Growing cannabis is not complicated, especially when you have an affinity for the most beautiful plant on earth. Starting your marijuana garden with quality cannabis seeds, the right equipment, a little direction and TLC will yield the bountiful buds you desire. The right equipment includes cannabis lighting, nutrients and irrigation. While a lot of planning goes into your grow tent or garden space and lighting, planning for consistent irrigation must be a top consideration.
Automated irrigation saves a lot of time in watering your plants and improves plant quality with consistent delivery of essential nutrients. A “Drip” irrigation system is a watering method used widely in agricultural crops and can also be implemented in your home cannabis garden. A drip irrigation system keeps your plants hydrated with the precise amount of water and nutrients for optimal development and provides cost savings with maximum water efficiency.
By using a drip irrigation systems, large crops can cut watering time from hours into minutes with an automated system and save on labor with precise irrigation that does not operate on an hourly paycheck. Drip irrigation provides a controlled flow of water, as opposed to other hydroponic techniques such as flood and drain which does not provide flow control. This simple concept with precise engineering delivers many benefits when growing cannabis.
Drip Irrigation Components
A drip irrigation system consists of a reservoir which should be located near your grow space or grow tent. A pump inside the reservoir is programmed to run on a timer to deliver water through a main waterline which is then distributed to individual plants with drip emitters or hydro halos.
 Irrigation Pump
Your irrigation pump does not have to be very large although it needs to have enough power to pump water with equal pressure and distribution. If you are growing a small garden of 8 to 10 plants, a single pump with about 300 GPH, measured in gallons per hour, should give you enough power for balanced distribution. If you have more plants than that it is recommended to set up two separate systems with individual pumps.
Digital Timer
A digital timer is key to an automatic watering system and easy to install, allowing for watering in 1-second increments to fine-tune your water delivery system.
Oxygenation
Oxygenation is important to prevent the occurrence of bacteria and is healthy for your cannabis plants. An air stone or air pump is adequate for smaller tanks up to about 30 gallons. Larger reservoirs should use a stirring pump which periodically stirs the water and nutrients in the reservoir.
Main Water Line
You need a main water line attached to the pump in the reservoir to deliver the water and nutrients to your plants, such as semi-rigid poly tubing that resists being crushed and can bend gently.
Water Thermometer
The water in your reservoir should be kept at a temperature between 65° to 68°F to maintain dissolved oxygen and prevent bacteria infestation.
Water Distribution
You can choose from a couple of different options with either drip emitters or hydro halos to deliver water directly to each plant. Each work well although the halos cannot be used early on and requires hand watering in the early stages of seedling development.
Irrigation is a critical aspect of cultivating your cannabis to perfection. An automatic drip irrigation system is a great way to nurture your plants efficiently. As always, starting your garden with high-quality cannabis seeds is a must.
Mosca Seeds specializes in high-quality cannabis seed genetics and the best growing practices. We produce top quality marijuana seeds with time, energy and love put into each and every cannabis plant. Check out our seed banks for a wide selection of your favorite indica strains, sativa or hybrid blends from multiple cannabis cup winner Mosca Seeds.