June 17, 2021- Humboldt County
by Natascha Pearson
Once your seeds have sprouted, fill your starter tray with soil, coco cubes, or Rockwell. And with a stick or your finger, make a hole for your seed.
Finally, water the tray, making sure not to overwater. Place it outside and water once and let sit. Make sure not to overwater throughout the weeks but also not to allow the soil to dry up. I recommend once every three days.
After your seed has broken the surface of the soil, watch it grow until it's around 6inches tall and transplant it into a pot. Here its roots can spread, and the youngling can mature in a controlled environment. This is also the time to use any root stimulator to strengthen the plant's survival.
When you feel that the plant has had enough time to mature, it is ready to be planted into the ground (or you can choose to plant it into a large pot.)
The soil temperature should not go lower than 60° F. Till the ground and include any nutrients, fertilizer, or mycorrhizae into the soil. Plant your plants and water throughly. Make sure your plants get direct sunlight.
As your plants mature, make sure to eliminate any male plants. Male plants tend to be taller and more vigorous than their female counterparts earlier on in life. Look for nodes to determine male plants that will form a sac where the leaf petioles and the stem join or two bracts from a female, producing a hair-like stigma. Determining gender can be hard in the beginning and may take some time. An option is to force the plant into flowering and taking clones from the pre-determined female plants.
