Kratom or Mitragyna Speciosa is a tropical evergreen, a non-seasonal plant usually found in swamps or valleys. It has gained immense popularity due to its instantaneous medicinal effects. Some daily users have taken it to another level in their Kratom journey and have tried to grow Kratom in their homes, but only a few have succeeded. Why so? What mistakes do people usually make when growing Kratom? Let’s find out all about it.
A Glimpse Of Kratom ( Mirtagyna Speciosa)
Mitragyna Speciosa, also known as Ithang, Thom Et cetera., belongs to the family Rubiaceae. It is a large trunk tree that can grow up to 4-9 meters, making it impossible to grow fully inside the home. Its flowers are globular in shape attached to the long stalks.
The leaves are a shiny dark green color arranged opposite to one another. They usually fall during autumn and grow in rainy seasons. The veins on the leaves can either be green or red, each making the Kratom different from another one. The red one is usually bitter, and its medicinal effects last longer than green vein kratom leaves.
Grow Kratom At Home – Checklist
The first step is to find the right ingredients for the plant to thrive. It includes seeds, soil, optimum temperature and moisture, and the right amount of water.
Seeds Or Cuttings?
Before growing Kratom, the first problem that arises with it is whether to go for seeds or cuttings?
Both have their drawbacks; the Kratom seeds are needed in a larger quantity to germinate. Almost 50 seeds are required in each pot to sprout successfully. Another problem with the seeds is their quality. In most countries, Kratom is not freshly available, and when sold online, it usually comes off-dry and hardened, which is not suitable.
The success rate of growing Kratom with seeds is usually about 20% which drops to 5% when the seeds are dry and old. Lastly, Kratom seeds are very hard to find. They are not easily available in the stores, and very few of them are being sold online, which might take time to deliver at the place.
With the cuttings, the struggle of finding the right seeds for the plant and the whole process of germination is lessened. It is quite a good method for the starters or the non-experts and is less time-consuming than the seeds method, but the problem arises when the cuttings do not take the roots and easily get infected with fungal infections. Therefore, it is advised to use rooted plants to have a troubled free start.
The Soil Of The Kratom Plant
Soil is the building block of Kratom plants; optimum soil is the step most beginners go wrong. For the Kratom plant to grow at home, one should mimic the rainforest soil, rich in minerals, nitrogen, and hummus. It is also advised to use the fertilizers regularly.
It’s essential that the soil is neither too damped nor too dry and holds the right amount of water. It should be acidic with a PH of 5.5 to 6.5, which changes when the plant grows. Hence, one needs to make sure to check it frequently. If alkaline, it can affect the quality of leaves, making them yellow and undernourished.
Water
The trick with Kratom is to give the correct amount of water; too much or too little can stunt its growth. If the soil is flooded with water, it can become a site for insects, and when kept dry for a long time, it can result in the leaves falling off. Hence, it’s essential to keep the soil moistened at every stage of its life.
Humidity And Temperature
It is the most crucial yet difficult step to do. To cultivate Kratom at home, one should have a light, humidity, and temperature-controlled environment.
Kratom works well in medium-high humidity, and knowing the right humidity depends on where it is being grown and the origin of the seeds.
One must keep the humidity within the range of the humidity of the seed’s country of origin. Humidity impacts the alkaloid content of kratom, meaning it can make the sample of Kratom either potent or weak. It is said that the higher the humidity, the better will be the quality of Kratom. Most often, people prefer to use humidifiers to regulate the humidity needed for the plant.
The optimum temperature required for Kratom to grow at home is generally from 21-32 Celsius. In cold temperatures, these plants go into a dormant phase and don’t grow. One also needs to keep the plant in a highly ventilated area and not provide light all day.
The Basics Steps To Grow Kratom
Once the optimum environment is achieved, the next step is to plant the seeds. The pot should be large enough to allow Kratom to spread out below the soil, take in more moisture and grow. One can also break the twig or leave and keep it in the soil until the roots grow.
Give water when the soil begins to dry and wait patiently to grow. During winters, Kratom is kept inside the homes, and summer sunlight can be good for them. Keep an eye on the plant to make sure there are no signs of fungus. Soon, if everything is done right, flowers and leaves will begin to appear, and after a long time of waiting, the plant will be ready to harvest.
It’s Harvest-time!
Only a few ever get a chance to reach this stage, so you should be proud of yourself if you have made it up to here.
Kratom requires a lot of patience and time. It takes almost two years to flourish into its mature form and grow 20 feet tall. But here’s the good news; One can take the Kratom leaves out within one year of planting seeds. The best time to get the leaves is before autumn when they fall off naturally. So one needs to make sure to harvest the Kratom leaves before the tree starts shedding off on its own.
Different Ideas To Consume Kratom
Now that the hardest part is done, it’s reward time.
One can get the leaves and chew them directly or use a grinder to convert them into powder. Kratom tea is liked a lot among Kratom enthusiasts; it is made by either adding the leaves with its vein or the powder into the water and leaving it for 30 minutes. Once all is cooked, it should be drunk within 30 minutes slowly for maximum absorption. The resultant tea is bitter; therefore, some consumers prefer adding either sugar or honey.
Is It Legal To Grow?
Kratom legality differs from state to state and country to country; even in those areas where the usage of Kratom is legal, the growth can be subject to restrictions, so one should verify whether growing Kratom is legally permitted in the area or not before starting anything.
Is Growing Kratom “Too Heavy On The Pockets?”
It is one of the major reasons Kratom enthusiasts work so hard to grow Kratom at home; it saves money. Although the use of lights, humidifiers, and the whole process of harvesting Kratom is pretty expensive, it is still less expensive when buying such small quantities from online vendors. Hence, growers save a bundle in the long run.
Things To Avoid While Growing Kratom
Many new Kratom growers make these mistakes which eventually result in the stunted growth of plants or the leaves not potent enough:
- Avoid giving Kratom plants water all the time. Yes, their natural habitat is in swamps, but too much water is harmful too.
- Do not give light all the time; make a light cycle of 12/12; 12 hours with light and 12 hours without light make the plants healthiest.
- The beginners usually tend to pick leaves just after the seedlings sprout little leaves. It is advised to wait till the early autumn and then start harvesting it, or else the leaves wouldn’t have the right amount of alkaloid.
- Kratom plants occasionally give flowers but do not take them as a sign to harvest the leaves.
- Do not throw any part of the plant once you have harvested. Consumers can separate veins and stem from leaves and can use them separately to enjoy different alkaloid properties.
Conclusion
It’s a dream for the Kratom enthusiasts to have their plant at home, which they can use any time of the day, but very few of them can make their dream come true. It is difficult to do and requires a huge amount of patience, effort, and time. Hence, most of the consumers end up buying Kratom online.
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