Factors that Affect Marijuana’s CBD Beneficial Properties

For the metabolite production and proper plant growth of marijuana plants, there are factors that you need to consider that directly affects its CBD beneficial properties. 

When you grow cannabis, you’ll learn that there are hundreds of compounds called cannabinoids in each plant with CBD (short for cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) as the most popular. These chemical compounds cause drug-like reactions to the human body. 

CBD and THC are both found in hemp and marijuana, but hemp contains more CBD while marijuana has more THC. 

Chemical Structure of CBD 

Like THC, CBD is made up of the chemical formula: 2 oxygen atoms, 21 carbon atoms and 30 hydrogen atoms. The main difference between THC and CBD is how these atoms are arranged and how they affect the body, more specifically a person’s memory, sleep, mood and pain levels. 

CBD isn’t the marijuana compound that makes people high. Instead, CBD is sold in the form of gels, gummies, oils, supplements, extracts, etc. and used to help people from Crohn’s disease to arthritis, diabetes to multiple sclerosis.

Cannabis Growing: Factors that Affect CBD Properties

While the FDA has only approved one CBD drug “Epidiolex” for rare childhood epilepsy, hundreds of clinical trials are in varying phases to showcase the benefits of CBD. This is why in places that allow cannabis growing, more and more people are trying to get into the industry. 

But growing hemp for CBD isn’t as easy as it sounds. There is actually a long list of factors to consider, including: 

• Environment factors

Commercial growers are able to plant marijuana outdoors and indoors, each with its set of pros and cons. And like everything in this industry, outdoor vs. indoor growing hemp for CBD continues a highly debatable topic. 

If you do decide to grow outdoors, you’d have to be on the lookout for: 

• Rain: Hemp likes sunny, hot weather. You can’t successfully grow this plant outdoors if you live in a gloomy or rainy area.
• Adequate moisture: It is easier for plants to dry out outdoors, which is why growers have to make sure that the plants receive adequate moisture from seeds to maturity. 
• Weeding – Technically, cannabis is called a weed. However, other weeds that could affect the soil quality and take away nutrients from your marijuana plants have to be dealt with either manually (by hand or hoe) or using a heavy-duty machine.

You have to make sure to remove any presence of male plants during their sexual maturity. Even just 1 male plant could pollinate an entire crop, or worse, reduce CBD concentration or affect the flowers or seed production in females.

• Indoor growing conditions

The advantage of growing cannabis indoors in a climate-controlled environment is the plant’s ability to reach peak potential without threat of climate changes, lack of lighting, or pests and harmful contaminants. 

• Humidity: Cannabis plants love hot weather, but humindity isn’t conducive to any plant growth. As such, you might need to install exhaust systems or fans to control humidity at the growing area.
• Light: Because you’ll be using artificial light (instead of the sun), you might need to consider changing the type of light or adjusting light distance from your plants during every growing phase. 
• Growing media: You can grow hemp from soil or hydroponically indoors. Both types of media will have their considerations. 
• CO2 concentration: Aside from the proper quantities of light, water and nutrients, growers also need to be on top of CO2 levels. About 1,200 to 2,000 ppm is ideal for growing hemp for CBD.
• Nutrient supply: Like outdoor growing, no herbicides, insecticides or fungicides allowed. You do need to ensure the plants are given the nutrients they need, especially during fruiting stages. 

• Growing practices

How concentrated CBD is produced from your plant would also depend on the growing practices you follow. For example:

• Irrigation: Studies have shown that hemp grown for CBD with proper irrigation has better CBD concentrations than plants grown without irrigation considerations. 
• Fertilization: Different life stages of hemp plants require different nutrients, so fertilization would include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the early stages, followed by minerals like silica and plant boosters like chicken manure and more phosphorus.
• Pruning and harvest timing: Pruning or harvesting the plant prematurely would affect CBD concentration. As such, growers follow guidelines for both techniques to ensure yields with maximum CBD concentration.

• Treatment of harvest

Many growers are only responsible for the storage of the dried or cured hemp plants. If these treatments (drying or curing) are done properly and at the right time post-harvest, the CBD concentration won’t be affected. 

Usually, another manufacturer would be involved in turning these dried plants into CBD extracts, oils, supplements, gels or gummies. 

As a grower of herbal medicine, you need to understand these factors to be able to grow uniform, compliant and safe hemp for CBD products.