Must admit that after the official unlocking of marijuana in Thailand In addition to the utilization of extracts or important medicinal substances. Another issue that many Thai people are equally interested in is how to grow cannabis. Because although cannabis is a plant that has been known for a long time. But due to the legal restrictions of Thailand in the past As a result, it cannot be cultivated for medical use or grown as a medicinal plant in the household like other medicinal plants. Therefore, when allowed to grow cannabis freely Therefore, it is not uncommon that many people are interested and intend to grow cannabis for their own use. The advantage is that the Thai government has a policy to encourage and allow people to grow cannabis for health care. which the state has allowed people to plant for use in each house, not more than 10 trees and may change in the future But must notify and register via website or application “cannabis planting” for both Andriod or iOS systems, take notice according to the purpose and wait for electronic notification documents of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In the case of commercial cultivation of cannabis, a permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Public Health through the website and application ‘Cultivating Hemp’ as well. On June 20, 2022, at Through the cannabis bill reviewing committee, hemp has divided economic cannabis cultivation into three groups as follows:
- small planting group Cannabis cultivation is less than 5 hectares. This group will receive a reduced fee or pay a minimal fee. or no fees at all
- medium planting group Cannabis cultivation from 5 to 20 hectares is required to require additional permits.
- large group Growing more than 20 hectares of cannabis is considered to be cultivated for profit. Therefore, the government has to pay higher fees than other groups.
for growing cannabis for medical use both modern medicine Thai traditional medicine or other related medical professions will meet the same criteria as the small transplant group. Planting for selling seeds and cuttings Those wishing to plant must obtain permission from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives under the Plant Varieties Act.
The life cycle of the cannabis genus
Before starting to grow cannabis or hemp, the first thing that should be studied in detail is The life cycle of plants in the cannabis genus This is because each stage of cannabis growth has different water, duration, and light requirements. Studying the life cycle of marijuana and hemp can help you properly care for cannabis and hemp plants. The life cycle of cannabis plants can be divided into 2 stages of cannabis growth as follows:
stem and leaf growth or vegetative growth
- Germination Stage: 2 to 10 days; this stage begins when the seeds receive enough water and moisture to stimulate growth. After that, the seeds will swell and tear. Causes one pair of taproots and cotyledons to grow. For this stage, cannabis needs 16 hours of light per day.
- The Seedling Stage lasts 2 to 3 weeks, when the cannabis produces 4-5 pairs of true leaves or fan leaves. At this stage, cannabis needs 16 hours of light per day. However, the seedling stage is one that is susceptible to fungi, pests and the environment. Therefore, the planting material must be regularly inspected to prevent flooding in order to prevent disease.
- The vegetative stage lasts 4-6 weeks, or up to 15 weeks, when cannabis needs minerals. especially nitrogen and high water Because cannabis grows both in height and canopy. For this phase, cannabis needs 18 hours of light per day. It is recommended that cannabis branches be trimmed at this stage to encourage higher yields at the time of flowering.
propagation or reproductive growth
- pre-flowering period (Pre-Flowering Stage) for a period of 1 – 3 weeks is a period where hormones are created to create flowers in the eye sockets. This makes it a very important term. Because growers can separate and destroy male cannabis plants. Leave the female cannabis plant at this stage in case more inflorescences are needed. The male cannabis plant will see the male stamen as a round bulb. The female cannabis plant has a white streak of pistil from the calyx layer. For this stage, the cannabis plant needs 12 hours of light per day.
- Flowering Stage: 7-14 weeks is the period in which the cannabis plant has reduced stem and leaf growth. This is because the inflorescences are formed and are produced in the trichome (the part where cannabis is stored) but after that there will be a slower flower growth. Leaves turn from green to yellow. The pistils change from white to red or orange. along with withering, and the trichome turns from white to milk and becomes amber in At this stage, the cannabis plant needs less than 12 hours of light per day.
- Seed set period: 6 weeks in case you want cannabis to be seeded What growers should do is not to damage the male cannabis plant in the pre-flowering stage. After about 2-3 weeks will enter the pollination process. After 6 weeks, the inflorescences will begin to ripen. The seed coat is brown and split, so seeds can be collected. It should start collecting from the bottom of the inflorescence. For this stage, the cannabis plant needs 12 hours of light per day.
cannabis cultivation
For cannabis cultivation, it can be grown either from cannabis seeds or cuttings from seedlings. Each method has the following steps:
Growing cannabis from seeds
It can be grown from both common seeds produced from a mix of male and female cannabis plants. Feminine seeds produced from bisexual cannabis plants. and the seeds were not sensitive to light produced by breeding. In this way, the advantage is that the cannabis plant is hardy to the environment.
- Start by soaking cannabis seeds in water for approximately 24 hours, during which the first few hours the cannabis seeds rise and then sink. However, if soaked in water for 24 hours, the seeds floated, indicating that the germination rate was low, not suitable for further planting.
- Soak the soaked cannabis seeds on a paper towel that has been sprinkled with water until it gets wet. Because it will cause problems with rotten cannabis seeds. Once planted, it should be monitored regularly for moisture, do not let it be too dry for about 1-2 days, the seeds will begin to take root.
- Prepare planting material at a ratio of peat moss 60 to perite 40 in a 2-inch pot. Apply a slow-release fertilizer formula 13-13-13 at a ratio of 2 grams per pot. Water it thoroughly and place it in a container of water. to allow the planting material to absorb water
- Place the rooted seeds in a pot to a depth of 2 times the width of the seed. Then completely cover the seeds. Take care with watering once a day. The cannabis plant takes about 7-10 days to grow to seedlings.
Cultivation of seedlings from cuttings
This method is asexual propagation. There are advantages. Get a cannabis plant that has the same genetic characteristics as the original cut. It also reduces the time of planting as well. But the disadvantage of using a cannabis cutting method that has no taproot for absorbing minerals and water. therefore may not be as strong as seed propagation Here’s how to grow seedlings from cuttings.
- Take the parent plant that is more than 12 inches tall with at least 2 leaf buds. Cut the branches about 2-2.5 centimeters from the leaf buds by cutting at a 45-degree angle, then immediately soak in water.
- Take the branches that have been cut off about 50% of the leaves and soak them in the root accelerator solution.
- Place the cuttings in a pot with planting material. (Same ratio as seed planting) with a depth of about 5 cm. Water thoroughly and leave for 30 minutes.
- Place the pots in a sealed container. water on the branches and placed under the sunlight for 16 hours per day per day. After 7 days, the cuttings are rooted
- Once the roots have emerged, acclimate the cannabis plant by opening the container to ventilate for 3 days. If transferring to a larger container, check the bottom of the pot for roots. If already rooted, the pot can be moved.
