Indoor Growing: The Basics

A Sudbury summer gives outdoor growers a few good months. Growing indoors removes the weather from the equation, at the cost of equipment, electricity and a bit more attention. Here's what a small, legal indoor grow involves.

Check the rules first

• Four plants per residence, at any stage, not per person
• 19+, personal use only
• Seeds or starting plants from the Ontario Cannabis Store or an authorized retail store
• Your lease or condo rules can forbid growing; renters especially should check

See Ontario Cannabis Laws for the details.

The space

Most home growers use a grow tent, a fabric enclosure with a reflective lining, in a spare room, basement or closet. A tent:

• keeps light in and makes it easy to control temperature and humidity
• contains smell when paired with a carbon filter
• can be locked or zipped and kept out of reach of children

A 60 × 60 cm or 90 × 90 cm tent is plenty for a few compact plants.

Light

Light is the single biggest factor indoors.

• LED grow lights are the most common choice today. They run cooler and use less electricity than older lights.
• Photoperiod plants are typically kept on about 18 hours of light a day while growing, then switched to about 12 hours on, 12 off to trigger flowering.
• Autoflowers flower on their own schedule regardless of light hours. See Autoflowers for Short Northern Seasons.

Air and climate

• Ventilation: an inline fan pulls fresh air through the tent and exhausts warm, humid air.
• Carbon filter: attached to the exhaust fan, it removes most of the smell. That matters in apartments and shared homes.
• Humidity: too humid invites mould; too dry stresses plants. A cheap hygrometer tells you where you stand.
• Temperature: comfortable room temperature is the target. Basements in Sudbury can run cold in winter, so you may need gentle heat.

Growing medium and water

• Soil in fabric pots is the most forgiving way to start: it buffers mistakes and needs little equipment.
• Water when the top few centimetres are dry, and make sure pots drain. Overwatering is the most common beginner mistake.

Safety

• Lock it up. Plants, nutrients and harvested cannabis should be out of reach of children and pets.
• Mind the smell. A carbon filter keeps neighbours, landlords and visitors happier.
• Watch for mould during flowering, especially if humidity runs high.

Harvest and storage

After harvest, cannabis is dried slowly in a cool, dark, ventilated space and then cured in airtight jars. Once it's ready, store it like any other cannabis: airtight, dark and locked away. How to Store Cannabis Safely covers storage.

Indoors or outdoors?

If you'd rather grow outside, read Growing Cannabis Outdoors in Northern Ontario.