I didn’t start out calling my approach In Situ and Related Concepts. I started out trying to copy “perfect” grows I saw online, then getting frustrated when the same nutrient schedule and the same light settings didn’t behave the same way in my space. My basement tent ran cooler than the guides assumed. My greenhouse hit heat spikes that no indoor chart accounted for. Outdoors, the breeze in one corner kept plants healthier than the “better” sunny spot that stayed still and damp.
Over time, I learned to stop fighting the place and start learning from it. That’s what In Situ and Related Concepts means to me: growing cannabis, marijuana, and weed in the conditions they actually live in, then building a method around what the environment is willing to give you. It’s less about chasing a theoretical optimum and more about consistent decision-making when the real world is messy.
In this article I’ll share my process for site-specific cannabis planning, how I do microclimate journaling for weed, and how I use in situ grow diagnostics to decide what to change (and what to leave alone). I’ll also cover seed buying decisions, media choices (soil, coco, and hydro), lighting numbers, pest management, and a humidity-buffered drying workflow that made my jars smell and burn more consistently. Nothing here is magic. It’s a set of habits I built by making the same mistakes multiple times and finally writing down what worked.
The core idea: treat the site as a grow input
When I plan a run, I don’t begin with a strain story. I begin with site-specific cannabis planning: what the space can maintain day after day. In my notebook, “site” can mean a balcony, a greenhouse bench, a spare room, or a tent.
I use In Situ and Related Concepts as a reminder to measure the realities that decide success:
- Light intensity at canopy height, not just wattage on a box
- Temperature swings from day to night
- Humidity patterns and how long leaves stay wet
- Air movement across the canopy, especially at night
- Root-zone oxygen and how fast the medium dries
- How often I can realistically check and adjust
This mindset makes your method portable. If you move, change lights, or switch from soil to hydro, In Situ and Related Concepts still applies because you are building around the actual conditions, not the fantasy version.
A quick checklist for site-specific cannabis planning
Here’s the checklist I run before I germinate anything. I keep it simple enough that I’ll actually do it.
- Record daytime and nighttime temperatures for 7 days.
- Record average relative humidity for 7 days.
- Note where air is still (no leaf flutter) and where it moves.
- Count how many hours you can give the plants direct sunlight or strong artificial light.
- Decide whether noise and odor control matter in your location.
- Decide how often you can water without rushing.
That’s site-specific cannabis planning in practice. I revisit it mid-run too, because seasons change and equipment drifts.
Microclimate journaling for weed: the notes that prevent surprises
Outdoor and greenhouse growers talk about microclimates constantly, but most people don’t write them down. I do microclimate journaling for weed because memory lies. The “windy corner” is not windy every week. The “sunny spot” might lose light when a tree leafs out.
During microclimate journaling for weed, I track:
- Morning sun vs afternoon sun (afternoon sun drives heat stress faster)
- Dew duration on leaves (a big predictor for mildew pressure)
- Heat pockets near walls, stone, and reflective surfaces
- Cool pockets where cold air pools at night
- Where irrigation overspray or roof runoff lands after rain
I include one practical observation: if I can stand in the spot at sunrise and feel dampness on my skin, it’s a mildew risk zone later in flower. That note alone has saved me from putting my densest weed plants in the wrong place.
To keep microclimate journaling for weed realistic, I use a cheap hygrometer and a phone app for sunrise/sunset. I don’t need lab accuracy. I need consistent comparisons.
Seeds and genetics: buy with documentation, not vibes
When people ask me how to choose seeds, I tell them to build a system they can repeat. That starts with seed-lot traceability.
Seed-lot traceability for real-world learning
Seed-lot traceability means I label every pack and every plant like it matters, because it does. I track:
- Seller and date ordered
- Pack identifier or batch note if provided
- Storage method (cool, dark, dry)
- Germination date and method
- Early vigor and any odd traits in week 1–2
- Final harvest notes and any issues
I have seen two packs with the same name behave differently. Seed-lot traceability lets me separate “this cultivar is finicky” from “this batch was inconsistent” and it prevents me from blaming the plant for my own sloppy records.
This also helps with seed-shopping decisions like feminized seeds versus regular seeds. If you’re buying feminized seeds because you want to maximize flower sites, seed-lot traceability helps you identify which lines handle stress without throwing unwanted traits. If you buy regular seeds because you want to keep a male for breeding, seed-lot traceability helps you correlate structure and vigor with your site.
Feminized, autoflower, and photoperiod: what I choose and why
I grow all three depending on the environment.
- Feminized lines: I use these when my space is limited and I want to avoid wasting time sexing plants. I keep stress low during transitions.
- Autoflowers: I use these when the season is short or my schedule is unpredictable. I plan light, steady feeding and gentle training.
- Photoperiod plants: I use these when I can control timing or when I want full training flexibility and longer veg.
