8 Tips for Growing Cheese Marijuana: Grower’s Guide

If you’re looking for a genuinely pungent marijuana strain, then look no further than Cheese. Most believe that it was created in England in the late 1980s. This indica-dominant hybrid is a cross of a Skunk #1 phenotype and an Afghani indica. Top cannabis breeders like Buddha Seeds chose Afghani to boost Cheese’s trichome production and overall yield.

The Cheese strain is an indica dominant (60%) hybrid with a potent THC content of up to 20%. Its generous THC level is offset by a more modest CBD level of around 1%.

Naturally, as Cheese is indica-dominant, its physical effects are most apparent. Most users say that the strain is fast-acting, calming, and relaxing, but also uplifting. Some even say that this strain makes them feel more creative and think more abstractly. However, you will need to act fast as Cheese’s sedating effects are potent, and couchlock is common.

The most noteworthy aspect of this strain is its pungent, cheesy, savory scent, which gives this strain its name. Cannaisseurs should also find that Cheese’s creamy and smooth taste is a delight.

Cheese is a popular strain among medicinal marijuana users. Many use it to manage insomnia, chronic pain, and stress. If this is your favorite strain, keep reading our Cheese grow guide for some useful tips and tricks.

1 – Is the Yield Better Indoors or Outdoors?

For many marijuana strains, the answer is outdoors, and Cheese is no different. You can only grow it outside if you live in a warm and humid climate.

It is one of the most straightforward strains to grow and is a great starting option for novices. One reason why cannabis cultivators rate its growth difficulty as easy is that it’s highly resistant to mold and pests. Outdoors, this strain is ready for harvest in mid-October and yields up to 21 ounces per plant.

Another reason why Cheese is easy to grow indoors is that you can control its growing conditions. The optimal temperature for growing the Cheese strain is between 70- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit when the lights are on. Do not drop the temperature by more than 15-20 degrees during lights off. Its flowering time is 8-9 weeks, and Cheese can yield around 14 ounces of bud per square meter indoors.

2 – How Much Will a Home Marijuana Garden Cost Me?

As Cheese is best grown indoors, it makes sense to discuss cannabis gardens for the home. However, purchasing a grow tent can be expensive. You could save a lot of money by making your own grow tent for a fraction of the cost. You can purchase everything you need on Amazon! However, be sure to familiarize yourself with your state’s marijuana cultivation laws before growing the Cheese strain.

If you only want to grow a couple of plants, a 2 x 2 x 4 foot grow tent is ideal. There are numerous grow tents fitting these dimensions for under $60. Some other key pieces of equipment include:

• Hydrometer & thermometer
• Duct fan
• Clip-on fan
• Mechanical timer
• Small 150W LED full-spectrum lights

When you total up the cost of all of these, you can create a marijuana ‘garden’ for well under $200. It isn’t the most sophisticated setup, but it will do the job.

The larger the grow tent, the more you’ll need to spend on better and more powerful equipment. There are 5 x 4 x 6-foot tents available for under $200. However, you will have to pay hundreds of dollars to get the best lighting. As a result, the total could run to almost $1,000.

On the plus side, you would only need to grow more than five ounces a year to justify the cost. This, of course, depends on where you live, and if you also discount the time you spend on your garden.

3 – Designing Your Grow Space

If you’re a first-time grower, we recommend starting small because it is less expensive and time-consuming. Also, it is far easier to monitor two plants than twelve.

When designing your grow space, take into account lighting, fans, ducting, and growing medium. Remember, marijuana plants can triple in size by the time they reach the early flowering stage. Therefore, make sure you leave yourself enough room to work.

Make sure your grow room doesn’t have any light leaks. If your plants are exposed to light when they’re supposed to be in complete darkness, it could affect their development.

4 – Choosing Your Grow Lights

The quality and quantity of light in an indoor grow room has an enormous impact on how plants grow. Many growers use High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights because they are efficient and offer value for money. While LED lights are far more efficient, they can cost up to ten times more than an equivalent HID setup.

