Benefits of Growing Your Own Weed | Cannabis at Home
Estimated 6-minute read
Don’t you get the feeling that ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit people started taking care of plants in their homes? During lockdown and with the desire to go outside, we were limited to walking from the inside of our home to the garden (if we were lucky to have one) if only for a little while. Some of us even began pursuing a gardening hobby! It’s no surprise that a lot of stoners started questioning themselves, should I grow weed?
You’d be surprised to know how intense our ancestors were about cannabis hemp, and I’m not exactly talking about getting high. In the past, hemp was used for a lot of things thanks to its industrial properties such as making rope, clothes, textiles and papers. Its seeds have been called one of the healthiest foods in the world, and due to its properties, hemp has the potential to contribute to sustainability in a huge cost-effective way. The growing potential is humongous, but ever since the mid 1900s, countries have banned cannabis altogether, depriving humanity of its wonders.
Nonetheless, the picture is changing little by little. Countries like the United States, Mexico and Uruguay have been working to make modifications to its laws that now allow people to grow cannabis in their homes. This decision takes a step further into creating a more sustainable world, so let’s dive deep into the characteristics of cannabis, its benefits and its growing needs.
Understanding the Hemp
In their book Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany, Clarke and Merlin affirm that hemp grows best with an open, sunny environment. To blossom up to 5 meters (16 feet) tall, cannabis needs light, well-drained soil, and enough nutrients and water.
Needless to say, riverbanks, lakesides and agricultural lands are ideal habitats for cannabis, thanks to the characteristics previously mentioned, and especially since there’s a good concentration of several nutrients.
As mentioned by Clarke and Merlin, when growing hemp in dry locations with minor soil nutrients, cannabis will develop minimal foliage and grow about 20 centimeters (8 inches) tall.
Now that you know a bit more about the technicalities of growing hemp, I bet you have quite the picture of how much space and time you need to spend in order for your plant to thrive. But let’s be a little more meticulous…
Are You a Candidate to Grow Weed?
By reading the former section, many of us can already rule out the possibility of cultivating cannabis in our backyards. However, let’s not rush things yet. This is a list of things you need in order to grow your own weed at home.
- Adequate space
You don’t want your hemp growing in a sad, tiny place, no light involved. Even though cannabis is relatively easy to grow, you still need the basics: space, light, air and water.
- Appropriate security
If you have neighbors close, you don’t want them being nosy and meddling in your business. On the other hand, having pets or kids could also lead to disaster. Best thing you can do is set up a fence, or at least enclose the place where you will harvest your hemp so it grows unbothered.
- Check your state regulations for growing and cultivating cannabis
Before you start cultivations, you cannot let this pass. In most places, punishment will be severe and you can get into a lot of trouble.
- Having a garden can make all the difference
You’ll have natural light, fresh air, carbon dioxide and water, which is great for hemp. It will also need less maintenance, which means less cost!
- Selecting the correct weed seeds
Remember, the correct weed seeds will determine your success. As mentioned by Roland Michigan, it’s important you select seeds or clones from local dispensaries based on the legality of cannabis in your area.
And now, on to the benefits!
Benefits of Growing Your Own Weed Outdoors
- Freedom to experiment
For starters, you could experiment with different cannabis strains; imagine if you cultivated a stronger THC strain to share with your friends whenever you get together for game or movie night. If you prefer CBD driven ones for chill times at home or nights where you treat yourself to a nice dinner, you could harvest it in another pot. It’s the best of both worlds.
- It’s environmental friendly
You’ll get rid of having your dealer drive with a suspicious package, driving to a nearby dispensary, or throwing away excessive and useless packaging. Lowering your carbon footprint by growing weed at home will help the planet, and additionally, your wallet.
- If you’re vegan, you can make sure your product is as well
We’ve talked about weed not being 100% vegan, given the fact that most of the fertilizers involved in the process of growing cannabis come from animal nutrients like blood meal, bone meal and fish hydrolysate. You can easily make your own vegan fertilizer at home, or even look for vegan fertilizers in the market.
- Never run out of cannabis at home
Whether you use it recreational or medicinal, running out of hemp will be highly unlikely. You won’t even need to rely on dispensaries and will be able to monitor how much you’re consuming.
- Higher yields
According to this growing article, outdoors cultivated cannabis may grow up to 1.8 meters or 6 feet tall, which yields about 500 grams of dried bud! The harvest for six plants alone can provide you with a year’s worth of cannabis supply.
- You have complete control over your weed
Growing it yourself means having everything under control. Inspirationfeed mentions that cultivating your own hemp means to have control over the entire process, which consists of the harvesting, curing, drying, and everything in between.
- You will save money
First of all, you will stop spending on weed. And second, growing hemp outside will allow you to use the natural materials the world provides, such as air, light and rainfall. Of course, you still need to consider the small additions, like buying fertilizer, pots, tools for gardening, etc. Still, it's a whole lot cheaper than buying weed often.
The Main Three Things You Need To Grow Weed
1. Cultivation materials
Such as soil, dirt and fertilizers that have the correct nutrients.
2. Correct weed seeds
As mentioned in one of the former sections.
3. Correct size pots
According to Growealth, pots from 12 to 15 liters are perfect for cultivating 2 to 4 plants in total.
Finally, I cannot stress this enough: Check the laws in your country and your state in regards to growing and the cultivation of cannabis. Be sure to study the rules about grammage, age, quantity, medicinal and recreational variations. If you can, get some advice about the subject with an expert, and always remember to play by the rules. Punishment can be severe, so stay on the right side of the law.
Author: Mary Jane
Clarke, C.R. & Merlin, M.D. (2013). Cannabis: Evolution and Ethnobotany. University of California Press. Retrieved from https://biblioteca.matinhocheiroso.com/Cannabis/Cannabis%20Evolution%20and%20Ethnobotany%20-%20Robert%20C.%20Clarke%20&%20Mark%20D.%20Merlin%20-%209780520270480.pdf
Growealth (2021) The Benefits Of Growing Cannabis At Home. Retrieved from https://growealth.com/blogs/articles/the-benefits-of-growing-cannabis-at-home
Igor. 6 Benefits of Growing Cannabis Yourself. InspirationFeed. Retrieved from https://inspirationfeed.com/growing-your-own-cannabis/
HØJ. Growing Cannabis Outdoors. Retrieved from https://www.hoj.life/blogs/viden/growing-cannabis-outdoors
HØJ. Growing Potential. Retrieved from https://www.hoj.life/blogs/viden/growing-potential
Mary Jane (2022) Vegan Weed | Is Weed Actually Vegan? HØJ. Retrieved from https://www.hoj.life/blogs/viden/vegan-weed-is-weed-actually-vegan
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