators. Although the state issues medical marijuana cards to registered medical marijuana patients, growing marijuana at home is not allowed even for card holders. Florida issues MMTC licenses to commercial marijuana establishments, which permits them to grow marijuana which will be processed and dispensed to registered patients.
Persons looking to obtain marijuana seeds in Florida can purchase regular seeds, such as Indica and Sativa. Autoflower seeds and feminized seeds are also available through online seed banks.
Regular marijuana seeds are the most common seed types. They have not been optimized using genetic engineering to produce another seed that behaves or produces differently. Regular cannabis seeds contain an ideal 50/50 ratio of male and female seeds. To determine whether marijuana seeds are male or female, the seeds must be germinated and nurtured until they "sex" or begin to show symptoms of being females (pre-flowers) or males (flowers) (pre-pollen sacs). Male cannabis seeds may be discarded or used for breeding. Female plants grown from regular cannabis seeds are more genetically stable and will not become hermaphrodites under stress, allowing you to create robust cuttings.
Regular cannabis seeds are important for growers who like cultivating their own supply of cannabis plants. Male cannabis may be isolated from female cannabis, and their pollen can be stored for later use. At times, the pollen will only be administered to female weed plants. The female plants will begin to produce seeds once pollinated. Regular marijuana seeds are also commonly used by outdoor marijuana growers who want to see their plants develop naturally.
Marijuana plants may be male, female, or hermaphroditic. If you are growing marijuana for personal use and are not a breeder, you must ensure that all of your plants are female. Male and hermaphrodite plants will pollinate the developing female plants, causing them to produce seeds instead of growing luscious, resinous buds.
A single male plant may pollinate an entire crop of female plants, destroying your harvest. If you find a male or hermaphrodite plant in your crop, remove it immediately and separate it from the rest. Feminized seeds will produce a female cannabis plant about 90% of the time; the exceptions will be hermaphrodites. Feminized cannabis seeds are produced by crossing two female cannabis plants. Pollen and 'eggs' are both produced by genetically female plants.
Cannabis ruderalis, also called the autoflower, is one of the most common varieties of cannabis seeds grown at home. Autoflower plants do not need a distinct light cycle to flower, so you may plant them anywhere and harvest them 7-10 weeks later. Autoflower cannabis cultivars often produce yields lower than the yields from regular marijuana seeds and have lower THC concentrations. Autoflower strains, on the other hand, have a high CBD concentration, making them an excellent choice for medicinal marijuana consumers.
The capacity of autoflowering cannabis to flower independently of the light schedule distinguishes it from other cannabis seed types. In other words, it flowers according to age rather than the natural changing of seasons. This distinguishes it from photoperiod cannabis, which needs a transition to a 12/12 (hour) light cycle to begin flowering. This is helpful for growers since it allows them to maintain their autoflowers on a consistent light cycle until harvest day.
Another distinguishing feature of autoflowers is their small size. They are suitable for growing indoors in limited places since they seldom grow higher than 50–100cm. Autoflowers, in turn, develop quickly, potentially producing yields in as little as 70 days after planting.
To grow marijuana, you need to understand the conditions in which they thrive. Once you know the required conditions for marijuana to thrive, you can tune them to provide the optimal growing environment for your plants. Whether you decide to grow marijuana indoors or outdoors, the following are requirements for successful cultivation:
Growth Medium: Marijuana requires a specific combination of nutrients to survive. However, to deliver nutrients to the plants, you will need a growth medium. Your growth medium may be soil, aeroponics, or hydroponics.
All of these growth mediums are critical for nutrient delivery. You must provide your marijuana plants with nutrients such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus. When these nutrients are deficient in the substrate, you may supplement them using fertilizers in the proper ratios. Also, ensure your plants have an appropriate pH range of 5.8 to 6.5. If it is too low, use an essential fertilizer to increase it; if it is too high, add an acidic fertilizer to decrease it.
Air: Marijuana plants, like other green plants, require a supply of fresh and clean air for photosynthesis. Marijuana grown outdoors can enjoy fresh air through the natural breeze outside; however, if your plant is cultivated indoors, you must find a way to circulate fresh air to the plants. Stale air has the potential to stunt the growth of your marijuana plant. To circulate fresh air, you need a fan and an exhaust. The fan provides fresh air in your indoor grow area, while the exhaust takes care of stale air.
Temperature: Although marijuana can adapt to slight variance in temperatures, it has optimal temperature conditions for rapid growth. In extreme heat, marijuana dries up, while its growth will be stunted in extreme cold. Under the proper temperature conditions, which is between 75 - 86 degrees Fahrenheit, the THC potency levels of your plant increase significantly. When the temperature drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit or rises beyond 88 degrees Fahrenheit, they go into survival mode and enter into a dormant state. Growing marijuana indoors, you may use an air-conditioning unit to achieve the optimal temperature. For outdoor growing, you must choose the season to plant carefully, so you may harvest a healthy crop of marijuana.