Metal Halide (MH) and High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights are the most common HID light variety. MH lights are best during the vegetative stage, while HPS is better for flowering. If you purchase HID lights, you need a ballast. Magnetic ballasts are relatively inexpensive, but high-quality digital versions are a better option.

Fluorescent grow lights are a viable option for a small grow room. They are up to 30% less efficient than HIDs, but they are less expensive and don’t need a cooling system. LED lights are by far the most expensive option, but they last longer, create less heat, and use less electricity. There are also induction lights that are hard to find, expensive, and old-fashioned.

5 – Don’t Forget Exhaust Fans!

Fans are an essential aspect of any grow garden, and the Cheese strain won’t grow well without them! Remember, your plants need CO2 to go through the process of photosynthesis effectively.

When you place an exhaust fan near the top of your grow room, it removes warmer air. Therefore, it ensures the room’s temperature remains at optimum levels.

Your lighting system will dictate the types of fan that you purchase. If you use a HID system, be aware that it produces a lot of heat. Therefore, you will need at least one large fan or several medium-sized ones.

If you’re unsure as to the type of fan you need, try this helpful tip. Set up your lights in the grow room before starting your grow, and record the temperature before turning them on. Leave them on for a few hours.

Then, record the temperature again to see how much it has increased. This will give you a better idea of what type of fan you need to keep the grow room at the optimal temperature.

6 – Sweet Automation

As we mentioned above, Cheese is an excellent beginner’s strain, and you can make things even easier with automation. You will benefit from a 24-hour timer for the light and an adjustable thermostat switch for your fan system. Remember, when your plants are in the vegetative stage, they need at least 18 hours of light per day.

Once the plants are ready to bloom, it is time to force them into flowering with a 12-12 light-dark cycle. As you need to switch the lights on and off at the same time each day, a timer is an essential purchase.

A thermostat switch is also an excellent option. It enables you to set the maximum desired temperature and plug it into your exhaust fan. Once the temperature hits the pre-set level, your fan switches on automatically to reduce the temperature by a few degrees. As well as keeping the grow room temperature in check, it also saves energy.

7 – Screen of Green (SCROG)

As Cheese is an indica, it remains bushy in shape when you grow it. As a result, there is a risk of your crop developing bud rot or mold if exposed to excessive moisture. It is also essential to consider trimming and pruning the plant if necessary. You can control how Cheese grows by adopting the Screen of Green training method.

It is a simple low-stress training (LST) technique that involves using a screen. While the standard LST method involves tying down the plant, SCROG requires a little patience. You use a screen to keep the plants in check. When the branches grow through the holes in the screen, tuck the branches back down. If you get it right, your plants should produce several colas instead of a single main one.

8 – Soil or Hydroponics?

The good news is that the Cheese strain grows well using either one. As a beginner, you can purchase premium-grade potting soil as long as there isn’t any chemical fertilizer inside it. Organic ‘super’ soil is among the best options money can buy. You can create your own using materials including worm castings, bat guano, and wood ash with more experience.

Hydroponic growing involves using something other than soil as a growing medium. Popular options include Rockwool and coco coir. If you use a hydroponic system, you are in complete control of your crop’s nutrient intake. Therefore, a hydroponic setup is more suitable for an experienced cannabis grower.

You have to feed your plants a concentrated solution of mineral salt nutrients. Your Cheese plants will absorb the food faster than if you use soil, which means quicker growth and greater yields. On the downside, you have to be precise with this method of feeding because nutrient burn is possible.

There is also a slight difference in ideal pH levels for soil and hydroponics. Typically, when you grow any marijuana strain in soil, you need to keep the pH between 6.0 and 6.8. Hydroponically grown weed responds better to slightly more acidic conditions and has a broad range of 5.5 to 6.5. However, you will get better results if you keep the pH between 5.5 and 5.8.

Overall, Cheese doesn’t have any special feeding requirements. Focus on providing plenty of nitrogen during the vegetative stage and reduce it in flowering. Other essential nutrients include phosphorus, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, calcium, manganese, and sulfur.