8 Tips for Cultivating Blueberry Kush Cannabis

While many of our readers are happy just to consume cannabis, some love the challenge of growing their favorite strain. That’s why we’ve created a series of guides comprising steps and tips to help you from germination to drying & curing.

Today, we look at one of the most aesthetically pleasing marijuana strains, Blueberry Kush. It is a strain bred in Oregon that is a cross of OG Kush and Blueberry. Blueberry Kush was under pressure to perform with such famous parents, and it has met the challenge!

It is an almost entirely indica strain with a THC content rising to 24%. Experienced Blueberry Kush growers and consumers know that the plants produce dense colas, and the high is extremely sedating.

Along with its gorgeous Blueberry scent comes citrus and grape odors. Blueberry Kush’s aroma gives you a great indication of just how delicious it tastes. If you’re looking for a strain that can provide pure relaxation, Blueberry Kush is an excellent option.

Please keep reading to learn more about this unique strain in our growing guide for Blueberry Kush.

1 – Should I Grow Blueberry Kush Indoors or Outdoors?

It is a tricky strain to grow regardless of whether you grow it indoors or outdoors. However, if you want to grow Blueberry Kush outside, then you’ll need to have had some experience growing cannabis. As this strain is relatively high maintenance, you’ll need to have lots of free time, too.

Blueberry Kush plants need plenty of sunshine, and close monitoring is essential because it is a hungry plant. If you grow outdoors, your crop could be ready for harvest by the end of September. However, don’t be surprised if you’re harvesting closer to the end of October. The good news for outdoor growers is that Blueberry Kush typically yields up to 23 ounces of bud per plant.

Blueberry Kush plants need plenty of sunshine, and close monitoring is essential.

For indoor growers, a hydroponics setup will work best. These plants flower between 8-10 weeks; however, the indoor yield is just 7 ounces per square meter.

One of the joys of growing Blueberry Kush is that it is a stunningly beautiful plant. In the early stages of the flowering period, vibrant red and purple hues provide a breathtaking sight. As the plant matures further, it begins to showcase its stunning array of blues.

Another plus is that a Blueberry Kush plant seldom grows above 40 inches. Its short stature makes it an ideal option for indoor growing.

2 – Watch Out for Mold

As Blueberry Kush is almost 100% indica, it grows short and bushy. As a result, you will need to prune the plants occasionally. Doing so will ensure that there is enough airflow getting to all areas of the plant. If you fail to do so, there is a risk of mold growing on the plants. The most common types are powdery mildew and bud rot, also known as Botrytis.

As the name suggests, powdery mildew is white, and it appears on the plant’s leaves. If left unchecked, the mildew inhibits photosynthesis and causes your crop to die.

Bud rot tends to begin at the base of the stem and is difficult to spot. Look out for possible signs of bud rot, such as the small leaves of the cola beginning to wither and dry out. Once it reaches an advanced stage, you will see black specks on the mold.

Aside from cool temperatures and stagnant air, there is a third major reason why bud rot and powdery mildew occur – the humidity level is too high. We’ll discuss this next.

3 – Avoid Excess Humidity

When growing Blueberry Kush, make sure the temperature in your grow room remains between 68- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit. As for humidity, this strain’s dense foliage and its genetic makeup mean it prefers low humidity. Keep your Blueberry Kush seedlings or clones in a room with a humidity level of 70%.

Reduce it to 55-60% during the vegetative stage. Ensure that the daytime temperatures stay between 70 and 80 degrees and no lower than 65 degrees at night. By the flowering stage, this strain only needs a humidity level of 40% to thrive. Once again, the temperature range is all-important. As humidity falls, you can boost the temperature if you wish, but don’t exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

4 – Hydroponics

Blueberry Kush thrives in a hydroponics setup, which uses an inert medium such as Rockwool instead of soil. If you go down this route, make sure you purchase a kit that includes everything you need. A lot of growers see great results when placing individual pots in a larger water system.

