Layering is the bending and pegging of a shoot that stays attached to a mother plant while it forms new roots. This technique can occur naturally through modified stem structures or in cultivation via cuttings.
Using crop layering to get extra plants without sowing seed is a cost effective and easy way to grow more cannabis. However, it is important to understand the best practices for this method of propagation.
Planting
Crop layering is a process of forming new plants from the tip of a stem or branch. This can occur naturally or with the assistance of a plant propagator. Many plants, such as rhododendrons, honeysuckles and roses, layer their leaves, thereby forming new plantlets.
In most cases, layering requires a good rooting medium that is well aerated and continuously provides a constant supply of moisture. The rooting medium must be deep enough to reach the roots that form at the sharp bend in the stem or recurved tip.
Depending on the type of plant, simple layering may be accomplished by bending a branch or limb to the ground and covering part of it with soil. A small notch or slit on the underside of the limb held open with a pebble can help stimulate root development.
Other plant structures that facilitate layering include runners and offsets. Runners produce new shoots where they touch the growing medium (Figure 6). Offsets may be rooted while still attached to their parent, or the tips of the offsets may be severed from their parents and placed in a rooting medium.
If the rooting medium is too shallow, new plants will not develop a strong root system. In this case, a coir or perlite-based rooting medium can be used to provide aeration and a constant supply of moisture.
For example, coir is commonly used for the production of medicinal cannabis in North America [14]. It has excellent physical properties and maintains a high ratio of air to water even after heavy watering. It also is a great choice for soilless growing media because it is odorless, inert and free from phytopathogenic microorganisms.
In addition, coir is a great substrate for cultivation of cannabis because it is able to retain the natural moisture in the leaves and roots, preventing them from drying out too quickly during curing. It is also very easy to use and can be shaped into almost any desired shape.
A wide range of substrates is used for the production of medicinal cannabis. However, the most common ones are coir based substrates.
Irrigation
When cultivating cannabis, you have many options for growing a crop. You can use soil, hydroponics, or even aquaponics to achieve a complete and sustainable growth cycle. Each method has its own set of challenges and benefits that you need to know about in order to grow the best cannabis possible.
Regardless of your specific needs, it’s essential to choose the right type of irrigation for your crop. You can go with drip irrigation or fertigation to keep your plants happy and healthy.
Irrigation can be a powerful tool for cannabis cultivation, as it can help you save time and money while increasing the quality of your harvest. Using the right irrigation system for your cannabis operation will help you avoid overwatering or under-watering, which can have negative consequences for your crops.
It can also help you ensure that your water has the proper pH level, which is vital for cannabis. Keeping your water in the ideal range will allow your cannabis roots to absorb the nutrients they need and grow stronger.
The first step to determining your water pH is to check the soil or other medium you’re growing in. If your soil is too acidic or alkaline, it won’t be able to hold up the nutrient load and will cause your marijuana plants to die.
You can use a pH meter to determine the proper water pH for your cannabis cultivation and ensure that your plants have the optimal hydration levels they need. Having a good pH meter in your arsenal can help you keep your cannabis crops happy and healthy, no matter the growing method.
Aside from ensuring your plants have access to the perfect amount of water, it’s also important to ensure that they have sufficient oxygen. This will keep them from drowning and rotting, which can lead to poor yields.
Drip irrigation is one of the most effective ways to automate your watering and feeding, as it can keep your plants hydrated without you having to lift a finger. However, it does come with an upfront cost, so you need to make sure that you can afford this type of technology.
Light
Light is a key factor for cannabis cultivation because it drives photosynthesis, which produces the chemical energy that fuels plant growth and bud production. This is why cannabis growers often use artificial lighting in their indoor gardens.
For optimal cannabis growth, cultivators must adjust the color, intensity, and frequency of light according to each stage of the plants’ growth cycle. These adjustments replicate the natural conditions the cannabis plant would experience in nature.
To do this, they use crop layering, which is a growing management technique that manipulates the environment (light, climate, and irrigation) to encourage specific types of plant growth. Crop layering is one of the most important tactics for controlling yields in marijuana cultivation, and it’s a crucial part of any cannabis grower’s arsenal.
The first step is to decide which type of lighting to use. Many modern growers are accustomed to using HID (high-intensity discharge) lights, but CFLs and LEDs are also viable alternatives.
If you choose to use MH or HPS lamps, hang them at a distance of 30-50cm above the canopy of your plants. It’s best to use fixtures that can easily be repositioned and adjusted as your plants grow taller.
Another option is to use a mixed spectrum grow lamp that can be used for both vegetative and flowering growth. These lamps feature a mix of red, blue, and green light, which can improve overall plant morphology.
A third option is to use autoflowering cannabis strains, which automatically switch between vegetative and flowering stages based on age. However, these varieties require more light than regular cannabis plants to enter the flowering phase.
While cannabis plants need a range of wavelengths to be healthy and produce high levels of THC, most cultivators prefer red and blue light in the seedling and vegetative stages, and yellow and orange in the pre-flowering stage. During flowering, cultivators need a higher proportion of green light to stimulate flowers and buds.
A good way to find the appropriate light for your cannabis garden is to use a tool like Lighting Passport or SGAL, which can measure PPFD and DLI. PPFD is the number of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) particles that fall on a square meter of growing surface in one second. This value can be found in the product description of any lighting system, and it is an effective way to determine how much light your cannabis garden needs.
Temperature
The temperature of your grow room plays a key role in the health and production of your cannabis crop. It can dictate the speed and efficiency of photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, germination, and flowering. Temperature management is a core element that commercial cannabis producers must master and apply in their facilities to achieve consistency, repeatability, and profitability.
Ideally, your indoor grow space should maintain an ideal temperature range between 72 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 24 degrees Celsius) during the daytime. At night, the temperature should drop 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit (2 to 5 degrees Celsius).
You should also monitor your humidity levels at all times. If the levels are too low, your cannabis plants will likely become stressed and develop mold or mildew. If they are too high, you will have to water more often and potentially use more nutrient solutions than usual.
When your cannabis is in the seedling stage, the humidity level should be around 65 percent. This is important because cannabis cuttings, clones, or little pieces of a parent plant that needs to form a root system, need this high humidity to absorb water through their leaves and develop a strong root network to support their growth.
For cannabis in the vegetative stage, the humidity level should be lowered to 40 to 50 percent. The temperature should be lowered by five percent each week throughout the vegetation period.
This is crucial because the lower humidity levels allow your plants to keep their buds from becoming infected by mold and mildew. You should avoid temperatures that drop below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) during this stage as well, as it can seriously stress your plants out and reduce their productivity.
You should always make sure your indoor grow space has accurate thermometers and hygrometers. You can buy a day/night or maximum/minimum type that will help you manage your environment and keep it in the optimal range for your cannabis to grow properly.
