Get bigger and resinous buds naturally

Alan Martínez Benito

CEO of Pev Grow, expert grower with more than 20 years of experience.
In constant struggle for the regulation of cannabis, mainly in the medicinal field.
11-08-2017 12:25:30 - Updated: 11 August, 2017

Today in our Blog, we are going to give you the necessary notions to reach the “zenith” of your marijuana crop, with excellent results for your buds, both in size and resin quality, explaining the most important aspects to take into account, from the seeds selection that correspond to high production strains to their fertilization in flowering phase, although we will emphasize the perfect environmental conditions that you must apply so that in your harvest you get plants with the highest cannabinoid potency, and with the best aromas and flavors thanks to the best terpenes preservation.

Introduction

 

Many times we want to start a marijuana crop and we do not really know how to start; What cannabis seeds must we choose? Do we purchase a “buzzy” Sativa strain or a “stonishing” Indica? should we grow indoor or outdoor?; In soil or in hydroponics ?; Fertilization purely bio or maybe can we complicate life using some “additive” to increase yield?, so it’s normal that we always think of the result, ultimately, in obtaining the largest and resinous buds in the shortest period of time and just using the least amount of resources possible (time and money).

For this, first of all, we must be very clear what we want, in the sense of the choice of seeds, since regardless of what we want the larger buds we also have to take into account other parameters such as flowering time, THC levels, the concret effect we want to obtain, whether we need a special genetic for a particular medicinal use, the sort of lighting, and the space availability where we will put our plants if we have finally chosen to grow indoor.

We must know that the results of your harvest depend on one hand on the genetic you choose and on the other hand on the crop conditions (50% genetic/50% environment), since these, will define the details that the strain you are growing may show.

By changing the crop conditions, you can increase your buds size, and also the resin’s potency, the amount of resin and the variability of cannabinoids ratio and terpenes composition.

For all this, we’ll give you some basic notions about the most influential factors of the crop environment, in a more direct way, so that you choose the fertilization form you prefer, we will also recommend some genetics that we know are overproductive as well as good level in the rest of quality parameters which a cannabis strain must have … how to get bigger buds? … let’s start!!?

High yield marijuana seeds: Getting bigger buds

We have a lot to tell you about selecting your favorite marijuana seeds, but since it is really a matter of taste, and we want you to start your crop with the best guarantee of quality and bud size, we will advise you some exceptional genetics that make a difference :

Firstly, if you are looking for a strong psychoactive potency, we recommend Kush-like type as can be OG Kush, or maybe some hybrid indica/sativa balanced as White Widow Strain genotype, and also a high yield sativa-like as Sour Diesel, all these are seeds you can find in PEV Bank in bulk format.

We’ll describe them to you!

-PEV Bank OG Kush: This is one of the most famous cultivars at the United States dispensaries, thanks to a large number of previous strains with Indica phenotype, which have been succesfully transmitting their best features to this great strain.

It’s a hybrid with a very high potency, with THC levels very little influenced by the environment, which will give you homogeneous results with unparalleled levels of production. Its effect is potent (23% in THC as a mean value) but cerebral and energetic, followed by a deep relaxation, as a result of all its amazing blend of terpenes, with a unique cannabinoid ratio, very simple to identify.

-PEV Bank White Widow: An exotic hybrid (white strain) from Indian and southern Brazilian descent, it is very famous in the European cannabis world

It was released in its most stable form more than two decades ago, with great success and very appropriately awarded due to its great potency (19% in THC as average value) and its distinguishable 60/40 indica/sativa phenotype. It’s a cultivar known for its wide and dense buds, totally impregnated with resin crystals.

-PEV Bank Sour Diesel: It is one of the most productive sativa. Its diesel-flavored aroma lives up to its name, besides of its genetics says it all, being a triple crossbreed of Chemdawg, Northern Lights and Skunk 1. Their THC levels are chilling because this plant can easily reach up to 25% in its huge and perfectly fertilized buds.

Together with Kush strains, it’s an excellent genetic for making extractions, since its fluffy buds contain a large amount of stalked type trichomes per square centimeter. Its effects give a sativa experience with indica touches, with soft but very energetic high.

-Worldpharma OG Kush CBD: The research company in phytotherapy and natural plant products Worldpharma Biotech is committed to exclusive genetics for medicinal use, and what better than to do it based on an unmistakable Kush genetic basis!

The company offers a fully stable OG Kush as a female, which is pollinated with males of a Futura 75 cultivar, with CBD contents of up to 7%.

The result is an F1 with a stable 1:1 ratio, reaching THC and CBD contents of up to 8%, obtaining 1:4 and 4:1 variable phenotypes in their total genome.

In short, it’s a chemotype that you will recognize as OG Kush in its morphology, but you will see change in its aromas and effects, also in its flowering times as it is somewhat longer due to the genomic nature provided by the Futura 75 male, However, it’s very productive and is indicated to treat symptoms such as nervousness, spasticity, tremors, nausea, and neuropathic and oncological pain.

Here you will find information about OG Kush CBD…

But now we are going with the second part of the puzzle … the environment of your plants!

Growing conditions to increase the size of your buds

Plants respond differently to different factors in the growing environment. The genetic you have chosen will be the one that has to adapt to these conditions, which will be those that will finally to make the most of the maximum potential of your plants.

The genes of your plants regulate their response to the type of lighting, temperature variations in the stage of growth and development of buds, as well as to the pH of the substrate and fertilizers, the type of fertilizer, the appearance of some pest , the availability of water … etc … if for some reason there are dramatic changes in these factors the plant will consume more energy trying to compensate them, resulting in lower yields, and a substantial drop in cannabinoids concentration and terpenes composition, thus affecting its therapeutic value, psychoactivity, aroma and taste.

