Guide on How to Grow Big Buds

Last updated 06/12/2022

If you want to maximize the result of your harvest, one of the most important things to learn is how to grow big buds.

The flowers of a cannabis plant are the highly valued product that occurs during the flowering phase of the plant. The leaves of the cannabis plant contain THC, but the flowers of the female plants contain the highest proportion of cannabinoids and, therefore, the most significant effectiveness.

With proper care, you can grow incredibly large flowers with high cannabinoid content. This guide will provide you with all the knowledge you need to achieve this goal. Read this article to learn how to grow massive buds that will be the envy of all your friends.

The importance of weed flowers

Although the leaves of the cannabis plant also contain THC and other cannabinoids, the flowers have a much more concentrated amount. That is why the flowers are of great value to every grower - they are the part of the plant that puts you intoxicated. Although both male and female flowers contain many cannabinoids, there are some important differences between the two.

Many people think that male plants don’t produce smokable flowers. Although female buds indeed carry the most THC content, male buds are also quite strong and can also be smoked.

Since female flowers are indeed the icing on the cake, they should be as big (and potent) as possible and the best way to achieve this is by a faster growth rate. The more rapidly the plant grows, the more time you have to produce really huge flowers.

1. Remove withered leaves

As soon as the plant has passed into the flowering phase, you should first remove all withering leaves to accelerate the growth of the plant.

These leaves are usually characterized by a yellow colour and only deprive the plant of energy and resources that are actually used for better things (namely the flowers).

Simply remove any yellowed leaves to direct these resources to the right places. However, don’t throw these old leaves away, but store them properly as these leaves also have adequate THC content for the production of hash.

2. Use nutrients

If you want to grow big, juicy buds, you need to spoil your plants a little, and this is best done during the flowering phase of the plant.

The substance that the flowers crave most is phosphorus, so a mixture of 10% nitrogen, 30% phosphorus and 10% potassium (also known as NPK 10-30-10) is particularly suitable to satisfy their desire.

3. Set the correct PH value

If you’ve never grown cannabis before, you may not be aware that nutrients and pH go hand in hand. Soil pH (or whatever growth medium you are using) affects the roots and how well the plant can absorb various types of nutrients. As a rule, there is a lack of nutrients or toxicity if there is an imbalance in the pH value.

The primary growth nutrients for cannabis are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They use a lot of nitrogen during vegetation, a lot of phosphorus in the first flowering period and a lot of potassium at the end of the flowering period. Other nutrients such as iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium are also relevant.

Each of the nutrients behaves differently depending on the pH. To put it simply, the pH value decides how a nutrient or a chemical compound “reacts”.

With certain acid levels, certain elements cannot be absorbed by the roots of the cannabis plant. If the pH is too low, the cannabis plant, for example, does not absorb magnesium very well. Therefore, you will find a magnesium deficiency even if you get a lot of magnesium.

When cultivated in soil, the pH should be around 6, in rock wool or other hydroponics around 5.5.

Of course, other aspects of the general health of plants also play an essential role in the growth of large flowers. The right amount of water and light, the temperature and good genetics are particularly important.

4. Set the correct EC value

The electrical conductivity or EC value indicates the salinity, which can be used to measure how many nutrients are in the earth or water. Water with an EC value of 0 is entirely pure and contains no salts or minerals. In such a case, the pH should be 7 and balanced.

Regular tap water is not balanced due to many minerals (including magnesium, calcium and potassium). In Europe, for example, tap water usually has a value between 0.2 and 0.5 and therefore does not have enough nutrients for marijuana plants.

The EC value is very important because if the amount is too small, the plant cannot access enough nutrients. A too high EC value is also not good, because if nutrient salts are deposited in the soil, the pH value drops and the roots cannot absorb most nutrients efficiently.

5. The right amount of light

One of the most critical aspects for excellent flower growth is the increase in light intensity that shines on the plants as the light helps cannabis plants absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into useful sugar.

For cannabis plants, the rule is that the more light, the better. Plants that don’t get enough light grow more slowly or develop into leggy, thin plants because they want to rise high enough to get closer to sunlight. However, such plants will never produce large flowers.

If your plant has already produced flowers of different sizes due to poor lighting during the vegetative state, it will be difficult to distribute the light evenly and effectively. The flowers themselves should be illuminated for the best results.

HPS lamps are usually best suited for indoor growing. Make sure that every 13 square metres during the vegetation phase a 400 watt light and during the flowering period a 600 watt light shines on the plants. Fluorescent lamps are cheaper to buy and also work quite well for the first time in the vegetative stage.

6. Make sure the CO2 level is correct

Cannabis plants also love carbon dioxide, which is crucial for the flowering and growth of every plant—basically, the more carbon dioxide, the better.

