Growing Cannabis at Home

Growing Cannabis at Home: What You Need to Know

Cannabis cultivation at home is becoming more popular as more states legalize its use for medical and recreational purposes.

While cannabis is federally illegal in the USA, many states have enacted their own medical and recreational cannabis laws. Of these states, several have made provisions for cultivating a small amount of cannabis at home for personal use.

Growing your own cannabis can be rewarding and cost-effective, but it comes with its own set of challenges and legal requirements, which we will cover in this article.  

Which US States Allow Home Cultivation

There are around 15 states that currently allow home cultivation of cannabis.

Here is a breakdown of the states where you can legally grow cannabis at home and their respective laws:

States not allowing home cultivation include Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indian, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, and several others. Additionally, states like Arkansas, Delaware, and Florida have medical cannabis programs but do not permit home growing.

Benefits of Growing Cannabis at Home

Cost Savings:

While the initial setup may be expensive, home cultivation can be cheaper than dispensaries in the long run. Once established, the cost of maintaining a grow is relatively low, covering only basic supplies and utilities.

Cannabis from dispensaries can be expensive due to taxes and retail markups. While black-market cannabis may be available, buying from illegal sources comes with its risks that are best avoided if possible. Growing at home eliminates the high costs of buying weed from dispensaries, potentially saving frequent users hundreds of dollars annually.

Some medical marijuana patients may need a large amount of cannabis for effective treatment, such as for making potent extracts for vaping. These can be difficult to find locally and require a lot of cannabis flower to produce. Growing at home can offer a cost-effective solution to make cannabis concentrates they may not be able to afford otherwise.

Quality Control:

Home growers have complete control over the cultivation process, ensuring no harmful pesticides or growth hormones are used. The final product can be organic and free from potentially dangerous chemicals. 

You can also ensure the cannabis is dried and cured correctly, which can significantly impact its flavor, potency, and overall quality. 

Strain Consistency:

Growers can cultivate specific strains that work best for their needs, which might only sometimes be available in dispensaries. This is particularly beneficial for medical users who rely on certain strains for their therapeutic effects.

A steady supply of a preferred strain ensures consistency in treatment and avoids the disappointment of a favorite strain being out of stock.

Accessibility:

For those in rural areas or places with few dispensaries, home growing provides a reliable supply of cannabis without the need to travel long distances.

It also ensures availability regardless of market fluctuations or changes in dispensary stock.

Therapeutic Benefits:

Gardening itself is a therapeutic activity, and the satisfaction of growing your own cannabis can enhance this experience.

Many people find joy and relaxation in nurturing plants, and watching them grow can be a fulfilling hobby. 

Customization:

Many dispensaries will rotate their selection depending on what's available, which strains are selling well, and which have the best markup. They may only sometimes have your preferred strains or those that work best for you.

Home cultivation allows for the creation of custom strains through breeding, enabling growers to tailor the plant's effects, flavors, and growth characteristics to their preferences. This level of customization is not possible when purchasing from dispensaries.

Time Involved in Growing Cannabis

The cannabis plant is an annual flower. When growing naturally, it begins its cycle as a seedling in the spring and grows throughout the summer, then flowers near the end of summer and into the fall season. In fall, the seeds would fall to the ground before the plant dies off in winter, making room for the new seeds to sout again in spring.

When growing cannabis, you'll want to mimic the pant's life cycle but also help it along the way so you can grow more than once a year and maximize your yields.  

There are four stages of growth for the plant.

1. The first thing you will need to do is germinate the seeds or find seedlings that are available for purchase. Germination takes around one to two weeks.
2. Once the seeds have sprouted, you need to put them into a small pot with soil; they will continue to grow for a few weeks before entering the vegetative state.
3. The vegetative state is where the plants do the majority of their growing. This lasts one to two months.
4. The final stage of growth is the flowing stage, which typically occurs eight to eleven weeks after planting the seed.
5. After the growing and flowing stage, you will want to harvest and cure your buds so they are ready to consume or can be stored in air-tight containers for later. Drying the weed can take a couple of weeks, and curing can take up to four weeks.

The entire process from seed to cured buds can take around 3 to 6 months, depending on the strain and growing conditions. 

Equipment Needed and Costs of Cultivating Cannabis at Home

Growing cannabis at home requires some initial investment in equipment. Here's a breakdown of what you'll need and the approximate costs:

1. Seeds or Clones:
   • Seeds: $10-$20 per seed.
   • Clones: $20-$30 per clone.
2. Growing Medium:
   • Soil: $15-$30 per bag.
   • Hydroponic systems: $100-$500.
3. Containers:
   • Pots: $5-$20 each, depending on size.
4. Lighting:
   • LED grow lights: $100-$500 each, depending on wattage and quality.
   • High-intensity discharge (HID) lights are $50-$150 per light, plus $50-$100 for a ballast.
5. Grow Tent or Room:
   • Grow tent: $100-$300, depending on size and quality.
   • Reflective materials for a grow room: $50-$100.
6. Ventilation:
   • Exhaust fan and carbon filter: $100-$200.
   • Oscillating fans: $20-$50 each.
7. Nutrients and Supplements:
   • Fertilizers and nutrients: $50-$100 per grow cycle.
8. Environmental Controls:
   • Thermometer and hygrometer: $20-$50.
   • Humidifier and dehumidifier: $50-$200 each.

Economic Viability

Growing cannabis at home can be economically viable, especially for frequent users. The initial investment in seeds, soil, pots, lights (if growing indoors), and other supplies might be high, but the ongoing costs are relatively low.

Over time, the savings from not having to purchase cannabis from dispensaries can add up significantly. With the price of weed around $8-10 a gram you can make considerable savings if you can get 1lb of dried and cured weed from a grow cycle of three plants. That would equate to 453.592 grams or 16 ounces. If you live in a state where weed is around $220 an ounce at your local dispensary 16 ounces of weed would equate to over $3500 USD. So its easy to see how you can make considerable savings.

Challenges and Considerations

• Legal Compliance: Ensuring your cultivation setup complies with state laws is crucial to avoid legal issues.
• Initial Costs: Setting up an indoor grow space with lights, tents, and ventilation systems can be expensive.
• Time and Effort: Growing cannabis requires time and attention, including regular watering, feeding, and monitoring for pests or diseases.
• Climate Suitability: Outdoor growing is not feasible year-round in all locations, and a greenhouse might be needed to protect plants from harsh weather and pests.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Growing

• Indoor Growing: Requires controlled environments with grow lights, ventilation, and humidity control. It provides more control over growing conditions but can be costly.
• Outdoor Growing: Less expensive and uses natural sunlight, but is subject to weather conditions and has less control over pests.

Conclusion

Home cannabis cultivation offers numerous benefits, including cost savings, quality control, and accessibility to preferred strains. However, it requires an understanding of legal requirements, initial investment, and ongoing care. For those willing to put in the effort, growing cannabis at home can be a rewarding and economical way to ensure a steady supply of high-quality cannabis. Always remember to stay informed about your state's specific laws and regulations to ensure compliance and avoid legal issues.