Mesh pots are an excellent option. Add an air hose, air pump, and air stone to aerate the water. When air bubbles are created and popped, the inert material remains moist, and the plants receive the nutrients they need. This setup is classified as an ‘aeroponics’ system.

Popular hydroponics systems include Ebb and Flow, Deep Water Culture, Continuous Flow, and Drip Irrigation.

No matter what materials or setup you use, the most important thing is to sterilize all materials to kill bacteria. You can do it using rubbing alcohol, peroxide, and water. Please don’t use the materials until they are sterile, or else you risk pathogens entering and ruining your crop.

5 – pH Considerations

As a rule of thumb, keep the pH of the soil between 6.0 and 6.8. If you have a hydroponics system, controlling the pH is even more critical. You will need to keep it in the 5.5 to 6.5 range. However, some experts now believe that a 5.5 to 5.8 pH range is best for hydroponics.

The pH level of your soil impacts nutrient intake significantly. If your growing medium is outside the recommended range for too long, it will be unable to consume nutrients. Consequently, a deficiency is inevitable.

6 – What If I Live in an Area Where Water is Sometimes Scarce?

It’s legal to grow marijuana plants at home in California and smoke your own supply without a medical marijuana card. However, the Golden State is rife with water problems. Therefore, it isn’t feasible to use the enormous amounts of water you may need to grow your Blueberry Kush.

Drip irrigation is an excellent way to grow cannabis plants while saving water and nutrients.

Fortunately, there is a hydroponics set-up just for you. Drip irrigation is an excellent way to grow cannabis plants while saving water and nutrients. With this system, water and nutrients are fed to your crop from above. You can use it indoors or outdoors, and it even works with soil! It involves using small droppers that you place above the grow medium next to the root or stem.

With this method, tiny droplets of solution fall consistently and constantly. Therefore, your plants get the water and nutrients they need without the fear of any deficiencies, and you save water. It also works well in cramped spaces because you can still grow a decent-sized crop.

7 – Lighting Considerations

High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting is popular among those with a hydroponics setup. Other commonly used systems include High-Pressure Sodium (HPS), Metal Halide (MH), and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

MH lighting is ideal for the vegetative stage, whereas HPS lights are a good option for the late flowering stage. HPS lights work well for flowering because they provide plenty of orange, red, and amber light.

Although HID lights offer ample heat and light, they aren’t very energy efficient. If you use them, you need a good ventilation system and a ballast.

For professional growers, there is no substitute for full-spectrum LED lighting. LED’s emit the closest thing your Blueberry Kush plants will get to sunlight without actually being exposed to it.

If you have a tiny grow room, Compact Fluorescent Lighting (CFL) may provide sufficient light. However, you will need to place the plants close enough to them to achieve the desired result. Make sure to regularly check the plants because if they’re too close to the lighting, they can get damaged.

When growing indoors, try to provide at least 18 hours of light a day until it is time to flower. At that point, switch to a 12/12 cycle for a couple of weeks until your plants are flowering.

8 – What About Seeds & Clones?

Auto-flowering seeds have taken the market by storm. These plants flower as soon as they reach the right level of maturity. Therefore, you don’t need to manipulate the light cycle for flowering to occur. These plants typically have a shorter vegetative stage of around three weeks.

If you prefer traditional seeds, make sure you purchase feminized seeds. Otherwise, there’s a 50/50 chance that you will get male plants.

As for clones, they are cuttings taken from a ‘mother’ plant. It is best to purchase seeds, clones, or auto-flowering strains from reputable online sources.

After harvesting your Blueberry Kush plants, all that’s left is to trim the fan leaves and dry & cure the buds! Please note that rushing through this process risks allowing mold to develop. Not only is moldy weed a harsh smoke, but it is also very bad for your health! Curing weed may be time-consuming, but the results make the extra effort worth it.