I also keep a mix of indica-leaning, sativa-leaning, and hybrid plants across the year, because different plant architectures deal with airflow and humidity differently. In a still, damp space, I avoid overly tight flower structures unless I’m confident I can keep airflow strong.
In situ grow diagnostics: how I decide what the plant is asking for
When a plant struggles, I used to panic and change three things at once. Now I force myself into in situ grow diagnostics: observe, measure, change one variable, then watch the response.
In in situ grow diagnostics, my order of operations is:
- Check the environment first (temperature, humidity, airflow, light intensity).
- Check root-zone conditions (watering rhythm, runoff smell, oxygen, pot weight).
- Check nutrition last (EC/PPM, pH, and recent feed changes).
Most problems blamed on nutrients are light-and-VPD problems in disguise. That’s why in situ grow diagnostics starts with the environment.
Canopy-level PPFD mapping: the number that stops guessing
Indoors, I do canopy-level PPFD mapping with a simple PPFD meter. A phone app can help, but a meter is better if you can swing it. I measure at multiple points across the canopy because corners and edges can be 20–40% lower than the center.
My practical targets for cannabis:
- Veg: roughly 400–600 PPFD at the canopy
- Flower: roughly 700–900 PPFD at the canopy if VPD and nutrition are stable
If my room runs warm or my humidity control is weak, I keep PPFD lower. Canopy-level PPFD mapping is not about maxing numbers. It’s about matching light intensity to what the environment can support without leaf stress.
I also use canopy-level PPFD mapping outdoors in a different way: I track how many hours the canopy gets direct sun and when shade hits. That helps me position plants so morning sun dries dew quickly and afternoon heat doesn’t cook the tops.
Adaptive nutrient steering: feeding to the plant, not the schedule
Adaptive nutrient steering is my approach to nutrition: I adjust based on how the plant is growing in my specific conditions, not based on a generic week-by-week chart.
In coco or hydro, I watch EC/PPM and pH closely:
- Early veg: EC often lands around 1.0–1.4 for my plants
- Mid flower: EC often lands around 1.6–2.2 depending on cultivar response
- pH in coco/hydro: I usually stay in the 5.8–6.2 range
In soil, I rely more on watering rhythm, root oxygen, and leaf color trends than on chasing precise EC. Soil can buffer mistakes, but it can also hide slow buildup, so I still respect runoff clues and plant posture.
The key is that adaptive nutrient steering is slower than impulse. I change one thing, then I wait long enough to see the trend.
Soil vs hydro: my honest trade-offs
For weed grown in soil, I like the forgiveness and the flavor potential when biology stays healthy. The trade-off is slower correction. If I overdo something, it can take time to rebalance.
For cannabis in hydro, I like the control and the fast feedback. The trade-off is that small mistakes show up quickly and can snowball if you miss a day.
For marijuana in coco, I get a middle ground: a fast response with a bit more buffer than pure hydro.
In Situ and Related Concepts fits all three because the method is still site-based: what can I monitor, and what can I correct in time?
Training and canopy control that works in real conditions
I train plants to reduce risk, not to chase a photo. My default is a gentle approach that I can apply almost anywhere.
Low-stress training in practice
I use bending, tying, and gradual canopy shaping. If I top, I do it early and only on vigorous photoperiod plants. Autoflowers get minimal high-stress moves because their clock is unforgiving.
I keep notes in two places:
- My training log (what I did and when)
- real-world phenotype notes (how each plant responded under my conditions)
That is where real-world phenotype notes becomes valuable. One plant may love being spread wide. Another may slow down for a week. Those responses matter more than the strain label.
Odor pathway risk planning: staying respectful of the people around you
Odor isn’t just a comfort issue. It can become a conflict that ends a grow. I treat it as planning, not an afterthought, and I call that odor pathway risk planning.
For indoor gardens, odor pathway risk planning usually means:
- A properly sized carbon filter
- Good ducting with minimal leaks
- Negative pressure so air exits only through filtration
- Filter maintenance on a schedule
For greenhouse or outdoor, odor pathway risk planning means:
- Paying attention to wind direction during peak aroma weeks
- Avoiding placing the most aromatic cultivars right on a property line
- Using natural airflow and spacing to reduce stagnant “odor traps”
I’ve learned that odor pathway risk planning is partly social. If you live near others, planning and discretion go a long way.
Pest management and resilience
In situ runs face more variability, and pests exploit variability. My approach is simple: prevent, scout, respond.
Prevention:
- Keep the area clean of decaying leaves and weeds near the canopy
- Maintain airflow and avoid wet leaves overnight
- Quarantine new plants if you bring them into an indoor room
Scouting:
- Weekly underside leaf checks with a loupe
- Sticky cards near entry points
- Notes tied back to microclimate journaling for weed so I know when risk spikes
Response:
- Target the specific pest rather than spraying broadly
- Adjust environment and irrigation to reduce recurrence
These habits are part of in situ grow diagnostics and site-specific cannabis planning because they are environmental first, not product first.