Light: Light, like growth medium, air, and temperature, plays a vital role in marijuana plant development. A green plant, according to science, needs chlorophyll, water, air, and light to produce food. The light used in marijuana grow setups may be natural or artificial. When you cultivate marijuana outdoors, the sun provides the UV light your plants need to flourish. You must choose the appropriate lighting system for an indoor grow space in order to give the light intensity required by marijuana plants. If you are using artificial lighting, marijuana plants need about 16 - 24 hours of light, and 8 - 11 hours of darkness until the flowering stage. If the grow light is provided by the sun, marijuana plants need about 12 hours of light for good vegetation. While you have no control over the natural light in outdoor marijuana cultivation, you can use timers to control the lighting in indoor marijuana growing.
Water: Water is essential for the development of plants, particularly leafy plants like marijuana. On the other hand, too much water may smother your plants, while too little may impede their development. Hence, depending on other factors, you must determine how often your plants need water. For example, if your plants have constant airflow and optimal temperature and are exposed to light for the appropriate number of hours, you should water them regularly. This is because water plays a significant role in the growth process for plants.
Furthermore, the frequency and amount of water required by your plants are determined by their size and age. The amount of water required also depends on the stage of development of marijuana and the growth medium used. That is, for soil that retains less water, water more frequently. If you use a medium that retains water, ensure to change the water after a while. This is due to the possibility of harmful bacteria accumulating and negatively impacting the plant's roots and nutrients.
Humidity: While water aids plant nutrition absorption, humidity aids plant photosynthesis. Plants produce less food and develop more slowly when relative humidity falls below the ideal range of 40%-60%. In an outdoor grow, humidity conditions depend entirely on the weather as marijuana plants strive to adapt to the outdoor climate. Indoors, you may have to purchase a dehumidifier and a humidifier to balance humidity levels. If you do not grow marijuana in balanced humidity conditions, your plants risk being attacked by pests and molds.
Nutrients: At different stages of growth, a marijuana plant needs varied quantities of nutrients. The plant absorbs these nutrients via the roots. The nutrients are dissolved by the water and absorbed by the plant.
Once exhausted, you must replenish these nutrients in your growth medium. The nutrients may be available via chemical, powdered, organic, or liquid fertilizers. These fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in specific ratios. You may also improve the quality of your plant by providing nutrients such as sulfur, calcium, and magnesium.
To enhance the growth medium, you may need to introduce healthy bacteria in certain circumstances. Also, you may get customized nutrient solutions for your marijuana plants if you opt for a hydroponics setup.
When you grow marijuana, the development phases will cycle through:
Germination Phase: In this phase, the seed coat cracks and gives way to the emergence of embryonic roots. The root grows downwards and anchors the plant in the soil.
Seedling Phase: This phase begins when the seed leaves emerge, searching for light. Here, the plant requires optimal conditions for making its food. CFL lights may be used for indoor growing as they provide much intensity without the heat. The seedling phase may last 1 - 4 weeks.
Vegetative Phase: The plant uses many nutrients throughout this phase and requires optimal light hours. In an indoor growing environment, the vegetative stage may take 1 - 2 months, while this phase may last two months or more in an outdoor setting. The sex of the plant is also evident at this stage, and the use of fertilizers with high nitrogen content is recommended here.
Flowering Phase: The plant's growth is rapid at this stage, with the possibility of doubling or tripling in size. Several branches with nodes are formed just prior to flowering, and the flowering stage may last up to 2 weeks even after switching light cycles to reduced amounts of 12 hours of light a day. At this stage, light inhibits the hormones responsible for flowering in marijuana plants. To commence the flowering stage, marijuana plants require a minimum of 8 hours of darkness every day. Note that Sativa strains take longer (6 - 22 weeks) than Indica to flower. For marijuana grown outdoors, you may use a black material, such as plastic, to block light for 12 hours a day. Once the buds become more prominent and heavier, the flowering period is over, and the crop is ready for harvest.
Whether you grow marijuana inside or outside, you need specific tools and supplies to get the job done. However, growing indoors is typically more expensive because you need several pieces of equipment to create the conditions readily available outdoors. When you grow marijuana outdoors, light, growth medium, grow area, ventilation, and watering are taken care of by nature. While outdoor cultivation limits you to one growing season, indoor growing benefits the grower with its offering of multiple harvest cycles and a cultivation restart if a mistake occurs in the growing process.
If you intend to grow marijuana indoors, the following are required:
Since nature will provide many of the supplies required for the outdoor growing of marijuana, it is recommended that you research the climate and soil conditions of the area where you intend to grow your plants before starting out. In addition to obtaining the perfect seeds for your climate, you should purchase gardening containers, sprinklers, and weather-resistance gear to suppress overbearing weather conditions.