There are many aspects that correspond to other posts in our blog, and in which we will not go into it, but we will describe the key environmental aspects for obtaining great harvests.

Surely you want huge buds in your marijuana plants … right?

Quality soils to yield large and heavy buds

One of the most carefully controlled studies in the agronomics performance of cannabis was carried out in the USA in 1975. The study was conducted in indoor crops with Afghan genetics, maintaining all fixed variables except soil quality, wherein soils of eleven different compositions were used.

Just at the beginning of flowering, at the end of sixth week, the plants were harvested, analyzed and quantified.

The THC level remained practically unchanged in all but two soils, which had the common characteristic of being acid soils, low in iron and magnesium, because of this fact the plants were shorter, with fewer leaves and therefore lighter, in other words, had a lower yield. These plants were more potent but less productive than the rest.

It was observed that the soils used to obtain potency were different from those used to obtain yield and that to optimize a crop we must use substrates rich both chemically and biologically, so that production and psychoactivity go hand in hand.

In subsequent researches it was found that with acid soils (pH in bloom close to 6.2), high content in phosphorus (in the form of hydrogen phosphates), potassium (in the form of free mineral potassium) and calcium (in the form of free mineral calcium) yields were substantially larger, giving large and heavy buds, loaded with high quality resin, which tells us that a soil deficient or lacking in phosphorus and potassium creates deficits in the biosynthesis of key enzymes for fattening buds, for THC production and terpenes composition.

We may demonstrate that most strains in the market maximize their production and potency using a pH of 5.5 in the growth stage to end with a value of 6.5 at the end of flowering phase, using a 7.0 value for making a root washing in order to remove the excess of minerals and salts in the last week before harvest.

In PEV Grow you can see all the wide range of soils from the best brands, always recommending substrates with balanced fertilization and enough spongy, with high capacity of moisture and mineral retention, as well as with high aeration capacity.

Products like Complet Mix by Top Crop, Canna Terra Professional Plus by Canna or Light Mix by Biobizz are versatile and balanced soils, widely used by professional growers and also by the best marijuana seed banks.

These soils are a perfect blend of different peats, with the pH adjusted to cannabis plant, and with basic fertilization for the complete vegetal cycle, as well as are substrates suitable for the soil microbiome development, essential to harvest marijuana grown under Bio standards.

You should know that many of the marijuana seeds referred to as pure landraces are not perfectly adapted to conditions of continuous irrigation and high quantity of fertilizers, because of this many of them tend to lose potency and yield in conditions of nutrients excess and even in Hydroponic crops. However, we can assure you that the majority of strains in the cannabis market are hybrids perfectly adapted to industrial yields and high potency in the conditions what we are describing to you.

If you have chosen one of the strains we recommend (or whatever from any other seeds bank), in combination with one of these soils, be sure that you are on the right track in yield and quality.?

We already have the seeds and the substrate … what is the best climate to increase the buds size?

Infographic on substrates

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Lighting and Temperature for High Performance Marijuana Crops

The higher the amount of lumens, the more vigor of growth the plant will have, since chlorophyll biosynthesis is enhanced. This ends up providing greater vigor for flowers development.

An important fact for all indoor growers is that the THC production in strains rich in this cannabinoid, as well as the CBD production in strains rich in this component is maximum when we keep a crop environment in a constant temperature of 24ºC , and this fact is more significant even if this level has been maintained throughout the entire vegetal cycle.

This is generally true, since cultivars with genotypes from temperate climates (non-subtropical) can produce large buds at their maximum potency at softer temperatures. However, if the plant does not resist any of the conditions you impose, it will give you some type of transpiration symptom, such as delayed growth, delayed flowering or some symptom manifested as some kind of coloration in the leaves.

Very important: We recommend using full-cycle Phytoled GX 400 LED lamps equivalent to 600W HPS lamps, their consumption is 265W and are ideal for a 1m2 of vegetal surface in indoor crops. They will give maximum production and potency.

With LEDs it’s easier to keep the temperature of 24Cº constant in your growing space, being essential to equip your crop with a climate control system, which includes in/out extractor fans, air humidifier for the growth phase, and an air conditioning system which dries the air during the flowering phase. Low humidity is essential for a healthy development of your buds.

PEV Grow recommends professional climate control systems so that nothing escapes your control.

Products such as 12 liter/day VDL dehumidifier with the incorporation of 175 m3 / h RVK in /out air extractor fans is more than enough for every square meter of vegetable mass, even if you have a SCROG (Screen of Green) or SOG (Sea Of Green), which are professional modalities adapted to hydroponic or aeroponic crops in high performance indoor.

Remember, in flowering phase, dry air and humid soil !!!

Infographic about climate control

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Conclusion

Do not obsess at the beginning with the number of plants, we recommend that you go slowly, with crops in which you can control all possible variables.

To begin with, the selection of the seeds you are going to grow is the most important thing, look carefully at the technical sheets of the strains the seed banks are showing, and trust the seed banks that provides you with the certificate of analysis for each strain.

On the other hand, control the soil you are going to use for the crop as well as the grow conditions, as the pH we recommend you for the substrate and irrigation water, the average temperature of the crop and the humidity of the environment.

In other issues we will post the best advices on fertilization and professional uses of CO2 and special phytohormones, in order to get more than natural harvest … supernatural harvests!

See you soon! 😆

By John G.”White”, PevGrow Team