Harvest timing: the point where patience pays
I don’t harvest based on calendar dates. I watch plant signals: water uptake, aroma development, and trichome maturity. I prefer to cut when the plant has slowed its drinking and the buds feel dense but not overly swollen to the point of rot risk.
I also take one practical step: I reduce handling during the final week. Trichomes are fragile, and I want terpene retention.
Humidity-buffered drying workflow: how I improved consistency
Drying is where many good grows get downgraded. My biggest quality jump came when I adopted a humidity-buffered drying workflow instead of “whatever the room does.”
My targets:
- Temperature: roughly 18–20°C when possible
- Relative humidity: roughly 55–60% as a starting point
- Gentle airflow that moves air in the room without blasting buds
I aim for a slow dry that preserves aroma and prevents harshness. In my humidity-buffered drying workflow, I hang whole branches when humidity is stable, and I wet-trim only when the room is too humid and I need more airflow through the canopy.
When stems begin to snap instead of bend, I jar and begin curing. During curing, I burp jars based on moisture, not habit. If the buds feel damp inside the jar, I leave them out longer before sealing again.
I write down drying observations alongside real-world phenotype notes because some phenotypes dry differently even when grown side by side.
Region-aware cultivation compliance: don’t skip the boring part
I’m not a lawyer and I’m not giving legal advice, but I do believe in doing the homework. Region-aware cultivation compliance is the step where you confirm what is allowed where you live before you order seeds, plant, or share anything about your garden.
In my own region-aware cultivation compliance, I check:
- Plant count limits and household rules
- Where plants can be grown (indoors only, enclosed yard, etc.)
- Visibility and odor expectations
- Transport and storage rules
- Any restrictions on seed ordering and shipping
I keep it simple: I read the official sources for my region, I take notes, and I stay conservative. If you travel or move, redo your region-aware cultivation compliance. Rules change and assumptions expire.
A practical “run plan” template you can copy
This is the template I use to keep In Situ and Related Concepts actionable.
Run Plan Template
- Goal: yield, quality, speed, or learning a cultivar
- Site notes: temperature range, humidity range, airflow notes
- Light plan: hours outdoors or PPFD targets indoors (canopy-level PPFD mapping)
- Medium: soil, coco, or hydro and why
- Watering rhythm: how often you can realistically water
- Nutrition plan: starting EC/PPM and how you’ll adjust (adaptive nutrient steering)
- Training plan: minimal, moderate, or aggressive (and why)
- Pest plan: prevention steps and scouting schedule
- Odor plan: odor pathway risk planning notes
- Drying plan: humidity-buffered drying workflow targets
- Records: seed-lot traceability labels and log locations
This template keeps me honest. It also makes it easier to learn from failures because I can see where I deviated from the plan.
FAQ: long-tail questions I hear all the time
How do I choose between cannabis, marijuana, and weed seed types?
They’re the same plant, but the seed type matters. Decide first whether you want feminized, regular, or autoflower seeds, then choose genetics that match your environment and schedule. Use seed-lot traceability so you can learn from each run instead of starting over every time.
What’s the simplest way to improve an indoor grow without buying new gear?
Do canopy-level PPFD mapping and fix your canopy uniformity. Even light across the canopy improves consistency more than adding another bottle. Pair that with stable temperature and humidity.
Should I use soil or hydro for my first run?
If you want forgiveness and you can’t check plants daily, soil can be easier. If you want fast feedback and you enjoy measuring, hydro can be rewarding. Either way, apply site-specific cannabis planning and choose the method you can maintain.
How do I prevent mold on compact flowers outdoors?
Start with microclimate journaling for weed so you understand dew duration and still air zones. Space plants, prune for airflow, and avoid wetting flowers late in the day. Choose genetics with structures that breathe.
What’s the best way to keep aroma during drying and curing?
Use a humidity-buffered drying workflow and avoid rushing. Keep the dry environment steady, handle buds gently, and cure based on internal moisture rather than a calendar.
How do I shop for seeds responsibly?
Use seed-lot traceability and read the seller’s shipping and handling details carefully. Be mindful of region-aware cultivation compliance in your area. Buy with a plan for storage, germination, and record keeping.
Closing thoughts
In Situ and Related Concepts is not a trend for me. It’s a way to grow better cannabis and make fewer repeat mistakes. When I commit to site-specific cannabis planning, I stop blaming genetics for problems caused by my space. When I keep microclimate journaling for weed, I predict disease pressure earlier. When I use in situ grow diagnostics and adaptive nutrient steering, I stop overcorrecting. And when I keep a humidity-buffered drying workflow, I preserve the work I put in for months.
If you take one thing from this: measure the environment you actually have, write down what you do, and let the plant’s response guide your next move. That’s the heart of In Situ and Related Concepts.
