Growing Cannabis used to be quite the shady venture not too long ago. It took a lot of stealth and guts to grow some plants. Thankfully, a lot has changed since then, and what once caused a lot of stress might bring you a lot of welcome stress relief.
Stress Buster – Gardening is a Healthy Hobby
It’s no secret that cannabis helps with things like PTSD and anxiety. Doctors prescribe it medicinally to help people who suffer from all sorts of stress-related issues and illnesses, from minor anxiety to schizophrenia. Of course, going to your local dispensary is the best thing you can do.
We know that there still is a thriving illegal market for pot, and this is because the government taxes the legal stuff something awful. If you don’t have a prescription, use it recreationally or self-medicate, this may leave quite a burning hole in your pocket.
Of course, if you grow yourself you won’t have this kind of a problem. We’re not trying to advocate having a full-on growing operation in your apartment. Growing just a plant or two isn’t demanding if you have the right equipment. It’s actually quite energy-friendly and fun. Click here for energy-efficient options for a small indoor space – there’s a lot of resources out there!
If you’re stuck at home, like a lot of people seem to be these days, growing your own cannabis may prove to be a very rewarding pastime indeed. If you ask a gardener from any country in the world, they will unanimously agree that gardening helps with stress, keeps you focused and brings a lot of good energy into your life. These are people who grow carrots and broccoli – if they all say that this helps them with stress, wait until you harvest your first fresh cannabis flowers.
The laws in many countries including the US and Canada are pretty lax when it comes to growing one or two plants – so it’s time to get to gardening, even if you don’t have a balcony or a garden.
Self-Sufficiency, Sense of Pride and Any Strain You Want
One of the greatest advantages of growing your own cannabis is that seeds are easier to get than plants. If you are a connoisseur of rare strains and interesting types of plants, this is your time to experiment.
Most wine hobbyists would give anything to be able to grow their favourite bottle of wine in their own kitchen. As a cannabis aficionado, you have an amazing chance to grow something that you can be proud of, enjoy on your own or sample with friends.
It’s a strange thing about those broccoli-growers – they get the most amazing sense of pride when they harvest. It’s one of the most satisfying feelings to be able to use the fruits of your labour – to share them with others and to be able to say that it’s really “yours”. Let’s take a minute to talk about the strains that most indoor growers love – some rearer and harder to get than others:
Green Gelato Auto – This is an “oldie but goodie”. It as named a strain of the year in 2018, and it remains one of the auto-flowering favourites. We highly recommend you get an auto-flowering strain for your beginning adventures, simply because it doesn’t require the extra steps of counting sunlight hours in order to make the plant flower. Auto strains flower naturally with age. When you get more advanced, you can get the more complicated strains that require careful light management.
Great for: adventure, artists, creativeness, making things, writing, uplift, high spirits
Harvest in 9 weeks after sprouting
55% Sativa 40% Indica 5% Ruderalis
24% THC
120 cm / 48 inches MAX
Hulkberry Automatic
This is an awesome strain to grow for a beginner because you get that complex effect that was brought to you by creative and thoughtful crossbreeding for maximizing many desirable effects. It’s the lovechild of strains like Strawberry Diesel and Ghost OG.
Great for: focus, creative productivity, problem-solving, uplifting, social.
Harvest in 9 weeks after sprouting
65% Sativa 30% Indica 5% Ruderalis
21% THC
120 cm / 48 inches MAX
Green Crack/Green Crush Auto
This is a 50/50 strain of Sativa and Indica and it gives you all the benefits of both. This is a great plant to grow if you don’t have that much space, because it will only grow up to 88 cm, and you can train it to be even lower than that. If you’re thinking about growing naturally, this might be a great window plant in the right area. It also provides a generous harvest for such a small plant.
Great for: Relaxing, artists, creativity, social
Harvest 8 weeks after sprouting
50% Sativa 50% Indica
20% THC
88 cm / 35 inches MAX
Growing Cannabis in Small Spaces
If you can have a dedicated walk-in closet for your little growth tent so it can be kept out of sight – great! But a lot of people actually opt for keeping their plants in their living rooms, kitchens or bathrooms. Not many of us have a lot of room to spare. Others keep to their garage, cellar, attic or closet.
Historically speaking, people picked these places because they’re easy to conceal. But if you’re not worried about law enforcement and are growing legally, there is nothing to hide. The only issue here will be providing enough light to your plant. Not all of us enjoy windows with full sun exposure, and cannabis plants love their light.
Here is an easy space-to-harvest chart for small growers:
Up to 8 ounces – 2’x2’ – a grow tent meant for “micro grows” will be no more than a 2 ft square space, that can easily fit just about anywhere. This size is perfect for getting your bearings and for first-time gardeners. You’ll learn quickly and discover how fun and rewarding growing your own harvest is.
Up to one pound – 2’x4 or 3’x3’ grow tent. This can be either a tent or a small growing cabinet. This is what we recommend to anyone who feels comfortable with taking care of their plants and maybe wants to experiment with a few different strains.
Up to 3 pounds – no larger than 5×5 – this is probably larger than anyone will ever use for their own personal use – 3 lbs is a lot of weed for a casual smoker and hobby gardener!
Grow Tents vs Au Naturale
We’ve seen some people who have bright South-facing windows and don’t bother with any grow tents. Of course, this is fine and you will get a harvest but there are some things to keep in mind.
Cannabis plants have a certain… smell. Others call it an odour. Others still call it a stench. Growing in a controlled environment helps to keep your neighbours happy and your apartment bearable to visitors. And no, putting up some tarps won’t help you – grow tents have a special ventilation system with filters that keep any plant smells out of your living area. They also keep the air circulating and keep your plants happy.
What else do grow tents provide? Their interior is lined with reflective material that doesn’t let a drop of light go to waste. They can go up to 90% of reflective capacity – which means that only 10% of the light won’t get reflected back. This adds to the energy efficiency, even if you already use super earth-friendly LED lights.
If you want to experiment with hydroponics, a tent is a great contained, spill-proof area to do it.
Growing Your Own is Good for You
Growing your own weed doesn’t mean that you have to supply the whole neighbourhood with flowers. It means that you know what you’re getting, you get the satisfaction and pride that comes with accomplishing goals and creating something useful out of nothing. And let’s face it – a little self-sufficiency never hurt anyone!
