5 Common Cannabis Growing Mistakes (and How to Grow Weed in Winter)

The five most common cannabis growing mistakes are overwatering, overfeeding, a bad climate, poor water quality and sloppy infrastructure, especially DIY electrical setups. Growers keep getting better at the art of how to grow weed, but plenty still make these classic errors that can wreck a harvest. To get the most out of your plants, ask yourself two questions: "how do I want to grow cannabis?" And what actually harms a cannabis plant?

1: Overwatering.

One of the most common rookie mistakes is giving plants too much water. Too much water means the roots can't breathe, and eventually that excess can kill the plant. If your plants show signs of root rot, like yellowing leaves, you're probably overwatering. In that case, hold off on watering for a few days.

Finding the right balance takes paying close attention to how your plants look over time. When the leaves start to droop a little, the plant is thirsty.

2: Too many nutrients.

Trying to give their plants as much food as possible, a lot of beginners end up overfeeding. It might seem like more food means healthier plants, but overfeeding can actually be devastating for plant health.

Organic nutrients, including compost, release nutrients slowly, which makes overfeeding harder. Non-organic nutrients like synthetic fertilizers are designed to release a lot of nutrients fast. If you go that route, follow the label's instructions and measurements to the letter for the best results.

Overfeeding gives you unhealthy plants, a weak harvest and, in the worst case, a dead plant. Start low and work your way up as the plant asks for more.

3: A bad climate.

Climate is one of the things growers can control, and it matters because the right climate can make all the difference.

Cannabis plants have a sweet spot for temperature and humidity. Too cold or too hot can stunt growth or give you weak, airy buds. Aim for moderate temperatures, ideally around 23–24 °C (73–75 °F).

The other climate factor to think about is humidity. You can dial it in with humidifiers, vents and dehumidifiers. Plants need different humidity levels depending on their growth stage. Heads up: too much humidity can lead to mold.

4: Poor water quality.

More experienced growers check their water's pH to know how acidic it is. Watering with properly balanced water means your plants can actually absorb all those quality nutrients in the soil. Grow shops sell kits to measure your water's pH and adjust it if needed.

5: Sloppy infrastructure.

Indoor growing keeps getting more popular, and it often involves DIY systems for lighting, humidity, heat and air filtration. That's why one of the most common grow mistakes happens with the electrical setup. Getting careless here can be disastrous: it could set your grow room on fire.

Here are some tips for growing indoors. Take precautions when you design your setup and, if you can, hire an electrician to make sure everything is safe for long-term use, including through a long winter grow.

Can you grow a cannabis plant in winter?

It's best to keep seedlings indoors until they've put on enough leafy growth. With clones, there's no rush to move them outside: you can grow them on for about 30 days. 

Sure, the ideal time to grow most cannabis seeds is when it's not too cold and there's plenty of sunlight, which helps them grow and develop properly. Still, cold weather doesn't have to stop you from growing cannabis year-round.

Most people grow weed between spring and summer, when the weather is least hostile. But cold shouldn't be a dealbreaker. In the colder months, or in countries where it's cold most of the year, you get what's commonly called a winter harvest.

In fact, if some of the best seeds on today's market come from those countries, it's because you really can grow cannabis in cold weather, and many of the genetics you'll find at seed banks were bred in exactly those climates.

If you're starting from seed, germinate indoors in any winter month. Germinate with plain water at 18–22 °C (64–72 °F).

Keep seedlings indoors until they've put on enough leafy growth. With clones, there's no rush to move them outside: you can grow them on for about 30 days. Once you move your plants outdoors, they'll most likely start flowering, because the short winter days hit them with a photoperiod shock.

What happens if you harvest buds a week early?

Cutting a plant early means losing a good chunk of its potential, in both flavor and effect. Cutting it past its peak also lowers potency and gives you a heavier, more sedating high than it should.

What happens if you harvest buds too late?

If you harvest too late, THC starts breaking down into CBN, so the effect gets more sedating and heavy (not to be confused with the pleasant, relaxed body high of most indicas). Late harvests also leave your weed with less aroma and flavor.

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