If you increase the amount of CO2 your plants receive, you will “feed” them more so that they grow even faster and create more abundant and larger flowers. The addition of more CO2 is complemented by better light intensity since the plants with more CO2 can also use the light better.

Usually, there is about 350 and 400 ppm of carbon dioxide in the air. The cannabis plant takes this carbon dioxide and combines it with light energy to produce sugar for growth.

However, if the carbon dioxide content drops, so does the sugar production in the cannabis plant. Therefore, appropriate ventilation is crucial - there must always be an in-depth supply of fresh carbon dioxide.

Cannabis plants with access to 350 to 400 ppm carbon dioxide do not produce much more sugar than is possible with a 600-watt HPS lamp. Therefore, increasing the wattage of light with the same carbon dioxide content has no significant impact. However, if you increase both, the marijuana plants will be much more productive, and you can expect almost double yields

7. Temperature and humidity

Temperature and humidity must always have the right value so that the plants can reach their highest growth potential. If the temperature is too high, the aroma of the flowers will be lower.

When the light is on, the ideal temperature for cannabis cuttings (clones) and seedlings should be between 20ºC and 25ºC. As the plants mature, they can evaporate more, and the temperature can rise to 28ºC.

When the lights are off, a temperature between 15ºC and 22ºC is ideal. However, the temperature differences between day and night should not be too high - the maximum difference is 10ºC. If it is 28ºC during the day, for example, the temperature should not drop below 18ºC at night. A temperature difference of 5 ° C is ideal.

8. Use these tricks to grow big buds

Biologically, cannabis plants are very similar to tomato plants and need to be pruned in the same way to increase yield. This means that the small shoots between the branches and the main stem are removed or ‘pinched out’ so that the plant focuses all of its energy on flower production. Pinching out encourages large and heavy flowers to grow instead of many smaller ones.

Cannabis plants are often only pruned by professional cannabis growers who want to reach the maximum amount of marijuana per square metre. Because if no energy needs to be applied to small, newly growing leaves, it is used instead for the upper flowers, which are larger and more substantial as a result. In addition, the most important colas (buds) also get more light because they are all at the same height.

Plants should only be pruned during the vegetation stage as the plant takes time to recover and produce large leaves. Wait for several days after pruning before forcing flowering. First, make sure your cannabis plants grow again and absorb enough water.

Be careful with fertilizer and wait a few days for the plant to recover. If you master this technique and use it at the right time, it will definitely pay off. You will be rewarded with big, solid and heavy cannabis flowers, rather than small and fluffy buds.

9. Choose the right genetics

Everything depends on genetics. No matter how hard you try to get a good yield, if the genetics are not good, the harvest won’t be either. However, if you chose cannabis seeds with good genetics, from a reputable seller such as weedseedsexpress.com, the end result will be visibly satisfactory.

If you invest in a high-quality strain right from the start, it may seem expensive at first glance, but spending in advance will pay off and choosing the right variety is essential. To help you get started, here are three of our favourite strains that are famous for their ability to grow big buds:

Chocolope
Sour Diesel
Blue Dream

1. Chocolope

Chocolope is a cannabis strain with a unique taste and incredibly reliable genetics. Growing cannabis from these superior weed seeds, therefore, yields beautiful cannabis plants and very potent big buds. Since Chocolope is easy to grow and has no strict requirements or requirements for nutrition or temperature, this is a perfect cannabis strain to start with as a grower. For the experienced grower, it is also a beautiful type of cannabis with a deliciously sweet and complex taste and beautiful harvests.

Tip: check our Chocolope seeds

2. Sour Diesel

Sour Diesel is a cannabis seed variety that consists of a delicate balance of Indica and Sativa genetics. This cannabis strain is well known and is one of the most cultivated species in America.

Sour Diesel cannabis seeds are straightforward to germinate and will quickly grow into beautiful cannabis plants that produce a good yield of big sturdy buds. The THC content of this cannabis is high, and therefore this strain should be approached with caution by novice smokers.

Smoking this weed induces a pleasant and long-lasting high, thanks to the delicate balance of the Indica and Sativa influences. If you want to grow top-quality cannabis, Sour Diesel is highly recommended.

Tip: check our Sour Diesel seeds

3. Blue Dream

This cross between Blueberry and Haze is known for its pleasantly fruity, spicy, earthy taste; the blue colour and intense, long-lasting high of body and mind are also clear features.

It is one of the favourites on the west coast of California; it even ranks among the top ten most sought-after varieties there, which is a lovely reflection of the quality of this gem. The smokers describe the taste as sweet, spicy, lemony and earthy. It produces large plants that grow quickly and widely. Very suitable for commercial purposes, thanks to its reliably proliferous yields.

Tip: check our Blue Dream seeds