The growing medium holds the roots firmly so that they can support the plant, and holds the water-nutrient solution and air so that they are available to the plants. It is obvious that the roots are used by the plant to obtain water and nutrients, but they need oxygen too. Roots not obtaining sufficient oxygen become sickly and are attacked by mildews and rots. Planting mediums range the spectrum from totally organic to artificial materials. Organic materials such as compost, topsoil, humus, worm castings and steer manure have nutrients tied up in complex molecules. Almost everyone has grown a house plant After the plant was in the container for a while, its growth slowed for 2 reasons: the roots were pot bound and the nutrients in the planting medium were used up (for growing cannabis). When some fertilizer was added to the water, the plant showed renewed vigor.
Some growers point out that a few buds are easily dried by placing them in a loosely folded brown paper bag at room temperature. Larger amounts are hung or placed on trays in a dark area such as a closet. The buds need some air circulation and have a relatively high humidity, so that they dry fairly slowly. It is reported that bud dried for 2-5 days smokes much smoother than it does when it is dried quickly. The reason is that after picking the buds are still alive and some of the chlorophyll and starch is used by the dying cells. Some growers use a microwave or oven to dry the buds. Microwaves do not hurt the THC, but marijuana dried this way has a harsh taste as compared to the slow dried cannabis seeds.